NZ First hope to attract under 30s through social media

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Sun, 31 Jul 2011 6:15p.m.

Winston Peters at today's NZ First conference

Winston Peters at today's NZ First conference

By Rebecca Wright

Around 300 New Zealand First members have gathered in Auckland this weekend for the party's annual conference.

The polls have the party registering at less than one percent but the party has a plan.

The average age in the room today could politely be described as senior but these folk are on a mission to recruit the young.

Far from sticking to their knitting, they are embracing social media.

NZ First member Nigel Alderton he has been “remiss” in not being involved with Facebook.

“I’ve resisted until now but I will have to do it now because my leader has done it.”

So has Winston Peters taken his own advice and got down with the kids online?

“Well if you have a look you'll find us on Facebook,” says Mr Peters.

But when asked if he personally uses the networking website, he replies with “again, I’ll answer your question, if you have a look you'll find it”.

“We're on everything,” Mr Peters says when asked about Twitter. “NZ First is on everything and by the end of the week we'll have NZ First television as well.”

Mr Peters personally is not on Twitter but his supporters have set up a page for him, although they have yet to ‘tweet’.

If all that fails to get attention from the under 30s the party has a sweetener. It is proposing matching student loan repayments dollar for dollar for graduates.

“We're losing $6 billion now and we won't get it back so we may as well forgive it and get the reciprocal of working in this country.”

So this weekend NZ First has settled on a strategy to get their message out there and communicate more directly with youth.

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Comments

02 Aug 2011 02:24p.m.

Guy wrote:

Rebecca Wright asks at the end of the clip "Is any one listening?".
Well she was sure listening in stunned silence when Curwen Rolinson, leader of the Youth section gave his fantastic speech.

01 Aug 2011 11:38a.m.

RWA wrote:

We'll there were several under 30's in the video, let alone in the Radio NZ report... so clearly the whitewash by labour and national isnt working for the youth who have access to other forms of information.

01 Aug 2011 09:38a.m.

MB wrote:

Excellent news for under 30's. It's about time that the government support student loans to better access education. Go NZF. Mary-Ann has a personal issue with the board, did you not get voted in? Get a life

01 Aug 2011 08:08a.m.

Su wrote:

Chris, you articulate your views so well, you make moronic the new best. And James, do you really think that's all the under 30's do? sad life for you then.
I'm 21 and will be voting NZ First, Why? I'm a student at Ackl Uni and NZ First has the best policy for me to continue with my education. Key's moves in the education sectors show the Party's contempt for the low to average income student getting a higher education.

01 Aug 2011 05:20a.m.

Mark wrote:

Under 30? NZ First has yet to conquer anyone who was under 30 when TV was introduced.

31 Jul 2011 11:10p.m.

Mary-Ann wrote:

Peters - your biggest mistake was not changing your nitwit board and then allowing more nitwits to get on. With the same old farts around you... it will be extremely difficult for you to appeal to current and modern NZ. The status quo just might lose you votes.

31 Jul 2011 11:09p.m.

Davo wrote:

Sorry, Chris, but you're somewhat mistaken - what you're describing is the ACT party.

31 Jul 2011 10:02p.m.

Pete wrote:

Amazing TV3, you must be the only media outlet that hasn't said a word about Peters promise to repeal the anti-smacking law.

31 Jul 2011 09:47p.m.

Dave wrote:

Good to see you are on the Right Track

31 Jul 2011 08:54p.m.

David wrote:

Yes you really have to ask yourself what John Key has done for ordinary kiwis. The answer is simple.... Nothing good and everything bad. 50 Billion dollars borrowed in 3 years. Christchurch cost around 3 billion so what the hell is up with the other 47 Billion?. Oh thats right, the unsucessful tax switch where the rich got richer and John Key bent the rest of us over. And these new free trade agreements, I mean what the hell.. our farmers are screwed. Our pork industry has been clear of the killer pig disease that other countries suffer from and now as a result our farms are going to be infected just so John Key can have his little free trade agreements that dont benefit kiwis much at all. Petrol tax's have risen 2 or three times already and National are signalling more rises at a time when gas prices are reaching record highs. John Key moved ACC clients onto winz benefits meaning those people lost $100.00 per week in income. Low incomes = abuse If John Key and Paula Bennett were serious about stopping abuse they would realise the best way to do that is to raise benefits. http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/foundation/foundatione.cfm This research shows that the lower your income the more chance of abuse, so raise there incomes and lessen the chance of abuse in these families. The research also show that abuse is rampant in normal families as well as poor families and the number dont vary much. However poor families have more interaction with government agencies so the reporting in poor families is far better than it is in normal families where it remains hidden. John Key's changes to the system have guaranteed that over the coming years child abuse will increase. And Paula Bennett has shown how empty the words of this government are, they know that poverty needs to be addressed but they refuse to do it, so their initiative will fail before it begins. But as Winston says, Key is full of nice words... they are just all empty and meaningless. He doesnt intend to help kiwi families out at all... or fix abuse in New Zealand. I never normally agree with Winston, but he is dead on with his descriptions of what has been happening under John Key.