Is Peter Dunne about to become the Man of the Year?

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The above poll is on Peter Dunne’s ‘United Future’ website and according to the earliest comment left on the page, has been active since at least 8 October, last year.

It is interesting that the vast majority – 84% at the time of this blogpost – is  opposed to John Key’s proposal for partial asset sales,

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The existence of that poll, plus the extraordinary 84% response,  raises two interesting questions.

#1.

If Peter Dunne and his team went to the effort of setting up the poll; and with the overwhelming response rate opposing partial asset sales – what is it that lets Dunne believe that he has a mandate to support John Key’s programme?

#2.

More importantly, why is that poll – live since at least early October 2011 – still online?

Could it be that the poll’s continuation serves a purpose for Dunne, who may be re-considering his position on this issue?

Could it be that Dunne may soon be issuing a public policy statement, reviewing his support for partial-privatisation,  and will use feedback from his elecorate – including this poll – to oppose National’s  programme?

Since the election last year, Dunne has come under considerable public pressure – both from his constituents and from outside Ohariu – to cease supporting National’s asset sales.

With the Aotearoa Is Not For Sale hikoi on it’s way to Wellington, Dunne may have good cause to be nervous on this issue.  His constituents are well-educated, middle-class baby-boomers with a liberal bent – and are the typical voters who do not support asset sales for  any  number of very valid reasons. Going against your own Electorate on such a bell-weather political issue is not a particularly smart move – especially when one’s electoral success last year was dependent on another Party’s largesse.

If Dunne wants to keep his political ‘branding‘ separate from National’s, he may have no option but to remove himself from the government’s coat-tails of  asset sales programme.  Otherwise, when National’s fortune’s really start to fall in the polls, Dunne may find himself dragged down, like a flea on a drowning elephant’s arse.

Perhaps Peter Dunne – being no man’s fool, and being in Parliament for 28 years – realises all this.

And if he is about to change direction and withhold support for National’s partial privatisation, then he may have single-handedly saved five state corporations from ending up in eventual overseas ownership.  The entire country may  honour him by  nominating Peter Dunne as Man of the Year.

Because sometimes, it all comes down to one courageous man or woman doing the right thing.

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Continued at

Man of the Year? I guess not

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= fs =