Phil Goff
Labour Leader
06 March 2011 Media Statement

Significant swing to Labour in Botany

The Botany by-election delivered a significant swing to Labour of 4.2 per - cent in what is a National Party stronghold, says Labour Leader Phil Goff.

“The National candidate’s majority was slashed from more than 11,000 in 2008 to just under 4000 yesterday. The Labour candidate Michael Wood increased his vote from 21 per-cent (the candidate vote in 2008) to 28 per-cent last night , ” says Phil Goff.

“Despite the appalling weather, a higher percentage of Labour voters turned out, while National and Act supporters stayed away in droves.

“This is an appalling result for ACT, which polled just below Labour in this electorate in 2008 and yet yesterday the party was barely relevant.

“On the street corners and door - ways of the electorate Labour heard time and again voters concerns of the rising cost of living, National’s plans to sell state assets, rising unemployment and its cuts to Early Childhood Education.

“National and John Key have become increasingly arrogant about the unfair impact of tax cuts which rewarded those on the highest incomes and gave little to middle and low income earners who have gone backwards in terms of their ability to make ends meet.

“John Key telling families that when their income falls, because one breadwinner has lost their job, and the family resort to using a food-bank that they have made a ‘lifestyle choice’ shows how out of touch he is with those on struggle street.

“Telling Kiwis he will sell the assets that as taxpayers they already own, even though people oppose this plan by two-to-one simply smacks of arrogance.

“This should be a wake-up call to National that its failure to manage the economy and the impact of its policies are alienating more and more New Zealanders,” Phil Goff said.

ends

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