New Zealand 2011

[lilTommy]

I think Antarctic might be right, another poll
http://tvnz.co.nz/election-2011/gap-closes-looms-poll-4568530

NAT - 50%
LAB - 28% (pulled from the Greens though, not who they need to gain from)
GRN - 10%
NZF - 4.2% (almost at threshold)
CON - 2%
Moari - 2%
ACT - 1.7%
Mana - 1%

[lilTommy]

Actually TVNZ was saying that they could pull off a majority with 47-48%, once all the wasted votes (votes for parties that didn't meet the threshold) gets applied.

If the Nats don't win a majority, and ACT losses Espon, they are left with only the Maori and they might only bring 2-5 (some were saying that Mana and Maori might split the vote enough for Labour to win some Maori Ridings... if Labours vote increases above 30% Maori and Mana might only each have 2 or 1 seats)

[lilTommy]

King... Annette King? Why would she step down? Is that expected when the leader steps down.
Why would she not take a stab at the leadership? shes been the deputy and a minister, she 64 but thats not too old.

 

[lilTommy]

Am i reading this right... the Labour party membership didn't vote but only MPs did for the Labour leadership?
Strikes me as odd, from a canadian perspective, since as a NewDemocrat i have another couple months till i vote and every member gets to vote for only the leader (would be nice to choose the deputies). Or the Liberals who i believe will have a delegated convention to choose their leader but still it means hundreds of votes instead of 34 voters for the NZL?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/vernon-small/6117264/Labour-leadership-race-goes-to-the-wire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Labour_Party_leadership_election,_2011