The week in review ...
Blogging has been a bit lite of late as I came down with a flu last week, then had a couple of interesting meetings I needed to prepare for. One is totally confidential so I can't mention anything about it - and the other I won't mention until I know what the outcome is.
Anyway, the past week has been an interesting time.
Labour's attack on John Key over the Treaty settlement timetable wasn't overly effective, but it was certainly a sign that they're getting active for the election. Labour have decided to stop defending the indefensible and get on the front foot - about time, too. It was never National that was sleepwalking to victory, more Labour sleepwalking to a landslide defeat.
I doubt that Key's stumble will be anything more than a beltway issue, but it does rally the Labour troops and give them some ecouragement. But if Labour are going to continue on a strategy of character assassination then it will eventually backfire - no-one likes a bully. One reason why John Key is popular is that he only appears to make reasonable criticsms of Labour, rather than sinking to petty personal politics.
The other big issue of the week also had National on the back foot. It was the media who were critical of the Government's last minute "pulling the rug" from under the Canadians bid for Auckland Airport, when it should have been John Key and Bill English leading the charge. It looked like National were concentrating on what message would be popular, rather than what message is the right one to say - that foreign investment in New Zealand is not a bad thing, and discouraging it by undermining confidence in Government policy puts the economy at risk.
Finally, Labour still has a big problem with it's own Electoral Finance Act - fast becoming the albatross round it's neck. The purpose of the bill was to prevent groups not seeking election from influencing elections by buying lots of publicity, but now the Act has got them so bogged down in defending there own breaches. Because its a law they promoted so vigorously only their breaches will now be noted andany National Party mistakes with authorisations and addresses will be glossed over. It's the hyprocrasy, stupid!
Anyway, the past week has been an interesting time.
Labour's attack on John Key over the Treaty settlement timetable wasn't overly effective, but it was certainly a sign that they're getting active for the election. Labour have decided to stop defending the indefensible and get on the front foot - about time, too. It was never National that was sleepwalking to victory, more Labour sleepwalking to a landslide defeat.
I doubt that Key's stumble will be anything more than a beltway issue, but it does rally the Labour troops and give them some ecouragement. But if Labour are going to continue on a strategy of character assassination then it will eventually backfire - no-one likes a bully. One reason why John Key is popular is that he only appears to make reasonable criticsms of Labour, rather than sinking to petty personal politics.
The other big issue of the week also had National on the back foot. It was the media who were critical of the Government's last minute "pulling the rug" from under the Canadians bid for Auckland Airport, when it should have been John Key and Bill English leading the charge. It looked like National were concentrating on what message would be popular, rather than what message is the right one to say - that foreign investment in New Zealand is not a bad thing, and discouraging it by undermining confidence in Government policy puts the economy at risk.
Finally, Labour still has a big problem with it's own Electoral Finance Act - fast becoming the albatross round it's neck. The purpose of the bill was to prevent groups not seeking election from influencing elections by buying lots of publicity, but now the Act has got them so bogged down in defending there own breaches. Because its a law they promoted so vigorously only their breaches will now be noted andany National Party mistakes with authorisations and addresses will be glossed over. It's the hyprocrasy, stupid!
posted by Michael at
9:51 AM
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