Just Left

Tick Labour Twice on Saturday #voteNZ

I've already cast my ballots: for Labour, for Grant Robertson and for MMP.

It's pretty simple really.

Labour's the only party which will tackle the economic problems that are holding us back; that will act to end child poverty; that will bring about a fairer and more equal society.  The other small parties of the Left share many of our views but are never in a position to lead and to act.  Labour is.

Labour is also the only party that can save our assets.

Grant in Wellington Central is a no brainer.  He is a great local MP, he will win the seat, and he is an important part of the future of the Labour Party.

MMP is also pretty simple.  I don't believe only ten thousand swing voters in each of ten marginal seats should decide who governs New Zealand: everyone's vote should count equally, and representation in Parliament should depend on support around the country.  MMP delivers that.

Whatever you do, make sure you vote, today or tomorrow.

I'll do a bit of a response to the results on Sunday sometime.

The only important #teacupgate point

If we aren't careful, the next couple of days will be a distraction from the real choice facing the country.

The reason the Herald on Sunday should print a transcript between the two Johns is because the public needs to know whether any policy business was transacted.

ACT wants to sell all of New Zealand's SOEs.

With National dipping below elective dictatorship levels of support, they will need a support partner.

They didn't tell the truth about the GST rise which has always been part of the ACT agenda (to move tax off the wealthy and onto the poorest).

There is no reason to believe assurances to the contrary this time on state asset sales.

With National's panicked release of an empty list of 120 sound bites today, the absence of an economic plan by the incumbent government is now proved.

ACT would be ever so happy to fill the vacuum.

So — the issue is what was said. Let's focus on that.

National's obvious desire to pump bellows at the smoke in order to hide the fire shows there might be something embarrassing there.

I doubt it's more than that. I await being proved right or wrong.

In the meantime, let's stay focused on the defining issue of the campaign: whether National/ACT, Key/Brash sell out New Zealand's future, or whether with Labour and the Greens we all own it for ourselves.

First week and big picture

With a hiss and a roar the first week is done and here are some quick reflections from me:

1. Labour is setting the agenda. The talk is about the economy, taxes, fair wages and whether or not state assets should be sold. That's what we wanted to be talking about.

2. Phil Goff is performing very well. When someone has a long and strong track record as a minister, you wonder how they will go in the front of things. I could not be happier with how Phil has stepped up, and commentators have noticed it too.

3. The emerging choice is quite stark. On economic, environment and social policies, Labour is setting out a bold agenda for change. National is setting out a timid agenda to continue New Zealand's failing status quo.

I've been doing long days in Wellington on a range of campaign projects as well as talking with punters. The vibe is ok, but then it is Wellington which is a little bit lefter than the rest of the country. Labour's campaign is working well internally and fundraising is going ok too, despite the mountain we have to climb politically.

20 days more hard slog. Putting our case for how New Zealand needs to change to everyone we can.

Keep a sharp eye on the polls in the next two weeks.

I'll try and blog more too.

Favourite policies out so far for me — broadcasting, and EQC, and still the transformational capital gains tax we did in July.

Today's environment launch has gone well too.

And so we roll on... Continuing to set the agenda and see a curiously flat-footed set of opponents spend their time on our ground.