Monday, July 26, 2010



A smaller target

The Dim-Post notes that National seems to be reviving its pre-election "small-target strategy" of refusing to talk about its policies. Over the weekend, Employment Relations Minister Kate Wilkinson was invited to appear on Q&A to discuss her proposed changes to employment law, but refused to front up. There's another example this morning, with Gerry Brownlee refusing to appear on Morning Report [audio] to discuss his draft Energy Strategy.

While this is politically convenient for the government, it is unacceptable in a democracy. The government is imposing policies on us. And that means they have an obligation to front up and explain those policies so that we can judge them. If they don't, then they are behaving not as an elected government, but like an unelected king.