Steve Braunias’ Secret Diary of ... September 19

JACINDA ARDERN

Let me be perfectly clear about the way I expect Labour to run its campaign as we head towards election day on September 19.

I expect it to be robust, but not too robust. I expect it to deliver information, but not too much information. And I expect it to present new ideas, but not too many new ideas, which is why I have flogged National’s ideas in announcing our $5.3b investment in roading.

In fact, roading is something my Government has always found very interesting. Very, very interesting. Not a day goes by that I’m not interested in roading.

I remember one occasion when I was stuck in traffic, and I said to Phil

Twyford, “We should do something about roading.”

And he said, “You’re right. Things can’t go on the way they are.”

I said, “What are your thoughts?” And he said, “Light rail is a very good option and so is a bicycle track.”

I said, “What about building a new road or two? Could we do something about that?” And he said, “I’m going into look into that.”

That was two years ago and I was reminded of our conversation this week when I was stuck in traffic.

SIMON BRIDGES

I’m going to get tough on gangs, crime, poverty, Maori, sore feet, cold mornings, hot flushes, lack of sleep, rude waiters, grumpy bus drivers, the Boogie Man and anything else that upsets people as we head towards election day on September 19.

When I say I’ll do something, I’ll do it.

And I’m saying that not a day will go by between now and September 19 when I won’t be moaning my head off about all or any real or perceived wrongs that the Government may or may not have committed.

In fact the long, loud, possibly even partially insane and completely unfounded drone of complaint will only get longer, louder, more insane and more unfounded.

Only the other day I overheard talk that someone in Labour used to know someone who knew someone who went to school with someone who was mildly racist. Well, every bad apple has a rotten core and you can see how evil like that is capable of spreading out and poisoning everyone who is associated with Labour, which is a deeply racist party.

They should be held to account. They should be brought to the scaffold. They should hang on September 19 while the crowds cheer. See you then!

WINSTON PETERS

Well, well, well. And so Jacinda Ardern thinks that she deals the cards in the game we’re about to play as we head towards election day on September 19. There’s only one way I play cards. “Good morning, Winston!” she said with a relentlessly positive laugh when we crossed paths in a corridor this week.

“How’s it going, chief,” Bridges said with a wink when we crossed paths in another corridor this week.

I ignored both of them, and carried on my merry way, with all the cards held tight to my chest.