0 Quote of the Day - 28 June 2014

OK; it's a fair cop. This is yesterday's post. But we were so wrapped up in the Hurricanes' gutsy win over the Crusaders last night that we clean forgot to post it.

But Steven Joyce takes the coveted Quote of the Day for this effort:

Campaign chairman Steven Joyce warned delegates that the campaign was "still a little puppy" and that anything at all could happen in the next 84 days before the election - the wackiest thing imaginable, he said.
"A retired Maori activist who has become an MP working with a hard left unionist and let's just throw in a wealthy German millionaire right-winger, they could form a political party," said.

"That's the sort of wacky thing that could happen between now and September 20.
"If Laila Harre, Hone Harawira, Pam Corkery, Kim Dotcom, Russel Norman, Metiria Turei, David Cunliffe, Matt McCarten, and John Minto are the answer, can we please have another look at the question?"

It's an oldie, but in 2014, it's a goodie, and a very relevant goodie at that. 

0 Behind closed doors

The National Party holds its election-year conference in Wellington this weekend. On the back of a number of positive polls National Party MP's and members will hit conference in a bouyant mood. The media will doubtless note the mood of conference, as they will be there in good numbers.

It's a different story next week when Labour holds its own election-year congress, as opposed to a conference. Changing the name has given Labour an excuse to keep the media away, as Andrea Vance reports on Stuff:

The Labour Party will close most of its election-year conference to the media.
The three-day meeting is due to take place in Wellington on July 4 to 6.
Speeches by Labour leader David Cunliffe, president Moira Coatsworth, and Australian Labor leader Bill Shorten will be open for reporting. Cunliffe is expected to unveil new policy.
But a programme, circulated to media last night, shows meetings on Friday and a training day are closed to all but members.
Previously, most of the event has been open. However, rank and file remits - such as a quota for female MPs and on the Trans-Pacific Partnership - have brought internal divisions into the public arena.
Tensions over former leader David Shearer boiled over in 2012, with Cunliffe demoted for failing to demonstrate his loyalty.
Nationals' conference begins in Wellington today, with a major policy announcement from Prime Minister John Key expected on Sunday.
Much of the Green Party conference, held in the Hutt Valley this month, was also members only. 

Andrea Vance refers to tensions at past Labour Party conferences. We have had a couple of conversations with people closely linked to the Labour Party who have told us that things are not well. Tensions are spilling over as the party's many factions battle one another for the inevitable post-election blood-letting.

We reckon that's the reason that Labour is keeping the media away next weekend, from everything except what will be carefully stage-managed appearances by David Cunliffe and his Australian Labor counterpart. And from David Cunliffe's point-of-view, there's a rich irony in holding congress/conference behind closed doors.

...beaming like a cat who'd found a litre of cream...

Two years ago, as he chipped away at David Shearer whilst beaming like a cat who'd found a litre of cream, David Cunliffe lapped up the media attention. Now of course, the boot is on the other foot, and Mr Cunliffe himself is being white-anted by those who see their personal ambitions as more important than the party's performance twelve weeks from today. 

Unfortunately, excluding the media won't stop the negative reporting. If anything, the media pack is likely to give Labour a tougher run because it perceives that the party is trying to control what is written. Labour has so few friends at the moment, that running the risk of alienating the media is a very dangerous strategy.

But that's next weekend. This weekend is about the National Party, and John Key and his team. And the media will be there in force. What a stark contrast to Fortress Labour.