NZ Politics Daily: 18 April (liberation)

Labour’s polling problems clearly aren’t driven by a lack of media coverage. Yet again, the party is currently the subject of most of the political news and views in the domestic politics scene. TV3’s latest 27% poll for Labour is the main source of this discussion – see: Dan Satherley (TV3): The polls don't lie - Labour needs a miracle.

The best summary of Labour’s current problems and its consequences is found in the Imperator Fish blog post, Awful Poll Smashes Labour Hopes:

‘The failings of Labour have now become the dominant theme in political discourse in this country. So awful have Labour been that they've handed National a free pass. Instead of investigating the South Canterbury Finance debacle and asking tough questions of the government, political journalists are more interested in reporting on the squabbles and strife within the main opposition party. I suspect that only a cleanout at the top, and of the dead wood within the party, will do the trick. This will probably happen when (as now seems increasingly likely) Labour is smashed to bits in November’.

Phil Goff’s recently departed chief spindoctor, John Pagani, also has an interesting take on it all in the blog post, Problems, we got problems, but they’re not the problems you think. The response in the blogosphere seems to be to pan Pagani – see, for example, the Imperator Fish post Look At The Polls! And even some of Labour’s most fervent cheerleaders are starting to lose faith and even drop out – see The Standard’s blog post: I’m sorry, I’m out. And then further bad publicity pops up – Labour list insults Ratana Church. Also, check out Stephen Braunias’ Secret diary of Damien O'Connor, and Colin James’ thoughtful Dominion Post column, Labour in transition as it strives for relevance. [Continue reading below for a full list of the highlights of NZ Politics Daily]

Below are the internet links to all the NZ politics material from the last 24 hours that are either informative, insightful, interesting or influential. This list and the links are taken from a fuller document, NZ Politics Daily, which is emailed out, Monday to Friday, to various researchers, academics, journalists, MPs and so forth. The document is purely for research purposes only, and if you would like to be on the subscription list, please email: [email protected]

Labour Party’s low polling

NZPA: National increases lead over Labour – poll

Duncan Garner (TV3): National races off ahead of the pack (and VIDEO)

Patrick Gower (TV3): Who may lose out in Labour slump? (VIDEO)

Dan Satherley (TV3): The polls don't lie - Labour needs a miracle

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Labour’s lowest poll since 1996

The Dim-Post: High twenties

Imperator Fish: Awful Poll Smashes Labour Hopes

Colin James (Dom Post): Labour in transition as it strives for relevance

John Pagani: Problems, we got problems, but they’re not the problems you think

Imperator Fish: Look At The Polls!

John Tamihere (Sunday News): O'Connor needs help getting Labour back to its roots