Will Dunne heed his own poll on asset sales?

46 comments on “Will Dunne heed his own poll on asset sales? ”

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1. Clashman 1

   30 April 2012 at 12:01 pm

   I imagine a press release like this:
   ” First and foremost I have an obligation to my electorate as they were the people who voted me in to Parliament. UF internal polling in the Ohairu (sp?) electorate show a majority in favour of partial privitisation so I will be voting for this bill” or other weasel words to that effect.
   • Lanthanide 1.1

     30 April 2012 at 12:43 pm

     Yeah, always this “internal polling”, doesn’t matter how out of line it is with reality or real polling.

     Like Brash’s supposed polling showing he could get 15% for Act if he was the leader instead of Rodney Hide. I don’t think they ever published that polling like he said he was going to.
2. Kevin Welsh 2

   30 April 2012 at 12:11 pm

   I do like how he uses he words ‘partial privatisation’ instead of Mixed Ownership Model.
3. just saying 3

   30 April 2012 at 12:18 pm

   Looks like Dunne wants another term, and that he expects the next government will not be National-led
4. Pete George 4

   30 April 2012 at 12:29 pm

   This was raised last week on Open Mike. It’s an old poll from pre-election that a few people are now promoting as something new.
   • Kaplan 4.1

     30 April 2012 at 12:40 pm

     So what?
     It’s a pretty clear result.
     Does he care what the electorate want?
     • Pete George 4.1.1

       30 April 2012 at 12:46 pm

       It’s not a pretty clear result. It’s meaningless.

       It’s a poll with no control over who votes, it’s been left open far too long, and it’s obviously been co-opted by one side of an argument.

       You would get just as clear results counting For Shearer and Against Shearer in a day of commenting on The Standard. Also meaningless.
       • Te Reo Putake 4.1.1.1

         30 April 2012 at 12:57 pm

         Meaninglessness’s earthly representative Pete George bags his own leader shock! If you want to find evidence of another one sided poll that totally puts the boot into United Future’s uselessness, then it’d be hard to go past the result of the 2011 general election, Pete. Not to mention your own dismal effort in Dunedin North where you managed to waffle the UF vote down to historically low numbers.
          
         This is a poll controlled by United Future. It’s on their website, run by their leader and the results are not a million miles away from the results of national polling on the same issue. Face it Pete, it’s only Tories like you that want to flog off the family silver. The rest of us have the best interests of NZ at heart and UF’s poll reflects that fact.
       • felix 4.1.1.2

         30 April 2012 at 12:59 pm

         Why put it up then?
       • Jackal 4.1.1.3

         30 April 2012 at 1:02 pm

         90% isn’t a pretty clear result… Are you insane? Co-opted by one side of the argument… it’s on a damn UnitedFuture website Pete George. One side of the argument (according to the poll) is 90%. I guess all majorities are meaningless to RWNJ’s.
         • felix 4.1.1.3.1

           30 April 2012 at 1:07 pm

           If it were way out of whack with all the other polling on the matter, it could safely be ignored as “co-opted by one side of an argument”.

           It’s not really that far off though, is it?
         • Pete George 4.1.1.3.2

           30 April 2012 at 1:17 pm

           If I had a poll on my blog that had a 100% vote that you were thick (it’s quite likely I could put up a poll that had that result) would that be meaningful?

           I’ve already explained but here’s another go:
           Online polls are not scientific and have to be treated with skepticism.
           Online polls with low response numbers have to be treated with extreme skepticism.
           Online polls on party websites have to be treated with extremely extreme skepticism.

           Like your absurd suicide correlation conclusions you seem to promote anything that fits your story regardless of it’s soundness.
           • felix 4.1.1.3.2.1

             30 April 2012 at 1:27 pm

             “If I had a poll on my blog that had a 100% vote that you were thick (it’s quite likely I could put up a poll that had that result) would that be meaningful?”

             Not on its own, no.

             But if you compared it to all the other polling on the same question and it more or less matched up, you wouldn’t ignore it either.
       • aj 4.1.1.4

         30 April 2012 at 5:23 pm

         “Its a poll with no control over who votes”

         Wtf? did you really write that Pete?

         Yeah if you control who votes then you’ll get any result you want.

         “…and it’s obviously been co-opted by one side of an argument”

         Is it? can you prove that? or are you saying that because you don’t agree with it?

         I can’t beleive you wrote that. Oh – hang on, maybe I can. You are an idiot.
         • Pete George 4.1.1.4.1

           30 April 2012 at 6:43 pm

           Yeah if you control who votes then you’ll get any result you want.

           All reputable pollsters control proportions of demographics they include in any poll. The result they want is a representative sample of opinion.

           And if they don’t get the balance of demographics they wanted they weight the number of responses to try and achieve the balance they want.

           You didn’t know that?
           • Jackal 4.1.1.4.1.1

             30 April 2012 at 9:54 pm

             Dunne wanted the poll on UnitedFuture’s website to show 90% of those who voted don’t want asset sales? WTF Pete George!
       • Frank Macskasy 4.1.1.5

         30 April 2012 at 10:02 pm

         “It’s not a pretty clear result. It’s meaningless.”

         Pardon moi?!

         Did I read that right?

         If it’s meaningless then why put it up in the first place? And can I quote you on that, Pete in a follow-up blog-post I intend doing on this piece I wrote yesterday;

         http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2012/04/29/is-peter-dunne-about-to-become-the-man-of-the-year/
     • Lanthanide 4.1.2

       30 April 2012 at 12:47 pm

       Now that he’s in parliament, no.
   • felix 4.2

     30 April 2012 at 12:58 pm

     I asked you at the time but you might’ve missed it: If the timing of the poll is such an important factor, what were the results around election time?
     • Pete George 4.2.1

       30 April 2012 at 1:07 pm

       If I recall correctly Dunne was reelected to Ohariu, and National got a record high percentage of the party vote.

       As for the piddly poll being dredged up here, I don’t know what the results were at that stage, but I’m fairly sure it was largely ignored with low participation, and totally unscientific as any party page poll would be, so it was fairly meaingless then too.

       On another matter, it looks like I’ve been voted out of favour since I made my point about ownership versus voting rights, the climate has changed somewhat. I did get some interest from a few journos but it wasn’t big enough for them to run with at the time. I noticed David Parker trying via press release to promote it. I think it could be something that will come up again when the time is right.
       • dd 4.2.1.1

         30 April 2012 at 1:11 pm

         I guess your right.

         I mean who in their right mind would visit the united future, sorry, Peter Dunne webpage other than leftys wanting to manipulate the polls.
       • crashcart 4.2.1.2

         30 April 2012 at 8:25 pm

         What I don’t get is you see all these right wingers saying that election day was a clear vote in favour of MoM. Yet most people I know who voted National said they did it in spite of the asset sale.

         You all take an election which has lots of issues involved nad resulted in a one seat (epsom) majority and say that is every one voting yes to asset sales and then completely ignore or dismiss any poll that clearly shows that a large majority of people don’t want them to go ahead.

         Do you actually believe what you are saying? Have you managed to convince yourself? I’m no great mind of the modern age but this seems wacky even to me.
         • Pete George 4.2.1.2.1

           30 April 2012 at 8:56 pm

           I didn’t “completely ignore or dismiss any poll that clearly shows that a large majority”, all I’m saying is that this poll is of very dubious quality, especially as it has been running for something like 6 months, and has no indication of number of respondents. It could easily have been only a handful.

           And I have also been saying many online polls are of dubious quality at best – they can be an indicator, but they are prone to distortions and outright abuse.

           There have been credible polls that have shown majorities against asset sales, if any of those were posted on I wouldn’t argue against them.

           The UF poll wasn’t used in this post for any authentic message, it was used to try and score a political point against Dunne. I think that’s pretty dumb.

           [lprent: I suspect it was used because it was simply quite ironic. After all why would a online poll be put up if it wasn’t being observed and being used for feedback?

           All of the questions about online polls you just raised must have been apparent to whoever put it up. Hell you can find me making exactly your points in more depth (specially on spoofing techniques) 5 years or so ago (and I was making them more than a decade before that at work). So why did they put it up? The likely response was pretty apparent years ago, and sproofing it would have been a waste of time. The only explanation tht comes to mind is the oldest one known for poliicl reversals. The excuse of public will…

           So you are really questioning the motivations of the person putting the poll up? Any conclusions? ]
           • Jenny 4.2.1.2.1.1

             30 April 2012 at 11:10 pm

             Please stop attacking your party.
           • felix 4.2.1.2.1.2

             1 May 2012 at 12:00 am

             Pete, if anyone were taking that poll in isolation I’d agree with you.
   • Dr Terry 4.3

     1 May 2012 at 6:06 am

     Pete, I would like to see concrete evidence that this is an “old poll”. I have been clearly aware that Ohariu people (John Maynard) have organised it in reasonably recent times, and I have been a asked to state my position to the Ohariu organisers only recently.
     Regardless, you have a point that not too much is to made of these surveys in general. But that there is dissatisfaction in Dunne’s own electorate is evident and is surely somewhat disturbing for its elected representative. Much depends on the amount of conscience (or care) he owns to regarding constituents (whom I understand he has instructed recently not to “waste his time”).
     I think perhaps, rather than attacking the validity of polls, you might do better to front up with your apparent position, “I positively “favour” asset sales and support Government policies in this respect. Here is precisely how I support them . . . “. Then we will be spared guessing at innuendo.
     Suppose, then, that we put aside even such an extraordinary poll result as this, and bring it down to a matter of principle; “what is right and best for this country, and why” (as clearly you are a master of enlightened opinion)? Do you believe truly that “past” asset sales (by any government) have brought over-all benefits to the country? If so, please convince us.
     Here I am undertaking what is likely a futile task, connecting principle with politics. I am interested Pete in your stance toward ethics as applied to political decisions. Do they count, or are they irrelevant?
5. vto 5

   30 April 2012 at 12:35 pm

   I wonder if he will represent the views of the people who voted for him?
6. Tiger Mountain 6

   30 April 2012 at 12:38 pm

   Calling Pete G., car 54 where are you…

   Mr Dunne is likely to do what he so often does-quick party meeting in a pantry/wine cellar and then take his own counsel. If he does not support ShonKey to the hilt on this am happy to make a grovelling admission of my political instincts deserting me (on this matter).
7. Frida 7

   30 April 2012 at 1:54 pm

   You can vote more than once on the poll. So it’s gonna be hi-jacked and the coiffured one can then say “see, the public support it”
8. DJ 8

   30 April 2012 at 1:56 pm

   Reminds me of a joke played by opposition fans on Man City in the UK. They wanted to name one of the stands at one end of the ground and had a poll on their web site. They were to vote for a famous City player to name the stand after.

   Opposition fans caught wind of it and collectively named Colin Bell as the player of choice, thus resulting in City having a stand called the Colin Bell End, but known to opposition fans as the Bell End.
9. Te Reo Putake 9

   30 April 2012 at 2:11 pm

   Pete’s obviously been spending the day voting repeatedly on UF’s poll. The numbers are now a whopping 22% in favour and a miserable, unrepresentative 78% opposed. 
   • Pete George 9.1

     30 April 2012 at 2:20 pm

     Don’t blame that on me. It could mean two things:
     a) the publicity on The Standard has encouraged more people to vote thus moving it to a more meaningful result (still very unmeaningful)
     b) it proves that online party site polls are meaningless.
     • Te Reo Putake 9.1.1

       30 April 2012 at 2:28 pm

       Yeah, Pete. Readers of the lefty blog The Standard have been going to UF’s website to vote against the things they believe in. But still, you’re nearly right when you say the UF party poll is meaningless. Just leave out the word ‘poll’ and you are 100% correct.
     • bbfloyd 9.1.2

       30 April 2012 at 3:48 pm

       so petey proves that anything said by politicions called peter is meaningless… along with proving himself to have a tenuous grasp on reality when that reality conflicts with his peters agenda….

       that raises a question….. what have the peters been offered to throw away any scruple that may have been lurking there? is it money, in the form of massively inflated consultancy fees after he has been rightfully removed from parlaiment? is it a diplomatic posting, along with some letters after his name?

       come on.. you can tell .. … nobody her will betray the secret…. seriously…
     • bad12 9.1.3

       30 April 2012 at 3:58 pm

       Yeah sure, the ‘Hairdo from Ohariu’ puts a poll up on His website prior to the election to attempt to give the unwary a view of Him as being democratically inclined to take into account the views expressed from within the Ohariu electorate,

       That is of course until such time as He is re-elected at which point the Hair-do from Ohariu reverts back to being the totally self interested little political no-body that He has always been and ignores the results of a poll that does not provide Him with certainty of reward should He uphold the wish’s expressed within that poll…
     • Rich 9.1.4

       30 April 2012 at 7:02 pm

       Why did you put it there Pete? I mean, there aren’t more than two of you and I’m quite sure Big Pete can’t work a computer.
     • Jenny 9.1.5

       30 April 2012 at 11:16 pm

       …. it proves that online party site polls are meaningless.

       Pete George

       “It proves that ‘our’ online party site polls are meaningless.”

       There fixed it for you Pete.

       But I just wish you would stop attacking your own party.
10. Maggy May 10

    30 April 2012 at 4:42 pm

    I want to know if Peter Dunne will feel happy about being the man that New Zealanders point out to their kids as “the man who sold out middle New Zrealander’s” future and security.

    If he goes with the government he is a gone goose and will go down in History as the man who sold out middle NZ’ers.
11. peterlepaysan 11

    30 April 2012 at 7:30 pm

    Hey Pete George, if it is an old poll with no meaning why the hell is Dunne still running it on his website?
12. Steve Wrathall 12

    30 April 2012 at 8:03 pm

    If Ohariu didn’t want the govt to sell liabilities it would have elected Charles Chauvel. They didn’t
    • Colonial Viper 12.1

      30 April 2012 at 8:10 pm

      No need to be scared of a referendum then, is there mate?
    • crashcart 12.2

      30 April 2012 at 8:29 pm

      As said above Steve. The election was fought on many issues. Nats thought they were going to romp in. In the end they had a 1 seat majority. You can hardly call that a ringing endorsement for asset sale by the electorate.
    • Frank Macskasy 12.3

      30 April 2012 at 10:11 pm

      Actually, Steve, don’t forget that electorates are still fought on First Past the Post basis.

      Dunne won 14,357 Electorate votes.

      Had Green voters given their 2,160 Electorate votes to Charles Chauvel’s 11,297 instead of Gareth Hughes, last year – we wouldn’t be having this discussion now.

      Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Chariu_%28New_Zealand_electorate%29
13. Jenny 13

    3 May 2012 at 9:07 pm

    … the only reason for our existence is to represent the voice of the people in our parliament.

    The voice of the people is saying no asset sales.

    United Future’s poll to gauge public support for Asset sales

    So what do United Future do?

    The page you requested could not be found:

    Says it all really
    • Te Reo Putake 13.1

      3 May 2012 at 9:20 pm

      Ha! Well spotted, Jenny! What a gutless wonder Peter Dunne is. Wouldn’t know democracy if it bit him on the arse. Which its shortly going to do, ho ho!
14. Frank Macskasy 14

    3 May 2012 at 10:08 pm

    Lucily, Blogger Robert Guyton had the presence of mind to save many of the comments that Dunne took down from his own website; http://robertguyton.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/peters-poll.html

    I’ve also linked to Robert’s page from my Blog.

    Let’s ensure that peoples’ views are not lost because one lone MP is trying to silence the voice of the majority.

    Spread the word, folks – it’s a good word!

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