1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Big story today, of course, is this Taxpayer Union Caurier 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: poll question. Is this far from an election? Should anyone 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: really care? The numbers are the Nats half a point 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: behind Labor. Luxon has dropped below Chris Hopkins in terms 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: of favorability Act, the Greens New Zealand first, all down, 6 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: while the Multi Party is up two points to six 7 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: and a half percent. Taxpayers Union executive director Jordan Williams 8 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: is with me tonight, Jordan, get. 9 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 2: A good r. 10 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: Is this a trend? Is this something you start to 11 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: freak out about? 12 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 2: Well, I don't freak out about it. I don't have 13 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 2: a pony in this in this race, I run a 14 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 2: humble tax payer. I don't mean you. 15 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,480 Speaker 1: I mean I mean if you're on the ninth floor, 16 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: do you start hitting panic stations? 17 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: Ah? Well, it certainly things have got to start getting 18 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 2: urgent because it is not, as you say, it's the trend. 19 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,279 Speaker 2: You know it does a pole matter this far? 20 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: Out? 21 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,639 Speaker 2: Of course it doesn't, but it does give you information. 22 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: And the information is is that the current trend, the 23 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 2: current direction the government is on, isn't finding favorite with voters. 24 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 2: And I would argue that is because you know, the 25 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 2: key sweetener that the NATS offer is credible economic management, 26 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: and whilst they've certainly conservatively managed the economy, I would 27 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 2: argue they haven't done enough heavy lifting last year to 28 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 2: actually see the effects of a or we'll see a 29 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 2: better economy and you know, the New Zealanders to feel that. 30 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 2: I think that this poll should send alarm bells because 31 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 2: we are now only eighteen months away from Christopher lux 32 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: and having going having to go to the public to 33 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: ask that, you know, reagan fundamental question, do you feel 34 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: better off than three years ago? Isn't there right now. 35 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: That answers know? Yeah? But isn't that the problem for 36 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: Hopkins as well? People will go, well, how did I 37 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: feel last time I saw that guy? You know, which 38 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: is probably not great. 39 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm in Towering at the moment. I've spent a 40 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: day with some donors, and I'm at the Popoma Ratepayers 41 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 2: group tonight and everyone that said to me, and what 42 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 2: I'm expecting tonight is how on earth can people forget 43 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 2: how bad it was or how the last government mismanaged 44 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: the economy. What you have to remind people is going 45 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 2: the information the average voter is running on is not 46 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: an intellectual framework like that it's how hard is it 47 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 2: for me and my family right now? And the problem 48 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: we've got is that right now New Zealanders are doing 49 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 2: it tough and the government, I would argue, have not 50 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 2: delivered the macroeconomic reform we need to get the economy 51 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 2: back on track. 52 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: Jordan, Thank you for that, Jordan Williams, Executive director of 53 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: the Taxpayers Union. 54 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 55 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 2: News Talk said Be from four pm weekdays, or follow 56 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.