Key Points:

Which politician would be most likely to host an exchange student and who would be most likely to change a nappy?

We asked readers of nzherald.co.nz in two character polls this week.

Readers thought John Key (36 per cent) would be most likely to roll up his shirt sleeves before picking up the nappy wipes. He was closely followed by Green Party leader Jeanette Fitzsimons (27 per cent) and Tariana Turia also scored well (20 per cent).

Prime Minister Helen Clark, together with the elder statesmen of Parliament, languished a long way behind. Helen Clark and Rodney Hide scored 5 per cent, while Jim Anderton, Peter Dunne and Winston Peters scored 2 per cent.

One week after Winston Peters trotted out a familiar line on immigration, we asked which politician was most likely to host an exchange student.

John Key took this poll out too, posted one day after his immigration spokesman Lockwood Smith made his now infamous comments about Asians and Pacific Islanders to the Marlborough Express.

Key scored 36 per cent while Jeanette Fitzsimons came a close second (34 per cent). Helen Clark, who was quick to call Smith's comments "absolutely daft", was a distant third with 11 per cent.

The idea of polling readers on the personality of politicians was taken from the defunct Australian magazine, The Bulletin, which asked Australians broadly similar questions in a light-hearted poll.

The polling, they argued, offered as much insight into how people view politicians' character and, therefore, how they might vote, than polling on policy. The polls are not scientific.

* Who would be most likely to host an exchange student?

John Key 36 per cent

Jeanette Fitzsimons 34 per cent

Who would be mostly likely to help change a baby's nappy?

John Key 36 per cent

Jeanette Fitzsimons 27 per cent

Tariana Turia 20 per cent

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