Latest Poll Shows Minor Parties Essential for Representation

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - May 10, 2023 - PRLog -- The latest Taxpayers' Union - Curia Poll (released 10 May 2023) shows the growing influence minor parties may have on the next election.

Trend analysis of the results, in conjunction with results from 13 March 1 NEWS Kantar Public Poll,  demonstrate both a growing dissatisfaction with the power larger parties wield, and the critical role minor parties play.

In the Curia Poll, the ruling Labour party and National both see declines in seats, while minor parties ACT and Māori Party show increases, and Greens retain their seats.

The recent poll also demonstrates an underlying trend for slow shifting away from the polarising influence of the major parties.  Moreover, the poll offers some insight into how the voting public views the leadership, with both Labour's Hipkins and National's Luxon showing declines in favourability.

As in other countries, New Zealand politics remains firmly established by major parties, and may be a reflection of the lack of diversity in NZ required for an effectual democracy.

Moreover, when reviewing each of the minor party constitutions, there are overt correlations between gaps in current government strategies and potential new ideas that could develope directly from these minor parties.

Cursory analysis also demonstrates that Minor parties vote substantially more often within their stated party rules and constitution.  After reviewing several years of floor votes, analysis shows that the larger parties, Labour and National, do so only inconsistently.

The twelve registered minor parties include:
ACT New Zealand
Aotearoa Legalise C Party
Heartland New Zealand Party
Māori Party
New Conservative
New Zealand First Party
NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party
ONE Party
The Greens
The New Zealand Democratic Party for Social Credit
The Opportunities Party
Vision New Zealand

In review of each minor party constitution, analysis identified strategies where several minor parties working cooperatively could reach the minimum 5% threshold.

If representation of minor parties expanded in the coming election, trend analysis shows impact on the overall NZ political landscape, beyond the minor representation each individual party holds.

Trends also validate that such expanding representation of minor parties may institute improvements in the balance of power, tightly controlled by the Labour and National parties.

This influence by minor parties may potentially have wide-reaching benefits for the efficacy of new bills and mandates drafted into law, with more aggregate representation of the voting public.

Taxpayers' Union – Curia Poll : https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/taxpayer_update_230510