HON MURRAY McCULLY

MINISTER FOR ACCIDENT REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION INSURANCE

MEDIA STATEMENT

16 July 1999

Too Many Amateurs With Amnesia Reading Polls

ACC Minister Murray McCully has sharply criticised media coverage of public opinion polls. Speaking to a Nelson business breakfast this morning, Mr McCully said that many political commentators reading a likely change of Government into current opinion polls are showing themselves to be "amateurs with very short memories".

"The last 'change' election was in 1990, when Labour lost office. A check of the TV1 Heylen polls for that year is revealing. The average gap between National and Labour for TV1 polls during 1990 was 24.3%.

"That is somewhat different from 1999. The Colmar Brunton TV1 polls this year have shown an average gap of 2.6%.

"Whether it is amateurism, amnesia, or too many left-wing journalists indulging their fantasies, it is about time we saw the situation in perspective.

"The only sensible reading of the polls is that the race is still very open", said Mr McCully.

ENDS

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