An unusually forthright anonymous editorial in the Dom Post yesterday:
Editorial: Arrogance will not win Trans Pacific Partnership debate for Key
OPINION: The Government is starting to look rattled over opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. Perhaps its internal polling is showing a genuine groundswell of concern. Or perhaps it is just telling it to meet fire with fire.
Either way, National’s response looks arrogant. Prime Minister John Key’s reaction to a large protest march in Auckland, and a smaller one in Wellington, was dismissive and unpleasant. He said a third of the demonstrators were rent-a-crowd protesters who opposed any free trade deal, and another third were Labour and Green supporters who opposed anything the Government did. Presumably the last third were acceptable opponents.
These personal remarks sound like the high-handed remarks of a Government in power too long. They look badly out of touch. Free trade deals are no longer automatically accepted by a majority of voters. Key should recognise this and start trying to meet the concerns rather than insulting critics. …
Read the full piece for plenty more – or just catch the Grant Robertson summary version:
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