Post by kokonutwoman on Oct 17, 2008 6:38:06 GMT 12
Clark finds gold on the campaign trail
By EMILY WATT - The Dominion Post | Friday, 17 October 2008
As far as election campaign stunts go, it was pure gold.
A beautiful, articulate mother, her sickly child, and a government policy that had swung the family's vote from National to Labour.
No matter it was something so dull as housing insulation, or that the policy was in fact a Green Party initiative. Prime Minister Helen Clark dropped by Ngaruawahia to pay a visit.
Donna Slater's son Chase, 7, was born with cystic fibrosis, leaving him vulnerable to infection. The family had the house insulated soon after his birth and are keen advocates for retrofitting homes.
Mrs Slater, a former National voter, said National was crazy to propose dumping the $1 billion funding for insulating homes, agreed as part of the Emissions Trading Scheme this year.
"Yes, we care about the environment but I care about my son's health more. We care about taxes but I still care about my home and my family more. And something as little, or for us as big, as home insulation, stopping that would have made me change my vote."
It was a busy day on the campaign trail for Miss Clark.
At a Hamilton mosque she fielded questions on immigration policy while tugging at a recalcitrant gold headscarf that kept slipping off her head; and at a meeting at Wintec she announced a policy to allow beneficiaries to earn more before their benefits are affected.
She met her most attentive audience at Waikato University, where she was greeted with whoops and cheers in a packed auditorium.
Miss Clark delivered a rather weighty half-hour speech outlining Labour achievements and aspirations.
Afterwards, she fielded questions about low pay for rest-home workers, the wisdom of UN and Apec membership, how to keep the best and brightest from being lured overseas, and the defence force ("How can they still protect us?" an audience member asked. "Can you tell me what the threat is?" she replied).
A large group - but not all - gave her a standing ovation as she left.
As she did so, Manawa Wright, 19, with a T-shirt wrapped around his head, congratulated her.
"Good speech today," he said. "I was going to swing the other way, but now I think I'll vote Labour."
As she drove off, Mr Wright told The Dominion Post: "Every politician has a hidden agenda but today it seems like it came from the heart.
"She's pretty impressive, she's pretty good. She's like my mum, it's freaky."
Something probably rarely said about our prime minister, but strong praise indeed.
Key makes Maori seat admission
By TRACY WATKINS - The Dominion Post | Friday, 17 October 2008
A row between Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples and John Key over what was said behind closed doors has forced an admission from the National leader that scrapping the Maori seats is no longer a bottom line.
In a sign that the campaign may be about to turn personal, Labour leader Helen Clark used the row to accuse Mr Key of telling "an outright fib" - while, elsewhere, NZ First leader Winston Peters leaped back on to his anti-immigration bandwagon with a "no jobs, no immigrants" speech designed to revive his flagging fortunes.
In Dunedin, meanwhile, Mr Key fell back on one of National's favourite targets, the public service, by promising a Cabinet razor gang - which he might head - to cut down waste.
Mr Key and Dr Sharples have been at odds for days over their talks about the future of the Maori seats, which the Maori Party does not want abolished.
Dr Sharples insists Mr Key "agreed and agreed and agreed" during talks between them earlier this year that National would not scrap the seats.
He said Mr Key's deputy, Bill English, was also there. Mr English could not be contacted yesterday.
Mr Key insisted on Monday night's One News leaders' debate that Dr Sharples was wrong.
But he confirmed yesterday that he had acknowledged in his discussions with Dr Sharples that scrapping the Maori seats was "not a bottom line" for National.
"I've certainly indicated to him that it's not a bottom line, but any deals that we might do will happen after the election with any political party."
In 2005 the National leader at the time, Don Brash, campaigned on scrapping the Maori seats as a bottom line.
Fox compares Clark, Horomia to Mugabe
Friday, 17 October 2008 (Dom Post)
Maori Party candidate Derek Fox compared PM Helen Clark and his electorate opponent Parekura Horomia with disgraced Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe in a television debate over their parts in the Foreshore and Seabed legislation.
The 2003 legislation which took away Maori rights to test foreshore and seabed ownership in the courts led to the formation of the Maori Party, and Mr Fox chided Mr Horomia about it during a debate in the vital Ikaroa-Rawhiti seat which was staged by TVNZ7 in Gisborne.
"If Robert Mugabe did what Helen Clark and Parekura Horomia did, Helen Clark would be jumping up and down at the United Nations," Mr Fox said.
"The reality is that this Government, supported by my whanaunga (Mr Horomia), took away our right to go to court to see if we had a right."
The Maori Party says their rights to the foreshore and seabed were never taken away until the current Government legislated it away.
Mr Horomia defended his position and said a number of iwi in the Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorate had secured favourable deals regarding the foreshore and seabed in the past two years.
He questioned whether these iwi would be any better off if the foreshore rights prior to the legislation had been tested in the courts and gone against Maori.
Mr Fox also attacked Labour's economic management, saying the gap between Maori and non-Maori incomes had increased since Labour took office despite favourable economic conditions.
Mr Horomia said many more Maori had jobs since Labour came to power and better education meant many Maori had more hope for the future.
Mr Fox is hoping to take Ikaroa-Rawhiti from Mr Horomia, who is certain to be back in Parliament no matter what happens in the electorate as he is No 5 on Labour's list.
The Maori Party holds four Maori electorates and is hoping to capture all seven this election.
By EMILY WATT - The Dominion Post | Friday, 17 October 2008
As far as election campaign stunts go, it was pure gold.
A beautiful, articulate mother, her sickly child, and a government policy that had swung the family's vote from National to Labour.
No matter it was something so dull as housing insulation, or that the policy was in fact a Green Party initiative. Prime Minister Helen Clark dropped by Ngaruawahia to pay a visit.
Donna Slater's son Chase, 7, was born with cystic fibrosis, leaving him vulnerable to infection. The family had the house insulated soon after his birth and are keen advocates for retrofitting homes.
Mrs Slater, a former National voter, said National was crazy to propose dumping the $1 billion funding for insulating homes, agreed as part of the Emissions Trading Scheme this year.
"Yes, we care about the environment but I care about my son's health more. We care about taxes but I still care about my home and my family more. And something as little, or for us as big, as home insulation, stopping that would have made me change my vote."
It was a busy day on the campaign trail for Miss Clark.
At a Hamilton mosque she fielded questions on immigration policy while tugging at a recalcitrant gold headscarf that kept slipping off her head; and at a meeting at Wintec she announced a policy to allow beneficiaries to earn more before their benefits are affected.
She met her most attentive audience at Waikato University, where she was greeted with whoops and cheers in a packed auditorium.
Miss Clark delivered a rather weighty half-hour speech outlining Labour achievements and aspirations.
Afterwards, she fielded questions about low pay for rest-home workers, the wisdom of UN and Apec membership, how to keep the best and brightest from being lured overseas, and the defence force ("How can they still protect us?" an audience member asked. "Can you tell me what the threat is?" she replied).
A large group - but not all - gave her a standing ovation as she left.
As she did so, Manawa Wright, 19, with a T-shirt wrapped around his head, congratulated her.
"Good speech today," he said. "I was going to swing the other way, but now I think I'll vote Labour."
As she drove off, Mr Wright told The Dominion Post: "Every politician has a hidden agenda but today it seems like it came from the heart.
"She's pretty impressive, she's pretty good. She's like my mum, it's freaky."
Something probably rarely said about our prime minister, but strong praise indeed.
Key makes Maori seat admission
By TRACY WATKINS - The Dominion Post | Friday, 17 October 2008
A row between Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples and John Key over what was said behind closed doors has forced an admission from the National leader that scrapping the Maori seats is no longer a bottom line.
In a sign that the campaign may be about to turn personal, Labour leader Helen Clark used the row to accuse Mr Key of telling "an outright fib" - while, elsewhere, NZ First leader Winston Peters leaped back on to his anti-immigration bandwagon with a "no jobs, no immigrants" speech designed to revive his flagging fortunes.
In Dunedin, meanwhile, Mr Key fell back on one of National's favourite targets, the public service, by promising a Cabinet razor gang - which he might head - to cut down waste.
Mr Key and Dr Sharples have been at odds for days over their talks about the future of the Maori seats, which the Maori Party does not want abolished.
Dr Sharples insists Mr Key "agreed and agreed and agreed" during talks between them earlier this year that National would not scrap the seats.
He said Mr Key's deputy, Bill English, was also there. Mr English could not be contacted yesterday.
Mr Key insisted on Monday night's One News leaders' debate that Dr Sharples was wrong.
But he confirmed yesterday that he had acknowledged in his discussions with Dr Sharples that scrapping the Maori seats was "not a bottom line" for National.
"I've certainly indicated to him that it's not a bottom line, but any deals that we might do will happen after the election with any political party."
In 2005 the National leader at the time, Don Brash, campaigned on scrapping the Maori seats as a bottom line.
Fox compares Clark, Horomia to Mugabe
Friday, 17 October 2008 (Dom Post)
Maori Party candidate Derek Fox compared PM Helen Clark and his electorate opponent Parekura Horomia with disgraced Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe in a television debate over their parts in the Foreshore and Seabed legislation.
The 2003 legislation which took away Maori rights to test foreshore and seabed ownership in the courts led to the formation of the Maori Party, and Mr Fox chided Mr Horomia about it during a debate in the vital Ikaroa-Rawhiti seat which was staged by TVNZ7 in Gisborne.
"If Robert Mugabe did what Helen Clark and Parekura Horomia did, Helen Clark would be jumping up and down at the United Nations," Mr Fox said.
"The reality is that this Government, supported by my whanaunga (Mr Horomia), took away our right to go to court to see if we had a right."
The Maori Party says their rights to the foreshore and seabed were never taken away until the current Government legislated it away.
Mr Horomia defended his position and said a number of iwi in the Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorate had secured favourable deals regarding the foreshore and seabed in the past two years.
He questioned whether these iwi would be any better off if the foreshore rights prior to the legislation had been tested in the courts and gone against Maori.
Mr Fox also attacked Labour's economic management, saying the gap between Maori and non-Maori incomes had increased since Labour took office despite favourable economic conditions.
Mr Horomia said many more Maori had jobs since Labour came to power and better education meant many Maori had more hope for the future.
Mr Fox is hoping to take Ikaroa-Rawhiti from Mr Horomia, who is certain to be back in Parliament no matter what happens in the electorate as he is No 5 on Labour's list.
The Maori Party holds four Maori electorates and is hoping to capture all seven this election.
