May 24, 2023
Poll fuels pub pondering
New Zealand First Northland candidate Shane Jones says a poll showing the party within reach of a return to parliament reflects the interest he’s seeing in the north.
The Horizon poll put New Zealand First at 4.8 percent, just shy of the 5 percent threshold.
While New Zealand First leader Winston Peters insists the only poll that counts is on election day, Mr Jones says it’s a talking point.
“The voters up in the north are constantly talking to me about politics. I think it’s driven also by the fact in the north the roads and our potholes are worsening, we are seeing a lot more rain up here, so poll results are an item of discussion down at the pub,” he says. The Horizon poll found Labour and the Greens would get a combined 61 seats, enough to form a coalition without the Maori Party, which at 4 percent would have five MPs if it retained Waiariki.
National dropped two percentage points to 23.2 percent and 36 seat, and ACT on 11.9 percent would have 18 MPs in its caucus.