NX-Files

 
 
"Tony Abbott is good if you want to turn back the boats, but he's not so great if you want to win over rusted-on Labor voters," one federal MP said.
 
 
 
Tony Abbott omitted from NSW Coalition campaign after Barry O'Farrell jibe | News.com.au
 




 

The govt has enacted exceptional powers due to the Chch Earthquake & the Rugby World Cup.  Basically this means circumventing or shortening parliamentary process.  
Of course these are exceptional events, & I suspect most people are fine with this & NX agrees.  However, maintaining a good process is beyond politics of the left & right, and should be fought for. 
So you'd think the opposition would have a field day with this.  Yet they've been strangely quiet.
I suspect it's because when it comes to enacting government powers, the left rather likes this.  Which also explains why there has been more criticism from commentators on the right.  
Phil Goff has been opposing the govt with a left wing critique, which has done bugger to capture the publics attention.  Ironically, he'd probably have more luck if he tackled them on some issues from a centre-right perspective because there are many disenchanted right-leaning voters out there.  I think he tried this once with a speech on Maori issues, which did nothing but anger his base supporters.  Plus a lot of people are suspicious, and rightly so, about how genuine his convictions are. 
In short, Goff is between a rock and a hard place.  

Bill English provides a timely reminder in an answer to parliament why it's good Labour no longer controls the treasury benches.

"Unlike the previous Labour Government we don't claim to control everything".

I reckon John Key's Post Cabinet Press Conference's are really good.

For one you get to see that the press do not give the PM an easy ride, but the way he bats away the questions is something to behold.

Key puts paid to opposition spin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIYsUdGzhDE

This article is so weird – at least from a New Zealand perspective. Rudd & Turnbull poll higher than the leaders of their respective parties.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8223388/rudd-turnbull-beat-their-leaders-in-poll?ocid=MSNToolbar100

To recap – Gillard replaced Rudd as Prime Minister when his polling slipped. And the same goes for Abbott; he replaced Turnbull when his numbers took a dive. Since then there has been a general election where Gillard was elected as PM (by the skin of her teeth), and Abbott is currently out polling the government by quite a comfortable margin. Given the public has seemingly validated the two leaders, why are their predecessors out polling them?
I'm sure political junkies could analysis this to no end, but I think my gut feeling sums up the situation nicely – all the leaders are equally unappealing.

If you managed to merge Turnball and Abbott into one person, you might get someone decent i.e. a socially liberal, monarchist who's neutral on climate change. On their own, I don't like either.

As for Rudd vs Gillard, the same applies. If you combined Rudd's humanity with Gillard's modesty you might get someone more likeable.

I'm just pleased that in New Zealand, the choice is easy. John Key leaves them for dead.