NZ general election turnout falls to 74% from 80% in 2008

Although still higher than the 65% who voted in last year's UK general election, it compares with 84% in the French 2007 election for President.

The main loser from the reduced turnout was Labour, whose leader Phil Goff clearly doesn't measure up to either John Key or his predecessor Helen Clark in the charisma on TV stakes - and unfortunately that is just as important as policies in this visual age.

It means another 3 years of the present government, and we are generally comfortable with that, even the controversial policy of hocking off state assets. The big exception, as has been made very clear, is Steven Joyce's notions on transport.  We fervently hope that the next government will heed the results of a survey earlier this month (see post) to the effect that people want big money spent on improving public transport, and not on more motorways.