According to a poll in the the Sunday Star Times, John Key’s mining plan has turned off one in six National voters:
The proposal to allow limited mining in protected conservation areas has turned a significant number of National Party voters against the government, a poll of Sunday Star-Times readers’ has found.
The poll result, which shows one in six National voters are sufficiently upset by proposed changes to mining rules that they would not vote for the government “if an election were held tomorrow”, came as details of a major rift inside cabinet emerged.
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee won the rift by muscling the mining plan through cabinet. The plan means Brownlee gets a say, along with Kate Wilkinson, on what mining should take plan in conservation areas. No wonder National’s voters are turning away in droves. Can you imagine Gerry Brownlee ever turning down a mining application on conservation land?
Brownlee, the energy and resources minister, is adamant that the conservation minister, currently Wilkinson, should no longer be the sole minister that signs off on applications to access conservation areas. Brownlee insisted the “relevant land-holding minister” such as himself also sign off on applications.
It is believed Wilkinson argued against the proposal but lost the battle.
Both ministers played down the stoush when contacted by the Star-Times last week.
Gerry Brownlee sounds like he’s got complete control over cabinet. That’s a worrying prospect.
Sources told the Star-Times that the government had not been spooked by the negative public reaction to the new proposals
The fact one in six National voters are considering switching in light of the mining plan isn’t worrying the Prime Minister! John Key is sounding very out of touch on the mining proposals.
This may be Key’s biggest mistake yet.
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress