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| Protesters at Parliament. Jacinda Traitor. Note: no mask!!! |
With 202 new Covid cases reported today, 14 people in hospital and one in intensive case, and a model that shows we could have hundreds of thousands of cases by mid-March, a large number of anti-vaxx protesters are descending on Parliament as I write. For a mix of reasons, they all want the removal of Covid restrictions. Among them, many believe we have natural immunity, others that Jesus cares. Conspiracy theorists think the pandemic is a hoax, and others that vaccinations will kill our children. Many protested the supposed removal of our human rights. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders disagree with the protesters.
On RNZ Morning Report the PM said the protests were poorly timed. Already many restrictions had been removed and all were there to protect the welfare of others. The fact that 96% of the eligible population had now received two vaccinations shows how little support the protesters really have.
Deputy National Party leader Niccola Willis impressed. Such a change from the always negative Judith Collins. She disagreed with Labour on house rents (up 135% a week since Labour took over), "stolen" antigen distribution and some aspects of border control policy, but roundly condemned people who throw personal insults at the PM, saying once people become personal they have lost the argument. She respected the right of the anti-restrictions protesters but said National fully supported vaccinations. She said the Treaty of Waitangi was about bringing people together.
National is up 4.4% and Labour only up 1.6% since November, but the balance of power (and seats in Parliament) has shifted more in Labour's favour. Add the Greens impressive +2.4% gain to Labour's +1.6% gives a gain of +4%. This compares with National's +4.4% gain and ACT's massive loss, down -8%, giving a net National ACT gain of only +3.6%.
The Party Vote had Labour-Greens on 53.9% and National-ACT on 39.7%.
I've always thought most other poll questions unreliable, but asked what they thought of Christopher Luxon's leadership, 39.3% thought well, 23.1% thought poorly and 28.3% were undecided. 58.4% thought Jacinda was doing well, a slight improvement on her previous polling.
PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER
Jacinda Ardern (Labour) - 43.3 per cent (up 1.6)
Chris Luxon (National) - 17.8 (up 15.3)
David Seymour (ACT) - 7.9 (down 4)
Pollsters were equally divided on our preparations for Omicron (44.5% thought we were well prepared, 44.3% poorly prepared and 11.3% were undecided. Criticism concerned managed isolation, the quarantine system and the lack of rapid antigen testing.
The leadership and Omicron results appear to contradict each other and are out of line with the party votes, as I've noted about these secondary questions in earlier polls.
On Mike Hosking's Breakfast programme, ACT leader David Seymour put Labour's popularity down to fear tactics! He should join the protesters.
Have a great week.
-- ACW
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