At some point the new Government have to acknowledge a positivity campaign only works with a fair Opposition
Don’t be fooled
The new Government has to understand that the only people who care about constructive Opposition are the people who already vote for them.
The Right will win at all costs, Key’s Office colluded with the SIS to smear Phil Goff in the months leading up to the 2011 election, Key lied about mass surveillance to win 2014 and Steven Joyce and Bill English lied directly to the nation about an $11.7billion hole that never existed.
The viciousness and tactical genius of Bridges to simply spook the new Government into handing over huge advantage in select committees they can use to grind down any legislative change highlights this ruthlessness.
Sunshine and happiness are great. And Jacinda should be championing that style of progressive democracy, but someone has got to stand up and start punching back!
The new Government has got to start assembling their hit team.
Jacinda owns her style and leads with it, but then someone else has to be doing all the attacking on her behalf.
This is what National will do, Bill English will come across as the steady hand who is tough but can be fair and make deals while Bridges, Joyce, Collins, Amy Adams and Margaret Barry go for the throat every time.
The team that starts fighting back hard should be…
Shane Jones – his performance today on Q+A was masterclass Shane Jones. His wit and his oratory skills are needed now more than ever. He needs to lead debate against the National Opposition.
Kiri Allan – is a political superstar who if given the space could make for blistering responses to social policy criticism.
James Shaw – Could be relentlessly attacking National on lack of climate change planning in every economic comment they make.
Ruth Dyson – She is one of labour’s fiercest an most under utilised attack players.
Willie Jackson – Broadcasting background makes him very quick on his feet and perfect for sound bites.
Michael Wood – The little General is one of Labour’s future stars, excellent and laser like in attack.
Greg O’Connor – Former Police hard man, needs to step up as an enforcer in Parliament.
Ron Mark – An old school head kicker, needs to be turned lose on National.
When Joyce lied about the fiscal hole, Jacinda continued the positivity campaign which doesn’t work if you are fighting a dirty opponent and there isn’t an opponent more dirty than National. Waiting as long as labour did to respond was just enough perceived weakness to turn voters back to National in the latter part of the campaign.
Jacinda can stay above the fray, but she needs a team of push back agents so her Ministers can get on with the job at hand who can fight National in the bear pit.
National risk believing they never lost and believing their own bullshit and in doing so keeping the same stale massively past their use by date MP’s at this rate. I am wondering how yesterday’s men will fare in 3 years.
But yes you are correct, a good push back is needed to counter the utter bullshit seeping out of every Nat pore. There are just so many rainbows that will get them just so far.
Start with the bodies the new government is discovering buried by National to change the narrative
Agreed, but you also don’t want someone who continuously puts their foot in their mouth for which Jacinda has to either apologise for, or even worse, ask to resign. Pitbulls are awesome attack dogs and all, but they also often reflect very badly on their owner. There is nothing wrong with simply being nice imo.
Yes Nitrium.
It’s possible to be perfectly nice but still make politely worded but cutting observations and responses.
D J S
Good view and well cemented tofgether martyn;
All very true in every word;
Except I would replace Michael Wood with Phil Twyford, the legendary fighter (with ultimate skill to tackle National’s “dirty tricks campaign”.)
We have witnessed already that Phil Twyford, has weathered every ‘shit storm National has thrown’ at this long serving ‘true labour politician.
Welll done Martyn you are a legand. (Talking about Willlie Jackson,) please get “Fifth estate going again please”
MARTYN SAID;
“When Joyce lied about the fiscal hole, Jacinda continued the positivity campaign which doesn’t work if you are fighting a dirty opponent and there isn’t an opponent more dirty than National. Waiting as long as labour did to respond was just enough perceived weakness to turn voters back to National in the latter part of the campaign.
Jacinda can stay above the fray, but she needs a team of push back agents so her Ministers can get on with the job at hand who can fight National in the bear pit.”
National certainly needs some of their own medicine – but done in a much smarter and sophisticated way.
They have to think like Grid Iron – dividing into defense and offence
Like many who voted to change the government, I have been shocked (despite all the warnings that it would happen) at the vicious, unrelenting ‘carpet bombing’ style attack launched on this (democratically elected) Govt. via the so-called MSM.
Every possible excuse to demean, destabilise, insult and undermine the new administration has been utilised, with no critical analysis of the veracity of these attacks (apart from lone outposts such as The Daily Blog).
As a prime example, it’s like all the “journalists” contributing to Stuff have turned into Cameron Slater. Their thinly veiled opinion pieces masquerading as ‘news’ are then legitimatised (supposedly) by a torrent of comments from “concerned NZers”. Many of these comments appear as nothing more than part of a concerted campaign to wage war on the Govt (they share the same spelling and grammatical mistakes FFS, & frequently resort to a level of offence that Fairfax, not that long ago, proudly claimed they would not allow to be published. They have clearly reneged on that promise).
Our whole culture has become infected by psychopathic thinking. But especially our politics. It’s not about improving the lot of the average citizen. It’s now about Power At All Costs, and rewarding those people and entities that can “afford your favour”.
Yes, the time has come to stop playing nice. Pandoras box has been opened by the Opposition – something it did some time ago to gain and maintain power. This will not change until the endgame of contemporary western civilisation is played out.
One thing about bullies – they don’t like it when you punch back.
The pitbull element of the opposition reveals the true underbelly of viciousness and evil we have in this country. It’s chilling to the bone how cruel and low-mannered some people can be. This government will need all the resources it can muster to be polite but cutting, to keep that bear pit side of the house in its place. We need some male and female Kim Hill’s who can do it with fine style and still shut people up or show them up for how nasty/and or stupid they are.
+100 Great Post…and David Parker and Winston Peters should also be used in the attack
…in fact maybe everyone who can master an argument should be rostered on to take their turn
…surprise verbal guerrilla warfare assaults where they least expect it
…opposition shadow pairing with your opponent in positions as hockey or basketball
Yes, the govt needs to harden up against the natz, but Jones is not the man to do it, he’s more one of them than one of us ( same with Stuart Nash).
We just need to ensure those tory b…ds remain in opposition for 3 or more terms Billshit will be gone by then and hopefully he can f…k of to another country or he can park up by his polluted favorite river the ones he longs to swim in
Bomber, couldn’t agree more!
Photo caption contest there too. Whispering Kate mentions the “pitbull” element.
I would’ve said “A dog on a bus – with a dachshund.”