Well everyone round town is gasbagging about the perception that the government is on holiday at a critical time. What crap.
And its more than a little precious of Labour to get all pious about Key taking a break. They were always missing in action around Christmas New Year. In fact it was hard to get sense out of any Labour ministers office till the end of January, so the fact that Key has his boys fronting up this week definitely puts him ahead in the readiness stakes.
We were with a senior journalist the other day and she wasn't impressed about Key being ensconced in Hawaii. She wondered if his kids were missing their mates and their kiwi holidays and that his first Xmas should have been in NZ on holiday with the masses. Part of Keys appeal is that he is one of us who's made good and that he hasn't lost touch with who he really is but she reckoned buggering off to Hawaii for secluded Xmas set him apart. We think Clarks cold mountain expeditions at the height of summer set her apart from the rest of NZ as a odd fish.
But the biggest problem that the Nats have had over this issue is one of Perception. Labour used to ensure that it appeared busy over Xmas and it did it very very well. While McCully did a stirling job of fronting the main political issues all the other Ministers should have had announcements to make over the holiday period. That was the trick the Labour used. Low level announcements that became the breathless focus of the bored and often junior Xmas reporters on the xmas roster. Key should have also granted one really good in depth interview for Tv1 while on Holiday. Again its all about perception.
Now we have Key looking like he is reacting to the media over their perceptions of his lack of activity by announcing the meeting of his powerful economic team which we knew about weeks ago. A bit more pro active media activity is needed by the Nats to ensure that the government is not just working, as we know they are, but are Seen to be working.
But hell what do we know? ;-)
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4 comments:
Thankfully no one really gives a flying fuck what some envious senior journalist thinks. The irony of Clark commenting when she appears to have been on permanent overseas holidays since November is amusing to say the least.
I'm pleased he in the US. After speaking to numerous business people just returning from there for xmas, it is described as a sad place devoid of hope, shop fronts boarded up unable to be leased, mass work layoffs etc.
In contrast these people describe NZ (and Australia) as more realistic about the situation and not so affected by the morose rantings of the press.
In the words of my sisters employer (a mate who's $ worth probably exceeds NZ's), "thank fuck at least there is one place in the world still spending".
John Keys main job is to keep confidence up, and not let unaccountable media hacks tell him or the country what to do.
He will have seen what happens if he fails in this.
I commented recently on No Minister that summer is a quiet time for news.
The journos are desperate for copy to fill the white space between the ads.
I do hope the government has been helping them with plenty of media releases.
This is an opportune time for it to get its message out there.
If government has been shy, then my services are available.
I will be looking at the issue of government press people once I have completed my dealings with one of them.
The media still haven't worked it out - the public actually want a government that does less. Not like that busy body, loud mouthed, stick their nose in everyones business Liarbour gummint.
Paranormal
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