The results came in quickly.
The blue team with smiling John Key won a handsome victory with 48% of the party vote-MMP system here. They managed to sneak in the tosser from ACT John Banks via the Epsom seat. With our local nobody one-man-band United Future leader Peter Dunne they have enough MPs to do what they want.
Dunne has ben the local MP for 24 years. He was a Labour Party minister at one time. In recent years he has been the constituency MP for theis area and managed to stay in government as a junior minister no matter the colour of the main party. A bit of a political tart really.
The suprises of the night: the Greens “only” managed just over 10% when they were looking at upto 15%, and the return of Winston Peters and his New Zealand First party. He is the outsider maverick here. A populist especially amongst the grey voters but not a constructive politician at all. He will be a thorn in the side of whoever is in charge.
It could have been closer if Dunne and Banks had not got in through sneaky political maneuvering. Then Key would have needed the support of less sycophantic groups and there would have been greater control. Shame.
Significantly, the turnout was the lowest in decades-69%. Only 92% of voters were registered. Mostly young people are the ones who do not register. They are disconnected from politics apparently. The parties do not engage them and electioneering is so formulaic.
Look on the positive side. Chance to keep them out in three years time!
