Half doubt National's honesty

Published: 7:08PM Tuesday August 19, 2008 Source: ONE News

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National is sky high in the polls but some New Zealanders are suspicious about the party's plans.

The latest ONE News Colmar Brunton poll found many voters believe National is not being honest about its policies, including some of its own supporters.

But the party leader John Key is seen as relaxed, approachable and friendly.

"I intend to campaign on trust. I intend to be a prime minister that earns the trust of New Zealanders and I'm going to keep that trust," he says.

Critics are questioning National's honesty after secret recordings of senior MPs suggested they are planning changes, like selling Kiwibank, without telling the public.

ONE News asked voters in the poll whether National is being open about its plans.

Fifty per cent say "no", while 37% think they are. And a quarter of National's own supporters say they are not being honest.

"We only have one agenda, that's the one we talk about, which is to make New Zealand a prosperous, confident and successful nation," says Key.

National believes it can improve New Zealand's prosperity by funding new infrastructure and will increase borrowing to pay for that. Fifty two per cent of voters disagree with that plan while 39% agree.

Finance Minister Michael Cullen says "people aren't stupid" about such matters.

"They don't like the idea this is about robbing Peter to pay Paul and they know Peter is themselves in the future and their children," he says.

While voters clearly have concerns, most are still strongly supportive of National. It's 14 points ahead of Labour which hopes trust will be an issue this campaign.

"People know where Helen Clark stands. They don't know where John Key stands. So if this election is about trust, we're very much back in the running," says Cullen.

At the moment though, it's Key who's making the running.

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