OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: Dear Labour Caucus

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  • nzlemming, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    No-one said it would be a good ring road...

    Re funding, start talking about the information superhighway again and maybe he'll get confused and approve it. (Then again, UFB would indicate even that will be a toll-bridge too far)

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • dc_red,

    Just caught Mercep's interview with Shearer (here). Atrocious. Shearer just mumbled empty platitudes, badly.

    He had no content to convey, nor even anything interesting to say, and this the day after he ascended to Leader of the Opposition. Not promising.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to dc_red,

    He had no content to convey, nor even anything interesting to say,

    I thought so too. Very poor.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Lew Stoddart, in reply to Russell Brown,

    He said, and I quote almost directly, "If I'm not producing the goods then I would expect [to be rolled as leader], quite frankly. So I have to produce the goods."

    That's almost as important as everything Phil Goff said in three years as opposition leader, in my book.

    But yes. A long summer of mock-interviews, recitals, theatresports and getting whacked with a ruler every time he says "um" lies ahead.

    L

    Wellington, NZ • Since Aug 2010 • 109 posts Report

  • Stephen Judd,

    I was interested in the proposed tour of the provinces, and the open acknowledgement that Labour did crap in the provinces.

    Dude needs to slow down and embrace silence. When an interlocutor tries to break your flow and rhythm, you either relentlessly continue, or you deliberately pause, reset and restart the way you want to. Stammering, repeating, and going with the interlocutor's new rhythm yields the initiative to them.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Lew Stoddart,

    That’s almost as important as everything Phil Goff said in three years as opposition leader, in my book.

    And he's gone a whole day without over-sharing about who is Cabinet's biggest MILF.

    He had no content to convey, nor even anything interesting to say, and this the day after he ascended to Leader of the Opposition. Not promising.

    To be fair, nothing is actually a pretty smart thing to be saying at this point even if it fails to enthuse the media-political complex. Putting together a shadow cabinet (and remaking the party organisation, in the longer term) is best done out of the public eye; and Cunliffe certainly didn't do himself any favours writing policy through the media.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    I do think Shearer needs to raise his game above what we heard on Morning Report today. It wasn’t just a matter of style; he simply didn’t seem to have enough to say

    Oh, you waited until *after* his election to notice?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Stephen Judd,

    Dude needs to slow down and embrace silence.

    So, Mr Labour Party member, go forth and tell him. The man is asking for ideas and yours is a good one. I'm sure that reaches personal stuff too. I imagine visiting pubs as he has indicated will get a lot of personal advice. Your articulation of such matters would definitely be better than me slightly sloshed attempting because I would tell him. :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • FletcherB, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Different style? We may just get used to it. Like that he is not all about the soundbites. Hell ,like even that he thinks long and slow before he responds to what often are ridiculous, repetitive questions? Yeah nah?

    I know it seems like it could be good... it appeals to my senses too.... but other leaders of the opposition who gave considered and balanced answers include such election "winners" as Bill English and Geoffrey Palmer. For some reason, it hasn't appealed to the public in the past?

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen,

    So the most important thing is that he sounds good when interviewed ... sigh.

    Folks can we at least not fall into the trap of mistaking presentation for content.

    Please by all means abuse him for failing to deliver content or the quality of his content but immediately focussing on presentation simply reinforces the very MSM shallowness that we so often decry in these forums.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen,

    And as for content, well at this stage I would be surprised if the Labour leader is ready to deliver the content that will win the next election. If they had that content sorted they ought to have used it to win the election just passed.

    The next 6 months have to be about figuring out what content will form the basis of a platform that people can vote for, from now until then we shouldn't expect to hear any significant content other than when they attack obviously flawed National policy.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • dc_red, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Well that's really the point Bart - that interview was entirely devoid of both. I would have settled for one (preferably content, as you say) ... but got nothing whatsoever.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    focussing on presentation simply reinforces the very MSM shallowness that we so often decry in these forums.

    I tried 5 pages back Bart, but yes absolutely like and agree with your angle. So if I meet him at the pub I may just congratulate him. :)
    As slightly aside, in the past outside world, I could see David having to be very careful with words, at the same time trying to be helpful by standing by his word. Could be a reason to falter. He will do fine. Key gets away with Bushonian blunders. Never bothered people on his side before.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Please by all means abuse him for failing to deliver content or the quality of his content but immediately focussing on presentation simply reinforces the very MSM shallowness that we so often decry in these forums.

    But I do think he's obliged to have something coherent to say, and to be able to answer basic questions abut his intentions. It was a very poor performance.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen,

    The content they used for the last six months failed, or at least some of it did. They know it failed because they have fewer seats in parliament. Which bits failed is something that needs more than 2 weeks to figure out.

    I would really worry if Shearer had already decided exactly which content caused that failure. So actually I would rather see him simply say look we clearly need to reassess our performance so apart from the really obvious shit like worker's rights to a living wage we aren't ready to give you your soundbites.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Mercer sounds like he’s freaking out. You shouldn’t introduce a panic in this interview, Shearer sounds reasoned at the start, Mercer speeds the interview up to a pace that sounds like a man on speed. Pointless to harass mistakes in media surely?

    On first listen Shearer has the tone of many CEO's I have worked under. Cunliffe as a communicator suffers from Judith Collins syndrome, he sounds like he is about to explode very soon. I think that's his (Shearers ) charm, he sounds reasoned.

    He's not going to have policy to announce, it would be an arrogance to the party members if he did. Labour care about the poor except it costs them elections, he has to reason with the swing voters who swing sometimes right up to ballot box day.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    The content they used for the last six months failed, or at least some of it did. They know it failed because they have fewer seats in parliament.

    You're drawing a direct link between the content and the result. Are you sure it was the content, and not delivery, or just the enormous lag that there is in trying to get a message through to millions of people?

    I peer-review and question the conclusions you draw from the available data, science guy. More research is needed....

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Are you sure it was the content, and not delivery, or just the enormous lag that there is in trying to get a message through to millions of people

    Well put. Poverty and Climate change, some parliament has to address these issues for the good of the country. Poverty concern isn't left or right it's just a problem we were told wouldn't be with us in 2011. Krugmans calling it a Depression.
    Poverty is our national problem.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • merc,

    Poverty, no problem, sell assets, http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/6137368/PMs-house-for-sale-in-bogus-ad
    Climate change, no problem, change RMA
    What Labour might want to focus on is how our rights get trampled on every 3 years. Or, if this is what NZ wants then I better just STFU I guess.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Carol Stewart, in reply to Russell Brown,

    But I do think he's obliged to have something coherent to say

    Reminds of the following poem by the lovely Roger McGough:

    The Leader

    I wanna be the leader
    I wanna be the leader
    Can I be the leader?
    Can I? Can I?
    Promise? Promise?
    Yippee I'm the leader
    I'm the leader

    OK what shall we do?

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report

  • merc,

    First thing on the list is get some dough together and hire a decent speech writer.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Jeremy Eade,

    Well put. Poverty and Climate change, some parliament has to address these issues for the good of the country. Poverty concern isn’t left or right it’s just a problem we were told wouldn’t be with us in 2011.

    On that score I think Key's declaration today that Shearer or anyone else from Labour won't be getting on the new "poverty committee" unless Labour promises confidence and supply to his government is a fairly damning illustration of Key's priorities. I'm quite appalled by it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Merc, National are Government. But we have short terms which probably helps the left more than the right as the potential for overturning a parliament is good ,and in real bizness it creates a business uncertainty which big money find uncomfortable and we know now surely that an overpour of big money tends to crash economies.

    The reality of the growing poverty in this country is undebatable now, the answers are all with the Labour Party . The electorate is at the moment asleep to its compounding factors.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • merc,

    National will not be content until Labour are destroyed, revenge for '35 still burns cold.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Well, that is poor from the guy who reached across the aisle for the no-smacking bill. Labour know poverty they just know it's a vote loser to campaign on it at the moment.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

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