Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: A call from Curia

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  • Kumara Republic,

    Do Curia carry out mobile and online polling by chance, like Roy Morgan and Horizon?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Idiot Savant,

    I'd be interested to know how they associated my name and my (VOIP) landline number

    A Privacy Act request would probably tell you that.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Do Curia carry out mobile and online polling by chance?

    I don't think so.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • DPF,

    If the poll is on behalf of a political party, they supply names and numbers, which are cross-matched from the electoral roll to the white pages. Sometimes they may have numbers from other sources such as if you have supplied it on a survey.

    I'm glad the caller was polite and patient.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 78 posts Report

  • James Littlewood*,

    Such an obsequious line of enquiry. But explains the PM's total inability (and lack of interest) as an orator.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 410 posts Report

  • Grant McDougall,

    Which party believes in doing what’s right for New Zealand?

    Leading questions like this are always weird, as if some parties actually believe what they're doing is wrong.

    I mean, you can argue that some parties' policies are better or worse, but the parties themselves always genuinely believe what they're doing is for the greater good, as opposed to deliberately doing wrong.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report

  • Stephen R, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    Leading questions like this are always weird, as if some parties actually believe what they're doing is wrong.

    Yet when I've responded to questions that way "Actually, I think all of them *think* they're doing what's right" I get weird reactions, like the caller can't quite wrap their head around me believing that even people I disagree with might be doing things for good motives.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2009 • 259 posts Report

  • MxDEJ,

    Presumably electoral roll + phone book would be enough to match your first name to your phone number?

    Hamilton • Since Feb 2012 • 24 posts Report

  • nzlemming,

    I kept wanting to discuss each question, which of course isn’t what the poll is there for.

    Yeah, I had the same experience a couple of months ago. You realize, of course, that Farrar will now come after you for "stealing" his intellectual property :-D

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • tussock,

    It's an old fashioned push poll, Russel. It's not about finding out what you want, it's disguised as a poll to get around the electoral advertising laws and to tell people to vote National.

    Seriously, every single one of those 20 questions at the end are specifically designed to get old right wing voters to feel better about the shitty state their party is in and vote for them anyway, because they're basically trying to do the right thing and have a good team and mostly do all right and will beat up the poor for you and come on ... just one little tick ... just the party vote.


    Should be illegal, probably is, but Farrar would explain how they were really interested a couple days out from the election in changing all their messaging. Which is to say, he'd just lie and the police wouldn't care anyway.

    Since Nov 2006 • 611 posts Report

  • Jon Briggs, in reply to tussock,

    +1. Never thought about this before, but polling a few days out from the election must be bogus.

    Since Dec 2008 • 27 posts Report

  • tussock,

    Here's one for the Greens, totally unofficial, just me, off the top of my head.

    * Which party do you most feel has principles they'll stick to?
    * Which party do you most feel would never abuse the processes of government for petty political gain?
    * Cares about the future generations of this country?
    * Would start real investigations into the illegal spying and dirty politics undertaken by the current government?
    * Understands the looming fuel crises and need for economic transformation?
    * Supports local democracy and regional control over their future development?
    * Behaves honestly and really tries to get it's policies across in the election campaign?
    * Will help farmers and rural communities to clean up their own streams and rivers with substantial government support and science-based guidelines?
    * Values principles of fair access to government services?
    * Accepts the validity of massive scientific predictions of future problems?
    * Can work with parties across the political spectrum to implement good policies with every other party, even in opposition?

    Come on, someone do Labour. I'd do Internet-Mana, but it's hard enough picking one to vote for tomorrow. Who cares, vote left, love 'em all.

    Since Nov 2006 • 611 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    If it's a push poll it's subtle, when I returned to NZ 9ish years ago, and was new on the local electoral roll I got the most blatant National push poll that I eventually hung up on

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Karen Adams,

    Weren't you uncomfortable giving your politicial opinions given the recent disclosure of hate posting from those who disagree with the government? It wasn't like it was an anonymous poll.

    If it were me I might suspect that they were attempting to find out political leanings of those in the media for post election manipulation.

    Under your bed • Since Oct 2012 • 16 posts Report

  • Richard Aston, in reply to tussock,

    It's an old fashioned push poll

    Far out ! Didn't even know these existed , thanks Tussock.
    My paranoia is right up now

    Hey and great work Russell in recording and publishing this

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report

  • Dismal Soyanz, in reply to Karen Adams,

    Especially as there is now a vacancy for a "covert attack blogger".

    Wellington • Since Nov 2010 • 310 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand,

    As there does not appear to be any general ‘directory’ of mobile numbers, I wonder how they can be randomly selected. As for online responses, this cannot be regarding as polling as it would be self-selecting.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • mpledger,

    Polls should be anonymous to protect your privacy.

    Never do a "poll" if they ask for you by name.

    For all you know they could have saved your information to use at a later date in some kind of smear campaign or to use against you when applying for a govt job (e.g. "We don't want him, he supports the Greens"). On page 114 of Dirty Politics, Slater says that David Farrah "is the keeper of the dirt" so in this case I'd be very wary.

    Since Oct 2012 • 97 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    Should be illegal, probably is, but Farrar would explain how they were really interested a couple days out from the election in changing all their messaging. Which is to say, he'd just lie and the police wouldn't care anyway.

    Given the polls have been open for general voting for the last two weeks, allowing any polling, let alone push polling, is an appalling lapse of regulation.

    If we are going to open the polls two weeks early for general voting, then we need to forbid the conduction and publishing of all polls during that period.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    That is a very good argument. There are also vested interests ie the proliferation of market research firms running polls and raking in $$$. One reliable source told me that the average cost of commissioning a national poll is $25,000. Sort of akin to real estate agents pushing up the cost of housing, in the interest of commissions?

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • Katharine Moody, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Given the polls have been open for general voting for the last two weeks, allowing any polling, let alone push polling, is an appalling lapse of regulation. If we are going to open the polls two weeks early for general voting, then we need to forbid the conduction and publishing of all polls during that period.

    It's a very good point.

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report

  • Steve Curtis,

    Code of Practice from ( Market) Research Association NZ.
    Article 1 – Basic principles
    Market research shall be legal, honest, truthful and objective and be carried out in accordance with appropriate scientific principles.
    .
    .
    .
    Market research shall be clearly distinguished and separated from non-research activities including any commercial activity directed at individual respondents (e.g. advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, direct selling etc.).

    If it was push polling, then they would have to distinguish ( how?) from real polling

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    Balancing my annoyance at saying "conduction" instead of "conducting" is the fact that "conduction" is a very good word indeed.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Angela Hart, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Given the polls have been open for general voting for the last two weeks, allowing any polling, let alone push polling, is an appalling lapse of regulation.

    If we are going to open the polls two weeks early for general voting, then we need to forbid the conduction and publishing of all polls during that period.

    +1

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report

  • Sam M,

    Already stated above but I wouldn't be willing to tell someone who has asked for me by name how I am intending to vote. Not in the current climate anyway.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 72 posts Report

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