Last night I sat down to watch the TVNZ leaders debate on TV One expecting fireworks, unfortunately they didn't happen. Perhaps we have last weekends injuries at the All Blacks game to blame for that. I'm not sure, but whatever the reason why it was disappointing.
Key looked totally flat, and frankly bored to be there. He really looked like a man wanting to give up on it all.
And really can anyone blame him after the last few weeks in NZ politics, and the release of the Dirty Politics book by Nicky Hager. Which in my opinion is not worth the paper it's printed on, and designed purely as a means to cause maximum damage to National because the left can't win on policy or personality.
Muck raking can wear even the most energetic person down.
Key was further thrown it appeared by Winston Peters and his allegations that night of an approach from someone within Judith Collins office for the opportunity to work with National post election with her as leader. On this I think Winston is just making crap up, as Winston does (who remembers his claims earlier this year that Huka Lodge had been sold to the Chinese, when it hadn't been sold to anyone), and shouldn't have been reported on without requiring Winston to provide some proof.
But such is the standard of journalism in NZ at the moment.
I think it sowed a seed of doubt in Key's mind for most of the debate and it showed. He seemed to be distracted by it anyway.
And a final point on this rumour, if it's true, after all Judith Collins is under a lot of pressure at the moment, and may feel wronged by Key, then not only should she be sacked as a minister, but expelled completely from the National Party, regardless of the risks. National can't have a place for any renegade MP's regardless of who they are. Plus I personally don't like Collins and would love to see her gone. But that's an aside.
Key sounded like a politician, something he has in the past tried to avoid. It's his lack of sounding like a politician that is his main strength. Cunliffe sounds exactly like a politician and see where that has him in the preferred PM ratings.
Key was the breath of fresh air, and last night he went stale. Someone needs to tell him to be himself again and laugh. We don't like preachy or bossy leaders, and Key was both last night. His repeated use of statements like 'if you want growth then you need to follow Nationals plan' sounded more like something Helen Clark would have said, rather than the old jovial Key. It's a turn off for voters.
Key failed to also pull Cunliffe up on many of his factual and positional errors. Like when Cunliffe claimed the Greens requirement of Labour needing to have its budget independently audited was just a throw away line. When the Greens have been very clear that it's a bottom line. That line of attack alone could have shown Cunliffe as tricky and dodgy in the eyes of voters.
What does Labour have to hide in their budget if they're scared of having it audited? Do they know their own figures don't add up?
Also Key needed to attack Cunliffe over CGT and housing affordability. I mean does Labour honestly think no one will pass on the cost of their proposed capital gains tax by increasing the asking price for their house. Around the world CGT gets passed on by being added to the asking price of a house, adding to the housing unaffordability crisis.
Labour can't have their cake and eat it.
Cunliffe on the other hand didn't end up in the corner crying like a baby, like many including myself, thought or hoped for.
And apart from talking over Key all the time, didn't sound like an ass, and didn't make many mistakes.
Given everyone including the political pundits low expectations of him, this gave him a win this time.
But next time our expectations of him will be higher, at the level we expect of all who want to be PM.
I'm not sure next time Cunliffe will be so lucky.
Key will by his own high standards be disappointed in his own performance and won't let the same happen to him again.
But equally, Cunliffe will be buoyed by his own performance and will be eager to take Key on next time.
The only question is will he let his own natural self confidence add to this confidence and turn into arrogance and be the David Cunliffe no one likes next time?
No comments:
Post a Comment