Palmer preferred leader in poll

Press, 13 December 1989, Page 2

Palmer preferred leader in poll

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington The Government's poor showing in the public opinion polls reflects disenchantment with the party and not with its Leader. In the latest M.R.L. Research Group poll for the “National Business Review” and Radio New Zealand, Mr Palmer is still by far the country’s preferred Prime Minister. In the 1700-respondent survey, Labour support had fallen from

36 to 26 per cent and National with 46 per cent had opened a 20-point gap since the previous poll in September. But Mr Palmer fell only two points, from 27 to 25 per cent, over the period while Mr Winston Peters had fallen from 22 to 18 per cent — possibly as a result of being out of the country for a month. On the other hand, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger, rose from 10 to 13 per cent. The next highest is the Minis-

ter of External Relations and Trade, Mr Moore, with 3 per cent, while Sir Robert Muldoon, and Mr David Lange each at-' traded 2 per cent. The Minister of Immigration, Mr Douglas, and the leader of the New Labour Party, Mr Anderton each had 1 per cent. The new Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Clark, does not feature in the preferred Prime Minister race. As many as 27 per cent of

respondents had no preference or did not know, a very high figure in a poll which returned to the same control group and so dealt with more politically aware respondents than for randomly selected respondents. Mr Bolger benefited from disciplining Mr Peters. He outstrips Mr Peters in support from retired and rural people, but Mr Peters still rates better with managerial and professional people.