Cunliffe focusing on strategy, not personal attacks
Labour leader David Cunliffe says he’s learnt his lesson when it comes to personal attacks on his opposition.
Mr Cunliffe made the mistake of attacking Prime Minister John Key for living in a Parnell mansion, while trying to pass off his own multimillion-dollar Herne Bay abode as a do-up.
It backfired when the prime minister said he was proud of living in Parnell, and perhaps the Opposition leader was ashamed of his own mansion.
Now, Mr Cunliffe is vowing to stay away from the personal attacks, saying if he had his time again he would not use that line.
But Mr Key’s coalition arrangements? Fair game.
‘‘[Mr Key’s] coalition arrangements, whatever they are, are absolutely fair game, and whether National’s being upfront about it or not, they are clearly trying to build the Conservatives with Mr [Colin] Craig – what an interesting man he is – [ACT leader] Mr Whyte with his strange views about incest and of course Peter Dunne, who is by now well done.
‘‘But I won’t be indulging in personal attacks on Mr Key, he’s a worthy opponent and I respect him and we’re campaigning hard on the issues.’’
Mr Cunliffe confirmed he would be releasing policy on jobs and economic growth this month.
He would also be working on building his profile in the regions after scoring low personal approval ratings in recent polls.
In the latest Fairfax-Ipsos poll, Cunliffe suffered from a lack of exposure, dropping two points in the preferred prime minister stakes to 10 per cent. Prime Minister John Key maintained 43 per cent support from the last TVNZ poll in October.
Pundits have questioned whether Labour has stagnated since Mr Cunliffe assumed the lead.
‘‘I think that’s overstated too, although I can always do better. I’m out and around the country doing a couple of regional visits a week at the moment,’’ Mr Cunliffe said.
‘‘In terms of the polls, there’s been quite a bit of movement on my personals – everywhere from around 20 per cent to about 10. It’s got to improve above 10 and we’re working very hard to do so.’’
He said the party’s newest strategist, chief of staff Matt McCarten, would be working on Labour’s hit rate, so backfires like the mansion stoush would be avoided.
‘‘You’ll be seeing a lot less of him in the media and he’ll be knuckling down behind the doors of our office and pulling the advice streams together and working hard on our strategy.’’