Summary
SIX MONTHS ago no one would have believed that the political opinion polls would have given such an advantage -- in fact, any sort of advantage -- to National as New Zealand turns the final corner of a three-year track and heads down the straight to a general election seven weeks away. The Labour-led coalition Government has enjoyed a golden two-term run. Helen Clark, as well as calling herself popular and efficient, has also become known as "Teflon Helen" because her parliamentary opponents failed to make anything remotely embarrassing stick. There certainly have been occasions when her Government, and the PM herself, have fumbled, but Miss Clark invariably displayed the instincts and training of the career politician that she is and moved quickly into damage- control. This apparent deftness, and the ease with which she flicked off any challenge, was also a measurement of the quality of her opponents -- particularly National, which was, until 18 months ago, adrift with leadership woes.
Two months into the job, new leader Don Brash stumbled on to a rich vein of Kiwi discontent with his "one law for all" speech at Orewa in January last year. As unaccustomed to taking a polling lead as Labour was to losing it, National squandered 2004's early advantage as Labour straightened its crown and ruling robes -- but the Brash momentum gathered pace again this year. It is almost as unfathomable as it is unstoppable. His rookie status is obvious, and even his most loyal supporters must cringe when he chances a foray in the bearpit of parliamentary debate -- or acts out some pre- school or speedway photo-opportunity with palpable discomfort. But Dr Brash's obvious lack of political guile, measured against Labour's normally glib team, has been both his friend and enemy. He has been given a second and third chance by the voters, not least because of his decision to accept a $500,000 pay cut from his years as governor of the Reserve Bank to become an MP.See the full content of this document
Extract
Seven Weeks for Labour to Rebuild the Dream
His diffidence and lack of aggression seem to have struck ...
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