Media release

1 November 2011

RadioLIVE-HorizonPoll: Goff 7.4% ahead in leaders’ debate poll

Labour leader Phil Goff is 7.4% ahead of National’s John Key in a new nationwide poll asking New Zealanders who won last night’s televised leaders’ debate.

Mr Goff scores 39.1%, Mr Key 31.7% when people are asked who won the debate.

The RadioLIVE-HorizonPoll interim result is weighted by age, gender, region, ethnicity, personal income and party vote 2008 to provide a representative population sample.

The maximum margin of error on the interim sub sample of 227 which saw the debate is 6.5%. The survey is still under way.

Each leader scores positive ratings on their personal debating performances:

• 58% think Mr Key’s performance was good to very good (20.8% very good) while 16% though it poor and 22.6% are neutral. • 56.5% think Mr Goff’s performance was good (20.8% very good), while 16.4% though it poor and 24.4% are neutral.

61.5% of people who voted National in 2008 say Mr Key won the debate, 14.4% thought Mr Goff won.

66.8% of people who voted Labour thought Mr Goff won, 9.8% thought Mr Key did.

Among the 187,000 registered electors who chose not to vote in 2008, an important group in this year’s election of they decide to turn out, 45% thought Mr Goff won, 13.3% Mr Key.

Results filtered by respondents’ 2008 party vote is available at https://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/page/166/interim-goff-leads-debate-winner-poll

ENDS

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