Poll Signals Labour's Demise

Monday 22 Mar 2004 Richard Prebble

ACT New Zealand Leader Richard Prebble today said the latest poll, which has the National Party with a 10 percent lead, shows one of the biggest leads for an Opposition since polling began.

"Governments normally lose support as time goes on, and it seems virtually impossible for Labour to now win," Mr Prebble said.

"When we couple this with the fact that Prime Minister Helen Clark is a poor campaigner - last election Labour lost 10 percent in just one month - it certainly looks like a change of government is imminent.

"Further, New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters' decision to back Labour on the Treaty commission seems to have cost him his support.

"ACT is pleased with its rise. Unlike Labour, ACT is a good campaigning party. I remain confident that ACT will, not only break the threshold but, also increase its majority.

"While National's decision to rule out cutting the top rate of tax may be paying off electorally, it does allow ACT to claim that we are the low tax party and the party of sound economics," Mr Prebble said.

ENDS

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