Future of Ban 1080 Party in the balance after abysmal result at ballot box

The future of the Ban 1080 Party, which draws most of its votes from the West Coast-Tasman electorate, will be reassessed after an abysmal result at the ballot box on Saturday.

Nationally, the party vote fell to just 2440 - down from 5113 when Ban 1080 made its political debut at the 2014 general election.

West Coast-Tasman candidate Peter Salter, of Pukekura, again won the lion's share of their party vote, but it was nowhere near enough.

Even so, his own vote plummeted from 2318 last election to 1316, while the party vote collapsed from 942 to just 306.

Party founder Bill Wallace, of Golden Bay said the only party candidate to show an increase at the polls was well known anti-1080 campaigner Clyde Graf, in Coromandel.

However, the results all round were "disappointing".

Wallace said he did not believe it was a sign of the anti-1080 sentiment waning, but a vote shift to back New Zealand First, which had promised to bring in an instant moratorium stopping the use of 1080 poison.

On the West Coast, NZ First candidate Jackie Farrelly won 1594 votes, while her party won over 3194 voters.

"I think the anti-1080 sentiment has gone off to NZ First. I just hope they deliver for the people who put their faith in them," Wallace said.

It was always going to be difficult for smaller, single-issue parties, he said.

The future direction of the party would be discussed among the executive after a week of rest.

On Sunday, Salter said he was not sure what the future would hold for the party, but said personally he would probably take a step back.

- Hokitika Guardian