July 26, 2020
Desperate alliance as parties face poll shock
It’s a marriage made in political limbo.
Jami-Lee Ross, who is almost certain to lose his Botany seat on September 19 to National Party leader in waiting Chris Luxon, has allied his Advance New Zealand Party with Billy Te Kahika’s New Zealand Public Party,
The NZPP failed to meet the deadline for registration, so supporters drawn to the blues guitarist’s online lectures about 5G, 1080 and whether COVID-19 was a bioweapon could not make their numbers count as party votes without the alliance with an existing party.
Mr Te Kahika says the deal means he is co-leader of Advance New Zealand, as well as standing and the NZ Public Party’s candidate in Te Tai Tokerau.
Mr Ross says he is talking with other small parties about joining them.
Meanwhile, National’s replacement of Todd Muller as leader for Judith Collins has left voters disenchanted.
A NewsHub-Reid Research poll released yesterday put National on 25.1 per cent, down 4.5 percentage points on the last poll, while Labour went up 4.4 points to 60.9 per cent.
The Greens on 5.7 per cent looks set to return to the next parliament, but New Zealand First fell to 2 per cent.
Some of National’s support has gone to ACT, which is now on 3.3 per cent enough to have four MPs.
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