It looks like it’s going well. A tour like this is a good chance to get your voice in the local media and speak at places that don’t usually see high profile politicians. Goff’s got a good message too: National has no mandate for GST increases, and this is a theft from middle New Zealand to pay off National’s rich mates.
The Right is trying to make some kind of deal out of the fact that the bus is funded out of Labour’s Leader’s Budget. Um. That’s what it’s there for – to pay for parties to communicate their positions to the public.
When Rodney Hide goes around the country telling people that Maori are bludgers and promising that Heather Roy and Roger Douglas aren’t about to roll him, that will be paid for out of his Leader’s Budget. And remember National’s desperate attempt to convince parents that national standards isn’t a total dog? Well, who do you think paid for that?
You can tell National are worried about this. They’re not trying to sell the tax package as a good idea anymore. No, they’re attacking the funding and falling back on the ‘well Goff’s gotta promise he will undo it’ line. As if the GST increase is a fait accompli and tax cuts for the rich are set in stone.
The first time we heard them pull out this desperate line was a frankly painful patsy question from some guy with a squeaky voice (NBR’s Rob Hosking?) at last week’s post-Cabinet press conference, and it’s National’s only line on tax now. They’re not even trying to defend their tax package anymore, and it’s still months until the Budget.
Meanwhile, Labour just needs to hit those strong and simple truths: National’s tax package isn’t fair and it doesn’t have to be this way but National insists on rewarding the well-off at the cost of everyone else.
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