KEY POINTS:
The latest TV One Colmar Brunton poll put National on 56 per cent support - a huge 25 point lead over Labour - and follows the weekend's Herald Digi-Poll which also gave National a large lead.
At the same time, Mr Key has overtaken Miss Clark as preferred prime minister.
Here is the latest selection of Your Views:
Peter, Tauranga
Snap election now. Don't want to wait to get rid of this inept bunch of ideological misfits that call themselves "our" government. I'm glad that middle NZ is finally waking up to realise what crap they have foisted on us. Just wait tho. Cullen has all of our money to buy the next election with & that will be certain ! He won't give it back to us as he needs it just for that. Will make the pledge card theft of funds look like absolute chicken feed. Any party that uses our stolen money to try & buy the election should have to repay it out of their own funds. I do not give any permission for my stolen money to be used by Labour to buy power. And they will, just watch!
John
Wow. The National Party has hired a lot of people to manipulate this message board haven't they! It all went wrong for Labour when they started moving back to the right after the Alliance imploded. They removed the GE moratorium, removed the cap on student fees, etc. National will not get in even if it wins a higher percentage than Labour in the next election as it doesn't have a coalition partner. National has consistently voted against good policy in parliament including raising the minimum wage. If more of those goings-on were published, they wouldn't have a leg to stand on. John Key is just a much a puppet as Don Brash was.
Bruce Nicholson
Spending $7.4m of tax payers money on kiwi saver is blatant politicking, we know this government "stole" over $800,000 of our money for their own use in the last election and this is just another example of their total disregard for honesty. In my lifetime I do not remember a more dishonest government than the present Labour government.
Old Fashioned Girl (Hastings)
To make me vote Labour the Anti Smacking Bill would have to be repealed. Same story for the Civil Union Bill. The Drinking age needs to be lifted. Drivers licensing age needs to be lifted. The gang problem needs a huge shake up. Truancy urgently needs to be addressed. The abortion rate is appalling as is the D.P.B. payout for solo mothers.We urgently need some law and order in our communities and all of the new bills (above) are not helping at all.
Grant Dumbell
Call a snap election as clearly they have lost the confidence of the electorate. If they believe in democracy they should submit to it rather than hang on to power as a minority government relying on an ex United Future list MP who, if he had any principles, should resign as he was put there by UF voters but is now unable to represent them. John Key should move a vote of no confidence then go to the Governor-General.
Susan
I had the laugh at someone writing here that NZ was now the 'nanny state of the world!' I live in Holland now and I can tell you there is no comparison, here not only must you 'register' every aspect of your life but you have to pay for it too! I remember NZ under National and it was very very painful. Several terms of Helen Clark have turned it around and brought back some balance. Labour hasn't been perfect but they haven't destroyed the economy, they have recovered it, they haven't made people destitute, they have helped them, and brought NZ to a more social level. People were mad about the smacking bill, but NZ needs that to be able to meet international standards for children. The problem now is simply that people are tired of the same old faces, and as usual too quick to blame the government for their problems (as though the want a'nanny state' to fix them!). Trouble is so many people have short memories. Dont follow the right wing swing that is damaging Europe at the moment, stick with Labour so people like me have a home to come back to, and be happy that, in the big picture, NZ is still a pretty good place to live.
LionKing
Michael Cullen's reasons on not giving personal tax cuts because we are all going to spend it after all is the last straw. Those comments doesn't go down well with the older population who have worked very hard. He treats all hard working New Zealanders like children. Shouldn't the older population also be rewarded too? We all like to see more money in my own savings account not KiwiSaver, and not everyone is going to spend it. Where's the incentive to work? Now it's like taxing the people who wants to work to be redistributed in other ways to those who chooses not to work. I think there should be more graduations in our tax scale and the first $6,000 or $10,000 should be taxfree. This gives recognition to those who want to work. You can collect in other ways by lifting taxes on consumption of 'undesirables' like tobacco and liquor. After all "It's not the drinking; it's how we're drinking". Put some disincentive to smoking and drinking. I also have no problem paying high taxes on petrol, I may use the car less helping with carbon emissions. When times are good we get nothing. Why? Because we are going to spend it! We are all such suckers.
Martin
Labour is dead in the water, and they bought it on themselves.Gay rights, left wing, political correctness, destruction of the nuclear family, anti-Christian. Us heterosexual, white males have had a guts full.Clark has damaged our society too much already. She will be remembered with disgust by many thousands of Kiwis.
Rosman
Without going into great detail, I think if you look back at National's history you could extrapolate their real policies if they were in power....sell sell sell! Look at Telecom, their vast revenue stream could have been flowing back into our communications infrastructure and the like if they weren't sold off by the blues. Labour on the other hand have created Kiwibank which is a valuable asset that would no doubt get sold off by National. Also, before you ask for tax cuts, try properly budgeting first so you know where all your pennies are going. Don't vote for change simply because your bored with the status quo....could be a lot worse!PS. Kanny I'm pretty sure it was the Shipley's group that lowered the drinking age?
Garmo
Hey I would really like to know why everyone is suddenly warming to John. The point is that National hasn't changed a bit it's still the conservative people last election. Although National may go on about tax cuts and waiting lists in public hospitals, but I wonder if any of the people in Your Views actually know that National would cut our Health budget meaning services would go down the drain. Our defence force would have a lack of funding so the quality and operational capability of our defence force would be threatened. There would be no extra money for building prisons or police and future climate change funding would be put aside. They may have to sell our SOEs so any chance of funding is long gone. At the end of the day Labour may not be perfect but I assure you as a whole New Zealand would benefit more long term than a few inflationary goodies from National.
Optimus Prime
National to win the next election and all the voters who chose the party will regret it. You cannot choose for reasons that it is time for change. I chose the government not for my needs and wants I chose Helen because it was best for the needy brother/sister New Zealander. Thats how you should choose a government.not for your personal needs but for what best for the benefit of your fellow New Zealander who needs it more.
See ya!
Send the whole party to Zimbabwe, the control-freaks capital of the world, where they'll feel right at home, and let New Zealand get back to being New Zealand.
Rog (Taupo)
I personally do not see much merit in John Key, but I do see much loathing in Helen Clark. But its not all her fault. She has to work with the loony parties (Greens and Maori parties etc) to keep them on her side. It must be sheer hell. The only way I can see Labour gaining ground is to repeal MMP and let the country see that the loonies would disappear come election time. Get over this PC bollocks and show some intestinal fortitude, Labour!
Dean
I believe we have finally reached the 'tipping point' with this Labour Party and the way Kiwis want to live their lives. We have mumbled and grumbled about the social engineering that has changed the face and fabric of our dear country over the past 7 years...but like the good Kiwis that we are, we haven't taken to the streets. Sure we have all filled in god knows how many petitions demanding that this Labour Govt listen to the people who elected them; but it has all fallen on deaf ears. It seems that every aspect of our communities and families has been altered in some detrimental way. But then along comes the Anti-Smacking bill and it seems that this one piece of legislation was the one that tipped it over; the one where decent Kiwis woke up from their malaise and collectively said " bugger this for a joke...enoughs enough." We must act now to rid our country of this current Government stacked high with bitter feminists and failed socialists. I am not a right-winger...just a family guy who wants some of his money back, the Government out of his life and most importantly, his country back. Go John Key.
Le Fox
If they started telling the truth & treated people with respect,reduced my taxes, reduced their massive wage & benefit schemes, reduced bureaucracy, became the National party, then I would vote for them, but as that isn't going to happen, lets vote the new National Party into power so some of the above can occur.Bring on an election, before there is no one left in the country to give a damn.
Marc
Resign,
Kiwiboy no more
Humongous surplus but no tax cuts till maybe next year, plus extra 10cents litre of gas in Auckland (whew), rates rises, water rises, cost of housing in NZ, cost of renting in NZ, plus cost of utilities requires work, work, work, to make it all work, which makes for a dull, dull, dull existence for all labour voters. Time for a seachange of our politicians in this country. Question is as crap as Labour is, is national any better?)
Seamus Brady
It is truly sad how fast New Zealand has taken to be strung along by John Key and National. The only thing that has changed with National is that it has a new puppet leading them and like Don Brash, has started flip flopping on key policies - Interest Free Student Loans, KiwiSaver, climate change anti - nuclear legislation, Working for Families, and Maori issues. Behind Key are the same cronies of the 1990's - Nick Smith, Lockwood Smith, Murray McCully, Tony Ryall, Bill English and Maurice Williamson. John Key's only skill is putting image over substance. When it comes to the crunch New Zealand will realise how foolish they were to believe that John Key and the National Party have a clue and hold the best interests of the nation at heart.
Skpp
Nothing can be done by labour to prevent them being uprooted in the next election... Time for a change...Getting sick of reading everyday new taxes, new rates and new charges.
Delenn
Does it really matter who we vote in? By the time the 3rd term has ended we'll have had enough of them anyway and then we'll just have to go through this all over again.. I'll stick with Helen, I still remember the pain of living under National and I wont ever forget it.
Kanny
Don't forget the Election spending legislation, they (Labour) broke the law, so pass legislation in a few days to make it legal. They lowered the drinking age, and keep it lowered. They stuff up the education(NCEA), sure it was a National idea, but they had 7 years to do something.
Andrew (Dunedin)
Labour needs to give a large tax cut, mostly benefiting those making less than $100,000 per year.MP Dunne has suggested moving up the thresholds, and this would be welcome for everyone. I would also like to see the first $15,000 of income not to be taxed at all--for anyone! We could pay for these cuts by making corresponding cuts in working for families and other benefit programs. What we save in administrative costs will allow us to give more back in tax cuts than what is taken away in benefits. Besides moving up the thresholds, the rates should come down too. If corporations only have to pay 30 per cent tax on their income, why should individuals have to pay 39 per cent once they reach $60,000? No one should have to pay more than 30 per cent on income.If G.S.T. needs to be increased to 14 per cent or 15 per cent to achieve this, I am ok with that. Those who decide to save instead of consuming should be rewarded.Shake it up, Labour. And don't make promises that take three years to come true. Start giving the tax cuts now!'
Blinky
Change Helen Clark. She is too domineering. Public opinion was against - anti smacking but that made no difference she went ahead and pushed it thru.
Dave (Tauranga)
NZers are tolerant people. However when they see politicians not listening & trying to engineer their society in ways they do not want to go, then they must pay. Helen with the rainbow gay labour political elite who surround & influence her have been forcing their ideology & agenda on the nation for many years without listening. They must think ordinary Kiwis are stupid. Not only have they hijacked the labour party & taken it off course but also the nation as a whole. The polls reflect what most kiwis are thinking at grassroots. We can't wait for the next election to see a clean sweep. Time is up - change of guard needed.
KiwiBoy
Labour has become the "nanny state capital of the world" its primary focus is upon a minimum standard of care and service, not the level on excellence and improved lifestyle that we as kiwi's actually desire. In truth the only way to obtain the "kiwi dream" today is to emigrate elsewhere (eg AU) where instead of receiving govt Clayton payrises (govt gives with 1 hand and takes it back so citizen actually worse off)that eventually puts you in higher tax bracket, (39cents in the NZ dollar or 49cents if you have a student loan) FYI in Aussie I am offered an immediate 30 per cent payrise to start, with full superannuation/ salary sacrificing options so for my 5 per cent from taxable gross; the employer pays a whopping 12.75 per cent (versus kiwisavers stingy 4 per cent NZ) into my Auzzie superfund. This puts me into 30cents per $100 bracket, plus get to live in a country with fantastic lifestyle unlike living in Auckland, which we all agree absolutly SUX, most of the time.I would be stupid not to accept this; in fact like thousands before me, and all those that will come after me, simply cannot afford, not to.
Colin
I have voted Labour for years. I did not want my beneficiary family members struggling to the point where they were made into beggars.. Let them live somewhat comfortably and show them how to get off the benefit with some dignity. They on the benefit have benefited well whereas I who work, and I who was a solo parent for many years under Labour's ruling struggled to make ends meet. No matter what support and financial relief was offered to the masses, because of what I financially made (and my status as a solo working parent),We always missed out (just outside of their threshold dollar values) - my son and I missed out on those financial relief packages the Labour Govt offered - and yes we were struggling, and no! What Labour offered we weren't entitled to - ask their IRD phone operator who phoned me to see if I qualified for any financial relief as a solo parent (the operator chuckled out of embarrassment for not having any financial support for a solo parent - poor operator guy).Labour 49 per cent - some other party 51 per cent.
Bob (Lower Hutt)
Call an election without further delay. Every week, 600 Kiwis, who have had a guts full of what's happening in this country, are voting with their feet and leaving for greener pastures overseas.
Matt (Auck)
The Helen Clark "brand" is now permanently sullied by years of political hubris which have finally caught up with her. With National's fresh, energetic, talented and likeable leadership the only prospect of Labour getting back into contention is if it dumps its current batch of 70's idealogues and brings someone from the moderate wing of the party ( perhaps Phil Goff) into the leadership with a new cabinet of people with real world experience ( if he can find any after 15+ years of union dominated candidate selections).
David
Its too late for Labour now. They should have done something 2 years ago. The Claytons tax reduction for business must surely be the final nail in the coffin. Labour giveth with one hand (33 per cent to 30 per cent) and take away more with the other (compulsory employer Kiwisaver contributions). This coupled with no increase in personal tax thresholds has finally delivered the final blow. This coupled with the Muldoon type arrogance of both Ms Clark & Mr Cullen an nearly ever issue has finally opened most kiwis eyes. All Cullen needs to do now is introduce a price and wage freeze. I am still amazed that Kiwis have allowed a history lecturer (aka Michael Cullen)to hold the governments purse strings.
AJSmith
To win my support Labour would have to resign.
Zpete (Mt Wellington)
Nothing, as usual, things are shaping up very well.Too much pussy footing around getting everything watered down to suit Labour partners.
Kathy (Singapore )
At 49 years old I have seen a few governments come and go. I am had really had enough of the problems in NZ last year and was so pleased to have a break away living in another country. I no longer felt safe in NZ and could see it slowly going downhill. The more you travel, the more your eyes are opened to what could have been for our country. I am now having trouble seeing how I will adjust when its time to go back. The government here has done an amazing job and you can see that they are trying to do their best for everyone and prepare for the future. The main differences between here and NZ are politicians are honest, the government takes responsibility and the public servants are highly trained. Oh and well paid. Helen Clark was never honest, right from the start. Give her the boot.
Jada (Tauranga)
Labour are supposed to represent the average working person but it is these people they have marginalised. Legalizing prostitution, anti-smacking, failure to enact long overdue tax cuts, a general anti-family, anti-Christian agenda, the list goes on. Time for this administration to go into the dustbin of history.
Alex
I don't recognise this Labour party anymore. I have been a Labour supporter up until the previous election but enough is enough. The current bunch have lost the plot completely. John Key and the new National team have quite frankly inspired me. Mr Key if you and your team aren't in office next year I and my extended family are leaving.
Paul
John Key has offered no real economic solutions except a tax cut which is inflationary. Next year the dairy industry which is the backbone of the NZ economy is going to get an extra $1.5 billion payout. Many farmers will upgrade their farms, buy new tractors, fertilizers, buy more land and every else that will have inflationary expectations. The govt will also have another record surplus on the back of the farmers' huge payout through taxes. I would be concerned if NZ was a basket case. In fact the USA is a basket case with US$ 8 tillion debt which means their currency is collapsing and the kiwi dollar is appreciating.Many migrants are attracted to NZ not because of a higher wages but lifesytle. I don't want to work more than 40 hours a week .I prefer to be home with my family. That is my choice. I have never heard anyone say I wish I had work harder at work when they are dying and on their deathbed at 80 years. Tax cuts should only be use to kickstart the economy if it is in a recession to stimulate the economy. National is a disaster if they get back in. We will have inflation skyrocketing & wage demand increase with strikes.
Expat for Good
It doesn't matter what Labour does. Law breaking and unethical in their electoral practices. Even when they are given written warnings in advance from the Authorities.Even with the right policies they are morally not fit to govern!
Koosh
While John Key is a nice all round kind of guy, I don't really think when election time comes that he will still be in the running neck and neck with the Labour Party . If John Key was a Labour man he would be a shoe in, but alas everyone knows that as a National man that even if by change he was elected he would become another puppet-man for the round table! National have a very strong agenda: the rich get richer etc. I really think it is time for Helen Clark to step down and perhaps let some more like Steve Maharay step up to the plate- we have seen a lot of changes with technology now keeping us all up to the minute.
Rossnz
If the polls are right we stand to get a double benefit, a National Government and an end to the irrational MMP. Labour has had one term too many.
Edward (Auckland)
Nothing. A 25 point lead says the public have made up their minds already. Cullen & Clarke were lucky with high commodity prices & large numbers returning after September 11. They have done little else but let the economy drift so badly we've dropped and Australia has gone ahead. We wanted positive growth, but we got prostitution.
Albert
"Mid-term blues", says Helen. Come election day, Labour will be beaten "blue-black". my prediction: National 59 per cent,Labour 25 per cent. Bye bye Helen, Cullen and company. Poor national, you've got aload of labour's rubbish to clean up.
Simon (Christchurch)
Labour haven't even paid back the money they stole from us to sneak back into power last time! Total arrogance, deceit, blatant manipulation of the system to protect corruption (Ingram Report), and total arrogance in the House, where Clark and Cullen are the worst. These idealogues will do and say anything to stay in power. Get rid of them.
Jason (Auckland)
They need to spend the money! I am not concerned about the level of tax - they just need to spend it on our infrastructure, like roads instead of taxing us more. If I hear inflation as an excuse not to spend the money one more time Labour has lost my vote. It is no-longer about fiscal responsibility - it is about winning the election. The consequences are much worse than a years inflation if National gets in. Wake up Cullen - dont be an accountant all your life.
James Leadbeater
There are a lot of people on Your Views banging on about how great John Key will be, without actually knowing what he plans to do. In case you haven't noticed, National has not actually produced any alternative policy - it just bashes the government incessantly without actually coming up with a solution. Their answer to every shortfall is more spending, but then when they complain that the government spends too much and should be cutting taxes. They complain about inflation, and then call for inflationary tax cuts. They talk about helping the workers, but then repeatedly vote against raising the minimum wage and talk about bringing back the Employment Contracts Act. National is a party with no vision, no policies, and no plan to take NZ forward.
Zane
What makes all the whingers think that National is going to do any better? John Key sounds more Labour than Labour! It was the Nats whom started all this so called "PC" stuff under Bolger and Shipley, it was the Nats whom introduced the Resource Management Act. And didn't National vote for the Anti-smacking bill in the end as well? Imagine a front bench of English, Williamson, McCully? Doesn't bear thinking.
Rob (Brisbane)
I'm actually going to vote next year now that there is a realistic chance of seeing the back end of Helen and the socialist party....pity that they've done so much damage to NZ that it's too late for me to consider returning from Aussie.
Nana (Albany)
Labour had reached its useby date before the last election and unfortunately voters had short memories of stuffups they made when last in power and re-elected them for another term complete with broken promises. If they had of kept the number of immigrants and imported cars to a minimum for starters we would of had NZ the great place it used to be still and our infrastructure would be able to cope with population including the housing market.
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