Nelson Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
tuesday 19 September 2017
young professional ball
Basketball finals
Page 19-22
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Cries of foul over ‘poll’ Andrew Board Editor
andrew@nelsonweekly.co.nz
The race to be Nelson’s member of parliament has turned nasty with a scrap between the region’s front runners over a “push poll” released by the Green Party. On Monday morning, Green Party candidate Matt Lawrey re-
leased an internal telephone poll that he said showed a close race between National’s Nick Smith, Labour’s Rachel Boyack and himself. But it then emerged that the poll was a “push poll” or done by an automated voice. The method is unscientific and can’t tell who has answered the phone. Political commentator Patrick
Nelson Suburbs and FC Nelson womens footballers gather after the Nelson Bays Football youth cup final at Jubilee Park on Saturday. Photo: Barry Whitnall.
Gower called the poll “fake news” and Smith and Boyack teamed up to condemn it. Boyack was the first to react taking to Twitter saying that many Labour party members in Nelson simply hung up when contacted by the automated voice. Smith then sent his own press release saying the poll was an attempt to “manipulate Saturday’s
result with alternative facts”. “This sort of polling is banned in some countries and it reflects poorly on the Greens that they have resorted to this tactic to try and save themselves.” The poll showed that Smith gained 29 per cent of the vote, with Boyack in second at 25 per cent and Lawrey on 23 per cent. But Lawrey says the poll showed
that there is a desire for change in Nelson and he believes he is the best person to bring it. “I’m not going to say it’s as scientific as a Colmar Burton poll, but it does show a trend. We’re convinced that as we head into the last days of the campaign, the momentum is with us,” he says.
SEE PAGE 2
Finals day 14 teams. 7 champions. Story page 32-33
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