JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
DigiPoll Ltd
Exceltium Ltd

Friday 11 July 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Firms Reject Criticism Of Emissions Trading Poll

New Zealand's most accurate polling company, DigiPoll Ltd, and Auckland public relations company, Exceltium Ltd, have rejected criticisms of their public opinion survey of New Zealanders' attitudes towards the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

"This was a rigorous, scientific survey of public opinion. Any suggestions it is in any way similar to 'push polling' or that it is 'skewed' are malicious, grossly defamatory and politically-motivated," DigiPoll director Dr Gabriel Dekel and Exceltium managing director Matthew Hooton said today.

"The survey questionnaire meets every test for objectivity and neutrality, and was developed by Exceltium, DigiPoll and other advisors.

"The polling itself was conducted using DigiPoll's country-wide random-digit-dialling sample and telephone-interview process which was originally developed at the University of Waikato in 1995 and which has accurately predicted the results of several general elections. DigiPoll and another polling company were also the only pre-election pollsters to consistently show Labour at a distinct advantage to National before the last national election.

"To ensure the final sample accurately reflected the general population in terms of gender, geography, income level and voting intention, we weighted the sample according to the data from the last census and other publicly-available data.

"The questionnaire, sample size and margins of error for the different survey populations have all been made available in the interests of transparency.

"DigiPoll holds IQS (Interviewing Quality Standards - body of the Market Research Society of New Zealand) accreditation and the data was vigorously checked and audited.

"The survey results should be of interest to the public, media and policy-makers, and should be taken seriously by them, and it is of concern that some policy-makers have instead opted to defame us and our companies," Dr Dekel and Mr Hooton said.

ENDS

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