John Key's "Positioning" Speech

John Key's speech today sets out a position that the left should be uncomfortable about - Key is reminding them that National is not the mythical heartless, cruel beast they spend a lot of time telling all those who listen. National's vision is for "a safe, prosperous and successful New Zealand that creates opportunities for all New Zealanders to reach their personal goals and dreams". And amen to that.

(Incidentally, Labour's first objective in it's constitution is "to elect competent men and women to Parliament and local authorities through free elections for the purpose of giving effect to Party policy and principles".)

I'm encouraged by most of the speech was spent dealing with those who are persistantly poor and have no options to change their lifestyle. Most middle-class New Zealaners would be shocked if they went to Cannons Creek every day (and night) to see teenagers hanging around with nothing to do. And the devil makes work for idle hands.

As a positioning speech, this is an encouraging sign for National and it's aspirations for 2008 - it's a less controversial tone than Don Brash's Orewa Speeches - and it shows that while National is known as being strong on economic and law and order policies, it is also willing to tackle harder social problems that other parties gloss over.