10 September 2014
Media release
Horizon Research

Poll finds Cunliffe more impressive in debates so far

While the two main political parties’ leaders prepare for another election campaign debate tonight, a poll finds the Labour leader has impressed more than National’s leader in debates so far.

Horizon Research says a survey of 2,012 adults nationwide between August 28 and September 8 finds 43.6%, the equivalent to about 1.394,300 million adults, have seen a debate involving the Labour and National parties’ leaders. 45.8%, or about 1,464,684 million adults have not seen a debate. 17.1% (529,911) have seen a debate involving minor parties’ leaders.

Asked what impressions they were left with as a result of viewing debating between the Labour and National leaders

46.3% said they were impressed with David Cunliffe (18.2% very impressed, 28.1% impressed)
• 39.3% said they were impressed with John Key (10.6% very impressed, 28.7% impressed)
• 31.5% were not impressed by Mr Cunliffe and
• 39.6% were not impressed by Mr Key.

Among those who voted for National at the 2011 general election, 18.3% were impressed by Mr Cunliffe, 46.9% not impressed.

Among those who voted Labour in 2011, 10.9% were impressed by Mr Key, 68.6% not impressed.

Viewing the debates resulted in 5.8% saying it had convinced them to change their vote to Labour and 0.6% to change their vote from Labour. Some 2.3% said the debates had convinced them to change their vote to National and 4.3% to switch away from National.

Which of the following, if any, have you watched during the 2014 general election campaign?

What impressions, if any, were you left with as a result of viewing debating between the Labour and National leaders?

David Cunliffe

John Key

The survey had 2,012 respondents overall, 959 of whom had seen the Labour and National leaders in a debate. Respondents are members of the HorizonPoll online research panel, representing the New Zealand 18+ population at the last census. Results were weighted by age, gender, personal income, educational level, employment status and party vote at the 2011 general election to provide a representative population sample. At a 95% confidence level, the maximum margin of error on the overall sample is +/- 2.2% and +/- 3.2% on the 959 who had seen a debate.

ENDS

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