Fighting ‘boosted polls rating’

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 6

Fighting ‘boosted polls rating’

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington Internal fighting within the Opposition has clearfy boosted its polls rating, according to Mr Winston Peters. Last evening he delivered what he described as “a humorous discourse upon the events •of the past political month and the implications for 1990 and beyond.” Mr Peters was speaking at a fund-raising function to help the people of Waiouru keep their maternity annex open. “Being in Opposition is relatively easy,” he said. .“You can have integrity, moral leadership, sensitivity and compassion. It’s being in Government that causes you to compromise.” After learning National was 24 per cent ahead of Labour in the latest poll, he and Mr Bolger had analysed the result while sharing a ride from the airport to Parliament. “It was clear that internal fighting within the Opposition boosted our polls rating,” he said. “We have had the Young-Bradford dust-up, closely followed by Ruth and I having a very minor tiff over monetary policy, followed by ... well, differing interpretations of various meetings. “And on the day that scrap reached a crescendo, the Heylen poll was taken,” Mr Peters said.