There are rapidly emerging crises in energy, climate, food production and water. There is a devloping international consensus from China to Chile that something needs to be done now and many of these right wing parties are clueless on how to act.

I look at the Republicans in the U.S (led by that intellectual giant Sarah Palin), the coalition in Australia- hopelessly split between the pragmatists and the deniers. In Britain David Cameron- a very smart and able leader is trying to run a way from the conservative agenda as fast as he can and even he is running into difficulties.

With emerging consensus that stuff needs to happen the low taxes will save us chant is becoming increasingly irrelevant. The NZ right will not be immune.

Anyhow, i think we’re doing pretty well as a country on that front in terms of legislation. As one of the least sustainable and most inequitable developed countries on the planet, i think we could stand to go a little in the direction of the Greens. You’ve also got to understand that the “wacky hippy” image you see of the Greens on the tv doesn’t actually represent the party.

Sorry but that is simply false. National is 30 points ahead and Labour isn’t closing it. That is not how Key is perceived at all.

Repeat after me, folks: just becuse you say it doesn’t make it true.

I don’t agree with the Green’s view on food regulation, and their unwavering stance on GE.

I don’t necessarily agree with the emphasis they place on public transport.

Nor do I necessarily agree with their stance on Gambling.

Or drug-regulation. Or Climate Change.

I guess you could say that I agree with much of the Green’s social policy, but environmentalism, conservation, and sustainability are not immediately a priority to me.

There was a piece in the media recently detailing that the average New Zealander was experiencing ‘Green overload’ and were sick of being bombarded with messages telling them to recycle, live sustainably etc…Not to mention the irritation that ‘Being Green’ appears to be ‘trendy’ and ‘in’. It is exactly this kind of ‘wankery’ that makes the whole concept even more unappealing to me.

And by ‘radical fringe element’ I mean any person or group who protest or participate in activism where public/private property is destroyed, people have some ‘green’ message rammed down their throat, or people make nuisances of themselves just for the sake of being difficult/confrontational. I’m not suggesting that the Green Party is the only one to have this element, but it is this minority that makes it hard for me to relate to the party 100%

I’m fairly sure I would not be the only New Zealander who feels that way.

I don’t want to vote Green, as I find some of their policies, and their radical fringe element, unappealing.

Interesting comment ,student_still
It would be helpful if you could give some examples?

By doing this, Labour has effectively lost my vote. I care about liberal social issues. Does Goff care that he is alienating and disenfranchising left of centre voters such as myself?

I don’t want to vote Green, as I find some of their policies, and their radical fringe element, unappealing. Yet, I feel very little connection to/resonance with the Labour Party anymore.

As a liberal, left-of-centre, well-educated, reasonably-well-employed, 25 year old, Caucasian female, who is left for me to vote for?

Roy Morgan polling can be particularly volatile. Just look at these from Aug 3 onwards.

National: 53.5, 56.5, 51.5, 57.5, 53, 55.5, 51.5
Labour: 32.5, 29.5, 33.5, 28, 30, 29, 33

The Greens went from 8.5 on Aug 3rd to now being on 6.5.
Act 1% to 2.5%. Maori 2% with a low of 1.5, a high of 3.5 and now back to 2%

The only real constant is that since February National has been above 50% while Labour hasn’t been over 34% Whilst with confidence National has been above 63% approval in the right direction since being elected.

Thus the polls don’t say much of anything.

What has changed is the media narrative. Goff has lifted his game and is now being acknowledged in the media while a narrative is setting in for John Key and National with the media seeing them as being too wishy-washy.

Where I disagree with Eddie is he’s saying people are too coming to that conclusion. I don’t think that can be agreed at this stage and even if that is the case, it isn’t making an impact on support for parties yet.

Also the ACT vote has leapt form 1 to 2.5. This shows to me that the drop in National support is going to ACT, presumably due to dissatisfaction with the Maori/Nat alliance.

Labour needs to pull back another 8-9% from the conservative parties- the only way they are going to do that is by providing superior economic policies- either that or National continue to make a hash of the ETS.

I don’t agree with Gower’s analysis. There are legitimate criticisms of the ETS deal and the Whanau Ora (and Harawira of course) and just because the beneficiaries of National’s dodgy dealing with Maori Party are the Maori elite doesn’t shield them from all criticism.

When he says “one rule for everybody” he is referring to behaviour of MPs – that Hone is Maori and that there is a passing similarity between Goff’s phrase and the ‘one rule for all’ that all National leaders from English onwards have used is coincidental

I do think Goff has made himself more relevant as of late. Looks much more an opposition leader than previously. He’s always been good in the house. But his appearances outside the house haven’t been the best. This is changing. John Key has some management issues to sort out but in particular there seems to be a distinct lack or organisation behind the scenes. National really needs to lift their gear in that area.

Don’t go blaming Goff or try to paint him as right wing because he had the balls to call Harawia on his appalling behaviour.