NZ Politics Daily: 20 April (liberation)

When you’re down on your luck everyone is generous with the advice and Labour are getting it in bucketfuls. Their supporters are not afraid to dish it out to each other in public. John Pagani continues to defend his critique of Labour’s strategy in Ummm,no and On theories of opposition. It seems almost everyone has mis-interpreted what he is trying to say. The subtlety of his argument appears to be eluding his critics – possibly for the same reasons voter support eludes Labour. There are a few good analyses of Labour’s woes – some date back quite a few weeks but are, unfortunately for Labour, still very relevant.

Most mainstream commentators have sympathy for Goff’s inability to get traction and seem to attribute much to just plain bad luck. Jane Clifton (The Listener: Seismic Turnaround) writes ‘But let’s make an exception for poor Phil Goff, for whom no wind does anything but biff him about the chops, and yet who nevertheless has to watch as even the nastiest gales seem to benefit the Government. Which could not be said particularly to deserve it.’ Clifton also does a detailed profile of all the pretenders to Goff’s throne in Dog Tucker.

Many on the left are not so hesitant in apportioning blame and suggesting solutions. Steven Cowan (Against the Current: Dead Party Walking), Simon Wilson (Metro: Teflon John and Feeble Phil; not online) and Chris Trotter (Metro: The Silence of the Labour’s lambs; not online) all identify Labour’s leadership as the blockage in need of clearing.

National’s election deals attract a little attention – mostly denials that any deals have been done. See: Felix Marwick, Newstalk ZB: Hide’s luck continues and Tracy Watkins Dom Post: Dunne says he’s unfazed as Nats talk tactics.

As the Maori Party strives to put distance between itself and the government on issues important to the Maori electorate (TV3: Maori Party wants iwi consultation), Tim Selwyn (Tumeke!: The rising tide contender for North Shore) says too little, too late.

The PM’s use of an Iroquois helicopter to avoid traffic delays gets plenty of coverage but as The Dim-Post (On the other hand…) comments, it isn’t going to be a knockout blow for Labour.

Both the Family Court (Tracy Watkins, Stuff: Blowout sparks Family Court review) and the Public Prosecution Service (Andrea Vance, Stuff: Review to scrutinize pubic prosecution services) are getting braced for shake-ups clearly aimed at containing costs.

Alex Tarrant (interest.co.nz) finds that there should be no surprises in a NZ First/Labour coalition as their key economic policies are very much in tune: What to expect from a coalition of the left. [Continue reading below for a full list of the highlights of NZ Politics Daily]

Gerard Hehir (Guest Editor NZPD)

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 strategy

Audrey Young (NZH): Ex-Goff adviser lambasts Labour attacks

John Pagani (JP’s Posterous): Ummm,no.

John Pagani (JP’s Posterous): On theories of opposition

Kiwipolitico: Pagani and polls

Gordon Campbell (Scoop): On the government’s lead in the polls, and Labour’s response

Steven Cowan (Against the Current): Dead Party Walking

TVNZ: Phil Goff Interviewed ON TVNZ

Bryce Edwards (DScene): Dunedin’s many Labour Party MPs (not currently online)

Jane Clifton (Listener): Seismic turnaround

Jane Clifton (Listener): Dog tucker

Simon Wilson (Metro): Teflon John and Feeble Phil (not currently online)