Today we look at the MSM messages about the latest polls. The first one comes from Matthew Hooton who in his article Poll slide a warning to PM Jacinda Ardern – and it could get even worse hits Judith Collins hard (despite an increase in National’s numbers) while stating what Ardern needs to do to stop the slide for Labour.
That National itself still polls dismally is ultimately uninteresting. It will continue to underperform while Judith Collins remains leader and the party keeps offering no more than policy left-overs from the Bolger and Key eras mixed with nods to pre-1984 agrarianism, anti-vaxxer sentiment and general conspiracism.
Claire Trevett at the NZ Herald writes Is Labour’s poll slump the beginning of the end, or will summer burn it off?
The hope for Ardern here is that, however dented the faith in her might be at the moment, there are still no signs voters think anybody else is better equipped to do the job.
Labour’s polling has dropped back down to pre-Covid levels.
But National’s has not risen to its pre-Covid levels.
Are you noticing a pattern yet in the MSM messaging about the polling increase for National and decrease for Labour?
1 News: Labour, Ardern take hit in mid-Delta outbreak polls
Despite Labour’s drop, National still has much ground to make up to contend for Government.
It polled 26 and 24 per cent, historically poor results for the centre-right party of John Key and Bill English.
Leader Judith Collins remains desperately unliked, polling at just six and 10 per cent in the preferred PM stakes.
Bishop admitted National “had a long way to go”, but “the numbers are heading in the right direction”.
At 34 and 47 per cent, Ardern is the nation’s clear top choice for PM, with ACT leader David Seymour preferred over Collins.
Can you see how the results have been spun? Ten per cent has no other meaning than 10% but One News says that it means “desperately unliked.” Labour’s significant drop however in popularity is not described as “desperately unliked” or given any other negative description. It is instead noted matter of factly as a ” drop.”
Labour remains in an election-winning position – polling 41 per cent according to Talbot Mills, and 39 per cent in Curia’s figures – but the drop is notable.
