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June 25, 2023 7:00am by David Farrar

The rise and rise of David Seymour

Toby Manhire at The Spinoff has done a lengthy and interesting feature on how David Seymour has taken Act from 0.5% to 12%.

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Steve Otto(North Shore)

Over the years David Seymour has matured Politically.
He knows Parliament is a bear pit, and he is ready for them. For the very first time it could be two ticks yellow, but I have yet to make up my mind – maybe on Election Day.
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June 25, 2023 7:15am
- Martonman
  
  Unless local candidate is sure to get in then maybe one blue for local and one yellow for party is better bet.
  
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  June 25, 2023 7:19am
  - JackRabbit
    
    Agreed.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:30am
  - rouppe
    
    Here in Mana, the Labour candidate wins the seat. Always.
    
    So I’ll pick the candidate with the highest chance of toppling ~~Kris Fa’afoi~~ Barbara Edmonds. I actually had to look up who the current MP was.
    
    But I am convinced that change can only happen with a significant Act caucus that can eyeball National and say “put up, or shut the fuck up”.
    
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    June 25, 2023 11:22am
2ic

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
We for me personally it would be ‘The rise and FALL of David Seymour’ over his position on vaccine mandates and treatment of the ‘anti-vaxxers’.

I voted for him last election, but never again.
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June 25, 2023 7:26am
- Gaetano
  
  That is called cutting off your nose…
  
  Who are you going to vote for?
  
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  June 25, 2023 7:33am
  - krazykiwi
    
    Perhaps it is, but only those stigmatized as a consequence of exercising their right to bodily autonomy know what is like to have been abandoned by the one party that claims libertarian principles. My conversation with Seymour at the time revealed him to be disappointingly spineless.
    
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    June 25, 2023 7:48am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      I’m not knocking your personal experience, kk, but the question stands. It’s either Luxon or Seymour; and if not either then you’ll see more (heh) of the last six years.
      
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      June 25, 2023 7:55am
    - Che Guava
      
      I agree. Neither Seymour’s nor Luxon’s positions during Covidmania should be minimised. They showed their true colours when it really mattered. Nearly all New Zealand politicians are forever tarnished over that. People can talk a good game when nothing is at stake, but, no matter what their actual view was, they weren’t prepared to go against a very significant tide of mostly manufactured opinion. Those were extremely perilous and serious times, and when it counted, those two were missing in action at best, complicit at worst. For a so-called libertarian to support medical mandates tells you that he is more interested in falling into line to maintain his status among his peers than he is advocating for freedom of choice.
      
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      June 25, 2023 9:09am
      - JackRabbit
        
        The elephant in the room is Labour / Greens / Maori Party. By Voting No to National and Act, we are Voting Yes to Labour / Greens / Maori.
        
        Politics Board Game:
        Round 23: Challenge: Maybe the last democratic election before we become a full blown Marxist State, or start the long climb back. Your roll of the Dice brings up the chance card.
        
        Path A through the minefield:
        -Stand on your dignity, don’t vote National or Act;
        -Waste your vote on minor parties;
        -Allow Labour / Greens / Maori to get back in;
        -Step on a mine, blow your legs off, game over.
        
        Path B through the minefield:
        -Acknowledge Life is not Perfect;
        -Vote strategically – Vote National / Act / Possibly Winston;
        -Lose an arm and eat a dead rat;
        -Live to fight another day.
        
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        June 25, 2023 10:43am
      - stiff cheese
        
        Where’s Ron Mark? Could he PLEASE roll Winston so I can at least CONSIDER voting for NZ First? . . Please Ron!
        
        Maybe Shane Jones should go for it. I don’t care. Toss overboard the leader who gave us the worst Prime Minister in living memory.
        
        And then those of us who don’t want to be ruled from Davos; don’t want Net Zero etc., will have a option in October.
        
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        June 25, 2023 11:25am
      - Ghost
        
        Ron isn’t a member of nz first any more, he’s Mayor of Carterton and says he has no interest in returning to parliament.
        
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        June 25, 2023 11:29am
      - rouppe
        
        Fine. But the fucking question still stands and hasn’t been answered!
        
        If you refuse to vote for Act, then who? The 5G crazies?
        
        There’s a saying in IT. Perfection is the enemy of good. You can spend heaps of time trying to make a solution technically perfect. But all that while the customer is not getting the benefit of anything because you refuse to release something that works.
        
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        June 25, 2023 11:28am
      - stiff cheese
        
        Okay, Shane then or someone else, I don’t care. But Winston has to pay the price for ‘picking’ Jacinda.
        
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        June 25, 2023 11:34am
      - septic skeptic
        
        Only a fool would think Shane Jones had nothing to do with going with his ex Labour mates. He was so pleased he even preempted Winston’s announcement (cryptically). He said something like the negotiations were like a chrysalis and in due course a beautiful monarch butterfly would appear.
        
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        June 25, 2023 1:30pm
      - andrewcarrot
        
        For my benefit, when did Seymour support mandates? Evidence would be appreciated rather than supposition.
        
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        June 26, 2023 3:11pm
    - Jim
      
      I hear you, but we have a real world political choice of (as Monty Python would say) crucifixion or hanging.
      
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      June 26, 2023 6:43am
  - Its only I
    
    Some would say principle.
    Sometimes doing that is really hard.
    Too hard for Seymore apparently.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:31am
    - rouppe
      
      Principle is more difficult than spelling.
      
      And you can’t even do that.
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:31am
      - Its only I
        
        Good call.
        Me posting stuff is a recent thing.
        I will just read from now on.
        
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        June 25, 2023 4:52pm
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    2ic is voting for Democracy NZ 😂😂😂
    
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    June 25, 2023 11:01am
    - yossarian
      
      So he/she may as well vote for the Maori Party
      
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      June 25, 2023 12:27pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  There is more going on in NZ/The World than safe and effective vaccines that did nothing. So he made a mistake. I am sure he holds a different view now. Use the google machine. All you will get is biased reports from the Herald/Newshub/Stuff/RNZ/ODT, all by rabid lefties.
  To single David Seymour over that is childish. This is an important Election, don’t throw it away.
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:27am
  - Che Guava
    
    Some mistakes are bigger than others though. This was a massive and unprecedented one, and I haven’t heard him admit it this yet, along with all the rest of them who either got it badly wrong or lied.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:38am
    - MikeMan
      
      I agree with you but what are the other options?
      
      NZ First – Are you going to trust one Mr Winston Peters?
      
      Democracy NZ – Imploded this week and listening to Matt Shelton this week they are acting like a big party because they do not know any better.
      
      NNP – In the “Umbrella” party with Vision NZ and Tamaki is election kryptonite.
      
      Outdoors Party – See NNP
      
      Vision NZ – See NNP
      
      Leighton Baker Party – Party for one?
      
      So what do you do that does not lead to a virtual vote for the “Ship of the damned” on the left?
      
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      June 25, 2023 4:33pm
    - miltonF
      
      This is my position too. I honestly can not think of another “mistake” that would be worse than that. Protection of individual human rights is the core purpose of the govt. That is the entire purpose of the judicial system, police etc. To not only fail to protect those rights, but in fact breach those rights, is unforgivable.
      
      The other issue for me is, was it a mistake? For it to be a mistake, Seymour must come out and say it was a mistake and say he was wrong. That has not happened. To call it a “mistake” in the absence of an apology is an insult to our intelligence.
      
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      June 25, 2023 4:53pm
  - 2ic
    
    @Steve
    He doesn’t hold another view now – in fact he’s doubled-down on his position. Aren’t you familiar with his “no one cares about you, mate” video?
    https://twitter.com/COUNTERSPIN111/status/1657608146968547328?s=20
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:37am
  - JackRabbit
    
    To single David Seymour over that is childish.
    
    Exactly. It was the devil in Prada, and her evil sidekicks that passed all those laws in the dead of night under a state of emergency, which we are still under. Courtesy of the Labour party whip Duncan Spider Webb.
    
    I am in Webb’s electorate. I will vote National to get him out. The National candidate is Dale Stephens who looks weak and wet – nothing in his communication about key issues suggests he has been living in NZ over the last 3 years.
    
    I wouldn’t care if the National candidate was Archie Bunker, Homer Simpson, or Fred Flintstone, I’d still vote for him because Webb, and Labour have to go.
    
    And Party vote Act.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:52am
    - Matt Long
      
      Is there a Homer Simpson party? I may have found a party I can believe in.
      
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      June 25, 2023 4:40pm
- yossarian
  
  Died you not see what what happened to anyone who tried to even question the “covid will kill your granny” hesteria? The media would have crucified him. And you may say well then he needs to stand up for his principles, well if he did he wouldn’t be the Act leader right now.
  
  Look what taken too Simon Bridges for just questioning the legality of the lockdowns? The media jumped all over him, even though he was right.
  
  Pick your battles, or go ahead vote DemNZ, that gets 2.7% wasted votes that pushes Labour, the Greens and TPM over the line. Then don’t complain why didn’t we get rid of this cluster when you’ve effectively voted them in.
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:40am
  - KH
    
    If you are still wound up over Covid that’s fine. But realise 99% of New Zealanders don’t care about it.
    It’s not going to affect votes.
    
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    June 25, 2023 1:19pm
- kevn
  
  @2ic… Indeed, his jab stance is so misguided but, there are some standout people in ACT. They will play a big role. Seymour is just the mouthpiece really.
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:57am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Brooke van Velden is switched on.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:10am
    - Gaetano
      
      What is interesting is that she was a Green Party supporter. Then she studied international economics and realised the Greens were fools. Then she heard Seymour speak at an event. The rest is history.
      
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      June 25, 2023 10:56am
  - rockape
    
    I think what will greatly help ACT is the quality of candidate they are attracting this election. It surpasses most of the ones they currently have who have done a good job in opposition. Success brings its own problems however and some have the ambition to challenge Seymore for the leadership post election . Especially if my prediction of them getting 15% or around 18 MPs proves true.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:53am
  - Michael Johnston
    
    I disagree. Seymour is way more than a mouthpiece. He’s the smartest person in Parliament. Van Veldon is great, as are Court, McKee and Chhour. But it’s Seymour that built the success they’re enjoying now.
    Like others, I was disappointed with him over the vaccine bullshit. But the 2023 election will determine whether this country is finished as a first world democracy, or whether there’s a chance of clawing it back. If it’s to be the latter, ACT will have a pivotal role. Hold your noses people.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:03am
- leoj
  
  I hear you.
  
  Yes, Seymour and ACT were no different from all the other in-lock-step parties. All 121 MPs were a disgrace re the protest.
  
  Seymour is also in denial about excess deaths by those who were vaccinated.
  
  However, like all elections, it is not who you want in power, it is who you DO NOT WANT in power.
  
  No to Labour, Greens, Maori and pass on Luxon and the namby-pampies.
  
  Hold your nose and vote ACT.
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:31am
- Observer of Life
  
  2IC: I know where you’re coming from, but you need to look beyond the fact he too ignored the protestors, went along with the mandates and apparently still thinks the jab is fab!! That really irks me. However, to get rid of this lot successfully running us into the ground and killing democracy, you’re going to have to suck it up and Party Vote ACT, Electoral Vote National OR 2 ticks National. In my opinion, we need ACT to balance National. National are going to be Labour light otherwise.
  
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  June 25, 2023 11:10am
- Frederick
  
  In fairness to Seymour and Luxon the media were incredibly hostile toward anyone who expressed even a modicum of support for the anti vaxxers or the protestors at parliament.
  See the enormous media fuss over Maureen Pugh’s Facebook post giving support to the protest convoy, Harete Hipango posting a picture of her with some anti vax protestors. Both were forced to take them down by a vengeful media. It seemed showing support was akin to being a Nazi collaborator in WWII.
  At least Seymour did attend a meeting at the Backbencher with protestors – a move the Princess called irresponsible, naturally backed up by her coterie of media sycophants.
  They probably decided that it was an absolute no win situation, in fact such was the media hostility, that it would have been a retrograde move to do otherwise. Best to keep mouth shut.
  
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  June 25, 2023 1:10pm
CJames

Could a major reason for Act’s success just be the people don’t like the alternatives? Or does that need to go to a focus group first?
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June 25, 2023 7:31am
- Matt Long
  
  Yes, I think National deserves most of the credit for ACT’s rise in the polls.
  
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  June 25, 2023 7:35am
  - Chuck Bird
    
    Not most. Maybe about half and that is the fault of one person.
    
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    June 25, 2023 7:39am
  - hullkiwi
    
    Try media disinformation, and an unwillingness to even listen to Luxon. Many on this site often state they think Luxon is woke/spineless and are going to support Act because of their own perceptions, which have been formed by what they have heard or said in the media. Yet these same people decry the MSM. You figure!
    
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    June 25, 2023 8:00am
  - yossarian
    
    This govt is so bad, National should be in the mid 40s. So why aren’t they?
    
    For me Luxon is in the wrong party. Just yesterday, all this crap about gender equity for National MPs. Hmmm what’s next, racial quotas for MPs… Didn’t we just complain about all last week regarding racial profiling in health outcomes?
    
    He’s two steps behind labour, but he’s walking in the same direction. My only hope is that he wins, but gets rolled soon after.
    
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    June 25, 2023 8:47am
    - rockape
      
      They would be if ACT were on 1% again. Not that that’s what I wish for. If ACT drags politics a bit to the right because they have good numbers I am happy. I just think in most places National would provide the better ministers.
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:12am
      - septic skeptic
        
        Like Todd Muller?
        
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        June 25, 2023 1:35pm
- Gaetano
  
  I have not yet read the article cited by DPF but IMO there are two factors.
  
  Firstly, David Seymour answers questions clearly and confidently. In the era of Jacinda word waffle, he was a shining beacon of rationality.
  
  Secondly, a well founded concern that National will more efficiently administer some awful public policies created by the current government. Education, Health, the media, public broadcasting, and probably even resource management, are areas where National will not go far enough.
  
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  June 25, 2023 7:39am
  - KH
    
    Good comment Gaetano.
    But do read the article. It’s a masterful piece of journalism. Quite long but I learnt more about ACT and Seymour than any one hundred stories about them on Stuff News.
    
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    June 25, 2023 7:49am
  - Mike
    
    One must imagine that if ACT secures a significant share of the vote then some of its policies might be pursued. These include increasing government debt, abolishing four small Crown entities and establishing a big new ministry.
    
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    June 25, 2023 8:08am
    - rouppe
      
      What mouth wash do you use to clear out the taste of bullshit from your mouth?
      
      They are a useless minister, two small ministries that deliver nothing, and a hopelessly compromised HRC which is the only one listed in the Crown Entities Act.
      
      Everyone knows you’re a Labour Party employee, but the lying endemic in that organisation doesn’t usually get through here.
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:55am
      - Mike
        
        So you agree that ACT wants to increase government debt?
        
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        June 25, 2023 4:35pm
      - rouppe
        
        Name a party that doesn’t have to borrow something to fix this mess your government has made
        
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        June 25, 2023 8:00pm
      - rouppe
        
        And actually @Mike, no I don’t agree that act will increase debt.
        
        Their forecast has net core Crown debt lower every year from next year.
        
        Your statement is I believe, yet another distortion. That forecast has core Crown debt in year 26/27 slightly higher than Labour’s forecast.
        
        Only thing I’ll say is that 1. 26/27 is a long way away and 2. Labour have not met a single target yet. All of their initiatives have cost more to deliver less.
        
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        June 25, 2023 9:02pm
  - Mike H S
    
    I have read the article and suggest you do. There are some very telling comments from Seymour and Ketels (their Chief of Staff) about National.
    
    My support for ACT comes from the fact they stick to the principles of freedom and personal responsibility. National should be doing this but aren’t and THAT is why National are not getting the support they have traditionally had.
    
    To 2ic I would say, if you are not going to vote for ACT because of the vaccine, who are you going to vote for because ALL of the other parties did exactly the same. This is the problem if you become a one issue voter (a bit like my daughter).
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:43am
  - greybeard
    
    National also have the advantage of being able to call on Joyce, Key etc behind the scenes if required.
    
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    June 25, 2023 7:14pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  The alternative would be 3 more years of even worse shit.
  I can just see Jaspinda crowing – “I did that!”
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:12am
- rockape
  
  If you are right then his high polling,Amy be short lived but I hope not. National with a partner/ partners polling around 10% could be in power for some time. Four terms anyone and three of them 4 year terms or will Labour change their mind on that once they lose the election?
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:41am
Winsome Peters

I may be a lone wolf on this but I’ve always had a low opinion of Seymour – smarmy, condescending and he’s never had a real job either. He looks like Arnold Rimmer and sounds like Kermit the Frog.

ACT is only where it is because the Nats are generally so weak. The post-Brash Orewa speech took ACT from 7% back to 2% overnight. Methinks the same would hap again with more effective and resolute leadership within National.
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June 25, 2023 7:31am
- yossarian
  
  Or luxon will be like Key… Complain that WFF is communism by stealth, and once in, power do nothing about it.
  
  Then we have a case of National is just a more efficient Labour… No thanks.
  
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  June 25, 2023 10:07am
Gaetano

I heard Luxon yesterday saying he was aiming for National achieving 45 percent of the party vote. Well good luck with that.

I would like to see ACT with sufficient MPs to have the clout to get key Ministries. David Seymour or Brooke van Veldon should take on Education with a message to Luxon that they are going to deal to the Ministry of Education.

The other portfolio they could take on is Environment. Since 2017 the agency has tripled in size. This would be an opportunity to finally fix resource management.

Fixing these two areas of public policy would be a great achievement. At least in the case of Education, I have no confidence that National will do what is needed. The last three National education Ministers have been hopeless.
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June 25, 2023 7:32am
- pdm
  
  National at 38% would/should be a good result with ACT on 12/14%.
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:16am
  - Debsta
    
    45 and 15 would be better
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:25am
    - thirteenstars
      
      Oh, I don’t think National will drop to 15%.
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:02am
    - Ghost
      
      Will never happen
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:04am
  - leoj
    
    National will not get 38%.
    
    Too weak and too woke.
    
    The people get it now. They are the do nothing party.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:36am
  - Gaetano
    
    Yes 14 percent for ACT would be fantastic. If National is 36, that would give ACT unprecedented influence on policy. I hope they don’t spread themselves too thin.
    
    The best ACT Ministers in Environment, Education, maybe Police or Justice. David Seymour as Associate Finance Minister.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:40am
    - Matt Long
      
      Mark Cameron for Minister for Environment.
      
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      June 25, 2023 10:50am
- hullkiwi
  
  Neither of those 2 will be Minister of Education. It will be Erica Stanford, the MP who has been holding Hipkins an Tinetti to account. It was Stanford whose probing got Tinetti in front of the Privileges Committee, not Seymour or van Veldon.
  
  Charter schools is only part of the answer. If that and performance pay for teachers is all Act is offering, then they do not understand the extent issues facing New Zealand education.
  
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  June 25, 2023 11:11am
Chuck Bird

“I heard Luxon yesterday saying he was aiming for National achieving 45 percent of the party vote. Well good luck with that.”

You heard right. Either Luxon is stupid or he thinks the National Party members are.
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June 25, 2023 7:42am
- Dougal10
  
  He aint no key or english but he will either get the swing voters or they wont vote at all as labour are imploding fast.
  
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  June 25, 2023 7:48am
- Mike
  
  Not an either/or there, Chuck.
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:09am
  - Matt Long
    
    Down ticked but brought a smile Mike.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:51am
    - Mike
      
      I though he was a bit dumb to wear a Crusaders jersey at the conference. Not going to win any more votes with that and maybe just piss off some Chiefs and Blues fans.
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:16am
- hullkiwi
  
  There you have it. Chuck, you claim you are not backing National because of Luxon, but given what you have said on this site over the past six years, when did you last party vote National?
  
  Luxon is just the latest excuse for many who make bold statements about which party they may support, but Luxon was not a MP 3 years ago.
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:22am
  - Chuck Bird
    
    I was an active member of the National Party. I was quite impressed with Luxon for some time. When Luxon supported Shaw’s Green policies, I switched to Act. Luxon supports policies that will harm the farmers which will damage the ecconomy.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:18am
  - Mike
    
    Chuck was big on NZ First at one time.
    
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    June 25, 2023 11:16am
    - Chuck Bird
      
      Yes, 6 years ago for one policy I would like all parties to adopt. That is a binding referendum for conscience votes. Sadly, National or Act will not support giving away power.
      
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      June 25, 2023 2:01pm
Mobile Michael

Getting a cut-through issue of euthanasia over the line worked well for ACT. But what pushed it up the most was Winston Peters’ insistence that it be decided by a referendum at the next general election.

Running a campaign when your biggest achievement is going to put in front of voters is always going to help.
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June 25, 2023 7:49am
Clownworld

The rise of Association of consumers and taxpayers is directly proportional to the fall of the so called main opposition party to the incumbent govt.
Seymour is a pragmatic not principled politician , this ability to sense what the optics look like means he manages voters via clever soundbites.
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June 25, 2023 7:52am
Warren

People on here have short memories and forget the deal David Seymour did with Winston Peter’s when he couldn’t get the numbers for his Euthanasia Bill so did a deal with Winston to get referendum for the people to vote on it.
David Seymour would sell anyone out to achieve his goals in Parliament.
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June 25, 2023 7:53am
- Gaetano
  
  How is agreeing to a referendum a sell out?
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:42am
Souvlaki

Unequivocally two ticks yellow for this voter!
ACT is the only party with the fortitude to carry through with its promises imo.
I recall how jubilant I was when Key saw off the shower pressure & light bulb wattage regulator Helen Clark( ok , Im a political junkie) Remember…the ” Communism by stealth” description by Key of Labours working for families…then…nothing!
National SQUANDERED huge public goodwill to effectively keep in place all they had previously railed against!!!! FAIL!
Hooton correctly pointed this out again this week…all true! In practice…Key was little better than Shane Jones….great pre- election…all piss & wind post!
We NEED a referendum on the cursed TOW and the abolition of the left wing stooges running the Race Relations Office , Human Rights( pffft) Commissioner and also Womens “Affairs”😆.
Only 1 party at present seem to have the fortitude to do what it says…& thats ACT.

The fact that Seymour drives Bomber Bradbury to apoplexy is surely reason enough in itself to vote ACT!🤣??
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June 25, 2023 7:56am
- Gaetano
  
  Just FYI the ‘Minisry of Women’s Affairs’ is no more. It is now “Manatū Wāhine Ministry of Women” but brands itself as “Manatū Wāhine“.
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:05am
  - Mike H S
    
    Another good reason to get rid of it.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:49am
- Cassandra
  
  I’m looking forward to the demise of the HRC, Manatu Wahine, Pacific Affairs, Ethnic Affairs and a general reduction in numbers of state employees by 20%. 25% better. Plus all the various hangers on like Maori pro vice chancellors. What on earth do they do all day?
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:12am
  - Gaetano
    
    I don’t believe National will do any of that.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:43am
- James Stephenson
  
  Two ticks if you’re in Epsom or Tamaki or a Labour safe seat maybe but otherwise I’m left wondering if you still don’t understand MMP.
  
  I’m as rusted-on as ACT support gets, being part of the 0.5% back whenever that was, but I’ll be giving Greg Fleming my electorate vote in Maungakiekie.
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:42am
  - Mike H S
    
    Well I live in Judith Collins electorate and I see no good reason to vote for her. I went to a presentation by Andrew Bayly a couple of weeks ago (not politics). He used to be our MP and was the first and only MP to knock on our door. There is a local MP I could vote for.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:52am
    - rockape
      
      Bayly is a first rate bloke and very very smart.
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:17am
  - Souvlaki
    
    I understand it alright…I AM in Epsom.
    
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    June 25, 2023 3:06pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Two ticks yellow?
  Hope you live in Epsom or Tamaki.
  
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  June 25, 2023 8:53am
  - Souvlaki
    
    See above!
    
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    June 25, 2023 3:07pm
- redeye
  
  I’ll probably give ACT my party vote but I live in Tasman so I’m giving my electorate vote to Maureen Pugh and hope others do also.
  I would love to see her vote increase significantly just to show Luxon it’s quite OK to question the climate orthodoxy.
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:02am
- kowtow
  
  Key campaigned on ridding the race seats .
  Then did an un necessary deal with them.
  Sent wot’s his name to the UN to prioritise indigenous affairs.Slippery slope stuff.
  
  Constitutionally Key was seriously light weight and actually dangerous .
  
  Smile and wave.
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:19am
- MikeMan
  
  I would only two tick yellow under two situations.
  
  1. I lived in Epsom or Tamaki
  2. I lived in an electorate who ALWAYS elect red.
  
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  June 25, 2023 4:47pm
Chuck Bird

This shows that the Herald is the most balanced of all MSM.

Media Bias Exposed | David Farrar | The Common Room

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taQRmAFDb9Q
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June 25, 2023 8:16am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Nice joke for Sunday morning, the Herald is neutral.
  Ha ha ha ha!
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:21am
artemisia

For certain sure, National and ACT are quietly talking about 15 October if together they form the next government. There will be some tough decisions needing to be made. In the run up to the election National won’t want to scare the horses, but of course both parties have views on what to do and that concessions and role allocations will be needed.

There will not be a NZF 2017. There will be at least broad brush policy planning in place already.
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June 25, 2023 8:30am
Tom Hunter

It’s not just New Zealand where the main centre-right party has problems:

One thing [the Tories] did manage to do? Create a hell-ish environment in the institutions. Everything is in place. Labour will REALLY be able to wreak their identitarian havoc. Just wait and see. We’ll probably be asked to express our gender preferences through the medium of interpretive dance. And that’ll be the sensible option.

Seriously though – they’ll finish their revolution. And with it, the country. Nobody will be able to do a damn thing about it.

New Zealand 2029 or 2032.
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June 25, 2023 8:35am
Tom Hunter

Or how about this ringing a bell:

It’s a touching testament to the power of human irrationality that there are people who believe, with all the passion in their souls, that the Conservatives are a band of hard right-wingers. To believe that I suppose you have to believe that they are infinitely more incompetent than they are evil. After all, this supposedly anti-immigration, anti-environmental and authoritarian government has seen immigration soar to record levels, is pursuing net zero and has overseen a steep fall in crime detection and charge rates.
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June 25, 2023 8:40am
JJ56

“Act has spoken out on “co-government”, though no such thing is proposed, while calling for a referendum on the Treaty and co-governance ….. ”

I guess Manhire couldn’t help himself.
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June 25, 2023 9:08am
rockape

National around 40% and ACT around the 15% mark must be labours nightmare. Especially if that is the future trend. I still see a 40%/15% for the two this election and maybe 30%/30% for election 2029. Wouldn’t that be great!
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June 25, 2023 9:24am
- Mike
  
  Do you have a track record of successful predictions for three future elections? If so, I’d like to know if the NZ Sevens teams will win gold at the Los Angeles Olympics.
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:40am
  - rockape
    
    No second to Scotland.
    
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    June 25, 2023 9:59am
    - rockape
      
      After all the home of rugby sevens is at the Greenacres Melrose in the Borders and Telford who played for Melrose is the NZ Coach at present.
      
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      June 25, 2023 11:21am
  - rockape
    
    I made the prediction of 40% 15% in November 2020. Time may prove me right or wrong.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:00am
  - rockape
    
    It’s not too hard Mike. See since I was born 77 years ago Labour have averaged just under two terms per session and National have never had under three terms and have had one 4 term. So Labour are due out and National due in for another three terms according to history.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:45am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      If the left are constantly reminded of what and how Ardern did to our lovely New Zealand, they might change their views. I am hoping National get at least 4 terms and possibly 5. After 5 years the socialist rot will be primed and we may get a repeat of 2017 to 2023.
      Socialism works, but all of the fails is because it was not done the right way.//
      
      Who is in the background ready to push the socialist/communist agenda?
      Remember Ardern started her shit being the Leader of the International Socialist youth, and giving that speech in Hungry in 2009. There must be plenty who are not yet known in NZ Politics.
      
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      June 25, 2023 12:09pm
- Gaetano
  
  You are very optimistic. I hope you are correct but I doubt you are
  
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  June 25, 2023 9:44am
  - rockape
    
    Well if you look at the Kantar poll and our hostes poll they are within a sniff of that. They are the only two polls I trust.
    
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    June 25, 2023 10:09am
- Nigel
  
  I think so. If ACT stay consistent 13-23% and National over 35, the Greens in left wing cuckoo land, Labour are in real trouble.
  I think the left really screwed this, if Jacinda had stayed Labour would have folded, but they might recover.
  But if they can’t pick on talent vs other factors tough to stay in power for more than one electorate cycle ( no credibility for delivery ).
  
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  June 25, 2023 2:21pm
Manolo

Despite Seymour’s grave mistake in dealing with Covid, I feel I have no choice but to vote for ACT.
Spineless National, a lighter hue of red than dreadful Labour, will continue to go down the socialist path.
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June 25, 2023 9:56am
- H. Upmann
  
  I suspect that the anti-Seymour commenters here will be voting for Peters, the man who parroted Ardern’s proclamation, made shortly after being installed by Peters, “Capitalism is dead”.
  Give me Seymour any day rather than that Peters blowhard.
  
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  June 25, 2023 12:38pm
  - MikeMan
    
    I trust Winston completely…..
    
    To do whatever gives Winston the best outcome and screw NZ, he has history.
    
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    June 25, 2023 4:53pm
rockape

Seymore success may also be his downfall. As his party increases in size he may try and do a Winston on it ( my way or the highway ) He does have a touch of arrogance. With a bigger caucus and higher quality people he may lose the leadership and have more time to finish his Super 7 that he has been building for so long.
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June 25, 2023 9:57am
- JackRabbit
  
  He does have a touch of arrogance.
  
  How much is a touch?
  
  If his is a touch, how does that compare to that of Hipkins, McNulty, Ardern, Robertson?
  
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  June 25, 2023 1:03pm
- Nigel
  
  That article was good I thought, I have smilar concerns, but he has a tidy habit of pulling back when overreaching.
  What gives me hope is the way he runs his cabinet, it’s truely impressive, add in he works dang hard ( which goes back many years ).
  I think like a band, his overnight success took many years of damn hard work.
  
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  June 25, 2023 2:25pm
bennerg

David spoke up here in the BOP just recently at the Omokoroa Residents and Ratepayers Assn.

https://youtu.be/cr8PcLBYEQs
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June 25, 2023 10:01am
thirteenstars

ACT doesn’t really have a policy platform any different than early-90s National when Ruth Richardson was effectively driving the ship.

And it was also at that time when ACT was founded by Roger Douglas in response to his leaving the Labour Party after Lange decided to back off reforms for that cuppa tea.

In subsequent years, especially under Clark, Labour cleansed itself of the apostate Douglas, writing him out of history, 1984, Ministry of Truth style.

National’s rejection of Ruth Richardson has been more subtle as it slips and slides ever left.

So ACT is nothing more than the best of Labour and National from that wonderful decade when NZ was saved from becoming the South Pacific’s largest banana republic.

And it’s probably only ACT’s staunch rejection of co-governance that’ll save us from the Kumara Republic of Aotearoa.
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June 25, 2023 11:13am
RRM

Invisible on weed legalization, invisible on government mandated vaccines. A conservative party in drag.

I will continue to vote for act because there is no other option.

Mrs RRM finally saw the light and voted ACT in 2020, but she’s saying “never again.”
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June 26, 2023 7:13am
Schmegegge

“Act has spoken out on “co-government”, though no such thing is proposed, while calling for a referendum on the Treaty and co-governance – branded “divisive”, “bigoted” and “appealing to racists” by the Māori Party.”

Divisive, that’s the pot calling the kettle.
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June 26, 2023 11:41am

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