Fairfax Media Poll Provides Mixed Messages

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The latest Fairfax Media Poll has National being able to govern alone if the election was held now. It is an interesting phenomenon when there are so many concerns and protests around this government's initiatives and yet it continues to receive (according to the polls) widespread support.
  • We have Christchurch people concerned at the lack of information and urgency in dealing with their situation.  
  • Early childhood educators and communities are reeling after ongoing cuts to funding qualified teachers.
  • ACC claimants struggling with having to climb through endless hoops to get reasonable compensation (especially if you are over fifty or a rape victim). 
  • Those on low incomes and benefits struggling with the leaps in food prices and the general cost of living.
  • Primary schools having to abandon the implementation of the new National Curriculum to make sense of an untested and flawed assessment system.
  • Wage earners struggling to see why their wages cannot be increased to keep up with inflation while company management get huge salary increases and bonuses.
  • The Government's plan to mine National Parks created protests up and down the country involving numbers not seen since the early 80s
  • Constant revelations of self serving decisions and activities like BMW purchases, mates rates for appointed positions, budget blowouts for the PMs protection squad and government MPs accepting numerous treats provided by secret lobbyists.
  • Intensive and largely uncontrolled farming polluting 90% of our lowland rivers.
  • Banks and large corporates successfully using tax avoidance to keep billions of dollars of potential government revenue.
  • John key threatening attacks on employment conditions in the next term.
The very same poll showed the following issues were regarded as important or very important to a large percentage of respondents (estimations based on the graph provided):
The state of hospitals and education (92%)
The state of the economy (85%)
Cost of living, including the cost of fruit and veges (84%)
Law and order and drug and alcohol culture (83%)
The rebuild of Christchurch (75%)
The state of the environment (72%)
Social welfare reforms (65%)
The sale of state owned assets (59%)
Superannuation and Kiwi Saver (54%)
Immigration and emigration (47%)
Maori issues and influence (37%)

Given the record and intentions of this National led government it does not appear to be performing well in the areas that voters regard as important. The John Key factor appears to be providing an acceptable gloss over a multitude of sins....

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