Dear Friend,



When the Prime Minister announced on Thursday her decision to step down, we immediately saw an opportunity.  A new prime minister means a new policy agenda, and whoever wins will almost certainly want to put Labour in a position to be electorally competitive.



That’s why we took the decision on Thursday night to commission a ‘snap poll’ of 1,000 voters asking not just who should be Labour’s next leader, but which of Jacinda Ardern’s policies they should keep, and which they should scrap.  As you will see, Friend – loud and clear – voters are telling Labour to Scrap Three Waters.



Voters are clear: The new PM should Scrap Three Waters







A positive score means more voters want the next PM to keep the policy than scrap it. A negative score means that more voters want the next Labour leader to get rid of the policy than retain it. The results are pretty damning for some of Jacinda Ardern's flagship policies:



- Auckland Light Rail +18%

- Kiwibuild +15%

- Compulsory Unemployment Insurance -4%

- Reduction in speed limits -21%

- Expanding co-governance -21%

- TVNZ/RNZ Merger -23%

- Three Waters -40%



Labour voters want to see Three Waters ditched



Even we were surprised at the extent of the opposition to Three Waters – it is incredible that on a scale of more than 3 to 1, voters are on our side and want the next Labour Leader to ditch the reforms. Even those who voted Labour back in 2020 – the exact group of voters the new PM will need to win back – want to see Three Waters scrapped by a margin of 2 to 1.



We’ve not won yet, but with polling numbers like that, it is absolutely clear that Three Waters is now electoral kryptonite.  That would not have happened without the enormous efforts of the Taxpayers’ Union, our supporters like you, and the thousands of people who donate and make these efforts possible.



So who should be the next Labour leader?







Our pollster asked a random sample of voters whether the leading candidates would make them more or less likely to vote for Labour later this year.A positive score means voters would be more likely to vote Labour if that person became leader. A negative score means they would be less likely.



- Chris Hipkins +7%

- Grant Robertson -5%

- Kiri Allan -6%

- Michael Wood -16%

- Megan Woods -19%

- Nanaia Mahuta -28%



Based on this poll, only Chris Hipkins would boost Labour’s chance of winning back support in the election.  Every other leadership contender would lose votes for Labour. Chris Hipkins was also the preferred choice of voters when asked who they wanted to replace Jacinda Ardern: 30% said Chris Hipkins followed by Kiri Allan on 10%.



You can see the full results of our poll on our website. <[link removed]>



It is no surprise that Jacinda Ardern has decided to call time on her term: Our monthly polling has shown Labour on track to lose the next election for many months.  The party now has a chance to change that direction and put itself back in the game.



Regardless of which leader Labour picks on Sunday, you can be sure that the Taxpayers' Union will keep campaigning to Scrap Three Waters, end the TVNZ/RNZ merger, stop the new jobs tax and protect democratic accountability across New Zealand.



Thank you, as always, for your support.



Jordan





Jordan Williams

Executive Director

New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union



P.S. For those Labour MPs who get our newsletter (and we know many do) – our message is simple: Listen to the people who put you there – your own voters – who you need to attract back to have a chance of winning the next election. Make sure that the new leader you elect on Sunday is committed to Scrapping Three Waters.



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New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc. - 117 Lambton Quay, Level 4, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

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