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United Future
Since: 2007-08-08 10:30:45.829588
Posts: 220

Posted at 2008-11-18 10:23:31.155. Permalink.

It was a bittersweet election for UnitedFuture. While I am pleased to have retained the confidence of enough Ohariu voters to remain their MP, I am bitterly disappointed we did not attract sufficient party votes to retain Judy Turner in Parliament, or to add exciting new talent like Denise Krum to our team.

I congratulate John Key on his decisive victory and on the impressive way he has put his new government together. I am naturally very pleased to be continuing in my roles as Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health and to be able to push a number of key UnitedFuture policies through our confidence and supply agreement.

My congratulations to Helen Clark on nine outstanding years as our Prime Minister and my best wishes to her as she embarks upon the next stage of her journey. To Phil Goff Annette King, best wishes for the challenges ahead.

To the men and women of UnitedFuture, I have nothing but admiration for your loyalty and dedication to our cause. Our candidates and support teams all worked extremely hard to promote our message and I acknowledge your efforts.
... Read the full text of this blog post.

QuentinTodd
Since: 2008-09-15 20:23:59.588
Posts: 24

Posted at 2008-11-18 10:23:31.225. Permalink.

I say Amen and Amen to that.

I am going to support the cause of UF because it is the best party with the right kind of brains behind the message. There is no room now for self servers or hubristic ideas when we have a global sized recession. My pledge is simple: serve with a foreign policy mindset and hope innovate UnitedFuture so that we will have more MPs in 2011. Vision, courage and a strategic plan for the long term will be my focus. I am looking at 2023 as a goal for achieving a new political language and mindset, because New Zealand cannot think that far ahead I believe -and I could be wrong- but thats the challenge I have along with the UnitedFuture core values as platform for the future.

UnitedFuture needs your support, encouragement and help.

Having Peter Dunne back in an important role is a good thing for the policies we want see happen.

Michael Martin
Since: 2007-10-16 12:42:16.079
Posts: 15

Posted at 2008-11-18 17:08:39.265. Permalink.

I just got your Party Members Email, asking us for feedback on how United Future can do better in future elections. I don't have any definite ideas on that just yet. On the other hand, I do have an observation, which you and the membership should think about, long and hard.

UF's best electoral result was in 2002, when National's support collapsed. You and your caucus were the major beneficiaries.

This year, when Labour's support declined, you lost votes, rather than gained them. Disillusioned Labour supporters, for the most part, simply stayed home. A few may have voted for National. Somewhat more of them voted for the Greens or the Maori party. I think it is safe to say that none voted for United Future.

Thus, clearly, centrist Labour supporters do not see United Future as a reasonable option, even for a tactical vote. The question is "why?" Possibilities are:

1) These voters see United Future as "the Peter Dunne Party" and don't take it seriously.
2) There is some aspect of United Future's policy mix or underlying philosophy, which centrist Labour supporters see as repellent or incompatible.
3) The past involvement of members of the Religious Right in your caucus may have scared them off.

So far, it seems that you and National are fighting a see-saw battle, election after election, over the same voters, and that Labour voters aren't interested. I don't why that is. However, the long term future of the party depends upon finding out.

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