National dips but support for English kicks in strongly

I am standing as an independent candidate in the Mt Albert byelection because I feel that being independent from a political party is less restrictive and I am able to adopt issues and policies that the residents of Mt Albert feel strongly about. Healthcare, aged care (with the possible appointment of an Aged Care Commissioner) and housing are nationwide issues I personally feel strongly about.

Jacinda Ardern, Labour

Age: 36 Occupation: Labour Party List MP Lives: Pt Chevalier Mt Albert is my home — it has a fantastic sense of community, but it’s also facing issues that I know we can fix. We’ll build more homes, stop foreign buyers, and crack down on speculators. We’ll work with council on a 30-year plan for public transport, and pitch in for light rail. Our growing schools need support to keep class sizes down. We’ll bring back our local police kiosks, and tackle water quality issues. I want to be a strong voice for our community and make these things happen, not just for us, but for the next generation.

Dale Arthur, Independent

Age: 36 Occupation: Self-employed Lives: Kingsland It is ideas, not ideology that form the foundation of 21st century politics — we need to move past the outdated policies of the 1980s. I firmly believe in the strength of local communities — the businesses, groups, and people that form them constitute the foundation of New Zealand and make it the country that it is. It is in those communities that New Zealand can find dynamic prosperity for all. My mindset is one of business, diversity of culture, and dynamic outlook. A vote for me is one for balanced progress which finds the best solution by working with all parties.

Patrick Brown, Communist League

Age: 62 Occupation: Supermarket worker Lives: Mangere Bridge I present a working class programme to mobilise working people in the face of capitalism’s international economic crisis. We call for a public works programme to create jobs and meet human needs. We champion National’s support has dipped but Prime Minister Bill English has made a strong debut in the first full poll since John Key resigned — picking up almost all of Key’s support.

In the One News Colmar Brunton poll, Key had plunged to just 2 per cent as preferred Prime Minister, while his successor went straight in at 31 per cent — just five points short of Key’s last rating of 36 per cent in November.

National slipped four points in the party vote, but was still high at 46 per cent — a result which will be a relief Age: 46 Occupation: Unite Union organiser Lives: Owairaka The big parties of the Left — Labour and Greens — are not connecting with a growing number of people who are switched off from establishment politics. In this age of Brexit and Trump, we need radical solutions to poverty and the pain that working class people are facing. The centre has ignored our suffering for too long.

This is a safe Labour seat. Both Jacinda Ardern and Julie Anne Genter are already MPs who do some good work in Parliament. But this is a chance to send a warrior with a message to the establishment that we are sick of low wages, high rents, and the rule of the very rich elite.

We want to build a people’s movement in Mt Albert that will help people stand up for their rights. Come join the Socialist movement and put People Before Profits in 2017.

Abe Gray, The Cannabis Party>

Age: 34 Occupation: University tutor Lives: North Dunedin

New Zealand is an export-led agricultural economy but dairy expansion is killing our environment. We need an alternative highvalue crop with many different uses.

Additionally, the many other benefits for society of cannabis legalisation are well known.

By helping us advance our agenda which will greatly benefit the country, you the Mt Albert voter can make sure we don’t slip behind the rest of the world in important social and economic policy.

By taking responsibility for bringing NZ into the 21st century on this issue, Mt Albert voters can improve the lot of the country and reap disproportionate benefits for Mt Albert.

Julie Anne Genter, Green Party

Age: 37 Occupation: Green Party List MP Lives: Mt Eden I am passionate about Auckland. We have an to English and National after concern about the impact of Key’s exit.

While Labour has gone up two points to hit that elusive 30 per cent mark, Labour leader Andrew Little is still struggling to gain traction and dropped from 8 to 7 per cent as preferred Prime Minister — one point below NZ First leader Winston Peters.

The poll of 1000 voters was taken from 11-15 February — beginning the week after Waitangi Day and English’s phone call with US President Donald Trump and a day after English won plaudits for shearing a sheep at the Age: 42 Lives: Westmere (temporarily)

Both the Labour and Greens candidates are already in Parliament and neither is willing to work with the National Government for the next seven months. By voting for me you could have 3 MPs for the price of 1; and some real influence to boot as I would work with the government of the day. As an economist I am the natural choice for anyone interested in a strong economy. My priorities are getting house prices and rents under control, clean beaches and fixing the infrastructure that is creaking under the strain of rapid population growth.

Simon Smythe, Not A Party

Age: 47 Lives: Miramar, Wellington What will I do to Mt Albert if I am crowned King of it? I will gut the electorate office and turn it into a soup kitchen. Not A Party are great at deconstruction.

Concerns: Do we think people are going to say they’re hungry when they’re not hungry? If they do they obviously suffer from a mental illness and should be given food immediately. Pakoras and sabji stat!

What’s in it for you if you’re not hungry? Good question. Glad you asked. When a grimy footpath reprobate asks you for change you can direct them to the soup kitchen instead of giving them money. Money that you’re worried they’ll only spend on drugs because that’s probably what you would do if you were living on a footpath. It’s long past time politicians started serving the people. Not A Party are here, happy to oblige.

Vin Tomar, NZ People’s Party

Age: 42 Occupation: Kindergarten teacher Lives: Mt Albert I want to become the voice of Mt Albert World Shearing Championships.

Over the same period, Labour leader Andrew Little was wrestling with the public breakout of internal discontent over his decision to shoulder-tap Willie Jackson as a candidate. That broke an otherwise strong start to the year for him.

English told One News it was a good start but all elections were close.

Little told the Herald National’s drop showed English was not getting a honeymoon — and that people wanted a change.

Asked about his own 7 per cent Age: 60 Occupation: Mathematician Lives: Not known I have been running since 2002 for the Human Rights Party for every election. I first ran in 1993 for the New Zealand Defence Movement.The Human Rights Party believes in political (Upper House and direct democracy), social (inclusive, humane and egalitarian society), economic (Third Way and middle of the road economics), environmental (living green), and religious (evidence based) reform. The Human Rights Party believes in Te Tiriti O Waitangi (a living document) no vote and no confidence on ballot papers, free health and free education paid by businesses paying their fair share of taxes, a living wage for the working class and the working poor paid by the very rich, the rich and the middle classes, the redistribution of wealth for an adequate standard of living for the poor, sick and elderly paid by the taxpayer.

Peter Wakeman, Independent

Age: 57 Occupation: Pilot, businessman Lives: Christchurch I am extremely worried about several issues confronting New Zealand today. Runaway climate change I believe is threatening the world with starvation and ultimate extinction. I am advocating a retirement age of 55 years old funded by a financial transaction tax of 25 cents per $100. I also believe New Zealanders need to preserve their autonomy and legal freedoms which are in danger of being swallowed up by international agreements. Also running: Penny Bright, Independent result compared to English’s 31 per cent, he said: “Incumbents will always rate well — that’s just life.” He was pleased with the poll given Labour had moved up and National had dropped.

“The numbers are heading in the right direction from my point of view. We still have seven months to go . . .’’

NZ First will be the kingmaker on the poll results — there being just five points between the National and Labour-Greens blocs, but neither could form a Government with their preferred support partners: Act, the Maori Party and United Future for National and the Green Party for Labour.

NZ First had pulled up one point to 11 per cent — even with the Green Party. Act, the Maori Party and Mana Party were all on 1 per cent.

The speed of Key’s drop in the preferred Prime Minister rankings contrasts with that of former Labour leader Helen Clark who continued to poll fairly highly for months after resigning.

The poll of 1000 voters has a margin of error of +/-3.1 per cent.