National’s week from hell

Written By: - Date published: 6:01 pm, August 2nd, 2020 - 34 comments
Categories: Amy Adams, Judith Collins, national, Nikki Kaye, polls, prisons, same old national, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, uncategorized - Tags:

I do not think in all my years of interest in politics that I have ever seen a more disorganised week from National.

Last Sunday it started with a horror poll suggesting that Labour could conceivably not require support parties and National plunging to levels not seen since 2002.  National’s response was a press release to suggest that it was yet another rogue poll and that National’s internal polling was much different.  A better present for Jacinda on her 40th is hard to imagine.

Then on Monday there was another disastrous poll, this one suggesting that by a wide margin, 62-27 New Zealand thought that Labour were better economic managers than National.  This is unprecedented.

Judith also chose to get into a fight with Reid Research and allege that it was engaging in push polling.  Reid Research gave back double.  She also got into a fight with a Kiwisaver provider.  And Judith said that Hamish Walker and the teenage Palmerston North candidate were both victims of bullying.  As if.

On Tuesday it was reported that Judith Collins said that under her watch as Corrections Minister no one escaped from prison.  Narrator voice, this was not true.  She then tried to suggest that because her eyebrow was raised when she said it people should have known that she was joking.  Also on Tuesday it was reported that National’s 18 year old MP had a photo on social media where he pictured himself doing a Hitler impersonation.  The two burning questions I have is wasn’t he vetted more carefully and which National faction leaked it.

On Wednesday Sarah Dowie gave her valedictory speech and said that she would claw at the windows or walk across hot coals to get out of the National Caucus.  Talk about a vote of confidence.

On Thursday two of National’s urban liberal progressive female MPs, Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams gave their swan song speeches in Parliament.  National is clearly heading towards being a country christian conservative rump party.  This will hurt them in the cities.

Also on Thursday housing spokesperson Jacqui Dean falsely claimed that National built 30,000 state homes when last in power, and that National now backs rental standards they voted against and recently promised to scrap.  Narrator’s voice, they didn’t and they won’t.

On Thursday night there was yet another rogue poll suggesting that National was well behind.  They tried to spin this suggesting that it showed that they still had a chance to win.

Then on Friday the Heron Report was released and concluded that National MP Hamish Walker and former Party President Michelle Boag were were each responsible for the unauthorised disclosure of sensitive personal information. “Their motivations were political. Their actions were not justified or reasonable.”

Also on Friday Jacinda was ranked as the world’s most eloquent leader.  The right wing response was predictable.

On Saturday, without proof, Judith Collins publicly stated that opponents were stealing her billboards and planned to put them up on election day to get her into trouble.  The sense of weirdness about this allegation is high, especially when there has never been a report of this happening in the past to a National candidate.

And occasional Standard reader Matthew Hooton resigned his job from the leader’s office also to spend more time with his family.

Then today it was reported that National had taken all of its policies down from its website and all that was left were a few slogan filled discussion sheets.  And it was also reported that National has major problems with its Auckland Central selection and that the details would emerge.

And where is National’s candidate list?

All in all if this is a strong National team I hate to imagine what a weak one would look like.  And National will be praying that it does not have another week like the one that it has just had.

34 comments on “National’s week from hell ”

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  1. Allan 1
    2 August 2020 at 6:05 pm

    Correction to the title: "Yet another National week from hell." Schadenfreude is such a lovely feeling after the unscrupulous Key years .

    • mickysavage 1.1
      2 August 2020 at 6:15 pm

      The week before was pretty bad for them as well but Labour lost Lees-Galloway thanks to National's filth unit so I determined that this one was worse.

  2. Muttonbird 2
    2 August 2020 at 6:12 pm

    Judith Collins has managed to combine the very worst of Simon Bridges and Todd Muller, and I sense further unravelling ahead.

    You'd have to wonder whether she will even make it to the election…

  3. Ad 3
    2 August 2020 at 6:13 pm

    At least Labour got its list out.

    It's going to be an awesome election.

    Maybe one that makes up for 2008 and 2014.

    I'm really looking forward to the right splintering all over the place.

  4. Draco T Bastard 4
    2 August 2020 at 6:15 pm

    National is clearly heading towards being a country christian conservative rump party.

    I'm a man of the land, I'm into discipline
    Got a Bible in my hand and a beard on my chin
    But if I finish all of my chores and you finish thine
    Then tonight we're gonna party like it's 1699

    Weird Al

  5. ScottGN 5
    2 August 2020 at 6:48 pm

    What the hell is she banging on about her billboards for? Everything is going to hell in a hand basket around us and she wants to focus on that? Does she not realise how bloody irrelevant this just makes her look?

    • observer 5.1
      2 August 2020 at 7:06 pm

      I'm no Hootony genius, but I'd guess billboards would not make the top 100 issues that National (potential) voters care about right now.

      Nor would an obscure policy from the Greens (that National supported anyway), a "rogue" poll, a writer/refugee or kid whatsisname in Palmy with the milk moustache. But that list comprises about 90% of the things that Judith Collins has talked about this week.

      Leadership …

    • Anne 5.2
      2 August 2020 at 7:52 pm

      It's desperation ScottGN. Trying to pin something – anything – on Labour. Bill Board vandalism has been happening at every election since God made little apples. All parties are targeted and she knows it.

      Is there something else about to come out about National?

  6. McFlock 6
    2 August 2020 at 7:27 pm

    Hooten makes me laugh. For years he's been wanking on in the media about political strategy, then he hitches his professional credibility on a collins-l"led" National opposition facing a competent leader in a time of crisis.

    Dude looks incompetent, to me.

    • Incognito 6.1
      2 August 2020 at 7:42 pm

      Long commutes can really play havoc on long-term and strategic thinking, just ask Simon; he’s still reeling from his long lonely road trips during lockdown. His dreams were filled with roads, long nasty straight black roads, to a nasty black Beehive full of Ercs.

    • Tricledrown 6.2
      3 August 2020 at 12:39 pm

      Hooton's arrogantly talks himself up every time but fails to deliver.

      Over the years he has played the Trump card time and time again.Lies and innuendo making a fool of himself.

      His Star has faded with his advice to Muller a complete failure.His time was up he was let go sacked by Collins behind closed doors.The Media release was a white wash after all the bad news came out with the super spinner Hooton ,you would think Hooton would have a big impact

      Hooton failed to spin National out of trouble like Key was able to, so surplus to requirements was let go.

      Hollow Hooton has had his day.

  7. Incognito 7
    2 August 2020 at 7:34 pm

    National took down all five bullet points from their policy page??

    Oh my, I think I may have to lie down with a cuppa.

    OTOH, she did raise an eyebrow when she made the joke accusation. I reckon that with Matty gone we’ll see a change in campaign tactics and the new billboards will show photos of green 100% pure pastures and deep blue skies with white fluffy rabbits hopping around – nothing wrong with white bunnies – and adorable small children laughing in the knowledge that their Super will be fine. Maybe a farmer and a farting cow somewhere in the distant background.

    • PaddyOT 7.1
      2 August 2020 at 8:13 pm

      Maybe Pat ( open mike ) is right that

      "the election conceded and the narrative is its a good time not to win."

      Success surviving in every dimension over the next few years anywhere will take a phenomenal government.

      Or maybe, missing policy on the party page is the strategy.

      ie. grab media attention throwing Hooten utb….. delete policy to pique interest…. make new ( cough) policy…..have one new scandal to distract with precision timing grabbing ALL the media's last minute attention.

      There has to be another scandal?

  8. The Al1en 8
    2 August 2020 at 8:07 pm

    National took down all five bullet points from their policy page??

    Other parties took them to release closer to election day to damage Collins' chances? lol

    • mac1 8.1
      3 August 2020 at 8:37 am

      Recycled quotes that are apt today.

      "Those policies are no longer operative!" Nixon's press secretary.

      On National's state of health after the weeks from hell, "For the most part, in comparison with the rest of the world, we are 100% pure." John Key on NZ's clean green image.

      On National's disappearing policies, again John Key's statement recycled, " I can find you another policy."

  9. Maurice 9
    2 August 2020 at 8:58 pm

    Wonder if it is all about to get very nasty?

  10. gingercrush 10
    3 August 2020 at 7:54 am

    But it was better than the week prior.

  11. Morrissey 11
    3 August 2020 at 10:55 am

    It's three more years of Hell for National on the way from September.

    • Tiger Mountain 11.1
      3 August 2020 at 11:59 am

      Excellent, way too many New Zealanders had 9 years of hell during the Key/English administration.

      I want Labour to get re-elected because they deserve it, and National are never going to keep the lid on Covid, AND because then the left has three years to organise and hammer Labour until their caucus rolls back Roger’n’Ruth’s toxic legacy!

  12. Ovid 12
    3 August 2020 at 1:31 pm

    I see Gerry is bringing the same level of care to National’s campaign as he did to the Christchurch rebuild.

    • Treetop 12.1
      3 August 2020 at 5:19 pm

      After the election Gerry will be wondering what went wrong with National's campaign, just like after the Christchurch rebuild.

  13. Ken 13
    3 August 2020 at 5:29 pm

    Let's hope the weeks from hell become the years from hell.

  14. kerry donnelly 14
    7 August 2020 at 11:09 am

    For Judith and Gerry Leadership Team ship to call Jacinda arrogance shows how completely they dont know themselves and there own behaviors for their entire political careers .

    Gerry has been convicted of Assault after throwing and protester down a flight of stairs plus screwing Christchurch with the Earthquakes .

    Judith is has been and always be Crusher Collins.