Cam Slater: They Can Hardly Stand on Their Record

Desperation is a stinky cologne, but now it’s all that Labour has got. They certainly can’t stand on their record, as they’ve achieved precious little other than a sea of red ink on the country’s balance sheet. All they’ve got is relentless negativity; the Nasty Party is back.

Chris Hipkins has once again had to intervene over one of his MPs’ incorrect statements about National’s policies.

He told reporters on Tuesday morning that he had asked Michael Wood to correct a statement he made on Facebook, which said National would abolish the winter energy payment, something the party has been clear it won’t do.

“On that particular post, I have spoken to Michael Wood this morning and said I expect him to correct it,” Hipkins said.

According to edit history on Facebook, Wood changed the post at 7:42am on Tuesday to remove that incorrect statement. 

Newshub

I suppose Chippy didn’t have to ask him 15 times to correct this particular statement.

Labour MPs are actually walking mini Disinformation Projects, and it’s gotten so bad National has had to create a website to correct the turds flowing from Labour’s mouth.

It comes after National on Monday launched a new website calling on Labour to “Get Back on Facts” and listing examples of what National believes is “misinformation” from their opponents.

Labour has been under fire throughout the election campaign for numerous examples of MPs spreading misinformation, including Willie Jackson saying National and ACT would lower the minimum wage, Andrew Little claiming the parties would “sack all the teachers”, and Shanan Halbert saying National would decrease sick leave. Those aren’t the policies of those parties.

Earlier this month, after questions from Newshub, it’s understood Hipkins sent out a reminder to all candidates to stick to the facts. Hipkins also told Little to remove his post, which Little did.

Questioned about National’s website, Hipkins on Tuesday said he had “made it clear that I want our MPs and candidates to be focused on highlighting the areas where National are actually proposing to cut things”.

But he also said National was spreading its own “misinformation” by claiming its tax plan “fully stacks up”.

“Almost every economist and tax expert in the country is saying their tax plan doesn’t stack up. Their website is just 100 percent spin,” Hipkins said.

Newshub

Yeah, whatever Chippy, we don’t care anymore, we just want you gone. Just cut the bulldust, and then disappear.

Labour on Tuesday also launched a new attack advertisement. It features a cartoon Christopher Luxon and David Seymour and questions what cuts National and ACT could make in Government, such as to public transport fares and to public services.

“National may have to make even deeper public service cuts if they can’t make their numbers add up. And with multiple economists now saying they can’t, that means more cuts that Kiwis can’t afford,” Labour campaign chair Megan Woods said.

“Christopher Luxon would have never been able to get away with hiding numbers from Air New Zealand’s board, so why is he hiding them from voters?”

Newshub

When you have no achievements and everything you’ve done over the past six years is being reverse ferreted while you hope no one remembers what you promised in the past, then all you have is to go negative.

It won’t work.

Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. This article was first published HERE