Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: More billboards

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  • Paul Campbell,

    Now we've got John Key
    We don't know what he stands for
    He's got a nice smile

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Alastair Jamieson,

    An affront
    to puppets everywhere
    to merely call him wooden

    (With apologies to Rolling Stone magazine

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 99 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    Who, me? Policy?
    Did I mention tax cuts yet?
    Forget the Nineties.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • James Francis,

    Look at my background.

    Said John, the man from Merrill’s

    We shall sell. Trust me.

    St John's, Newfoundland • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    I just had a look at the original billboard. It reads "Say goodbye to higher taxes. Not your loved ones." That's two full-stops; two separate sentences that may not actually be related.

    In fact, the second sentence "Not your loved ones" sounds like the wail of someone seeing their baby kidnapped by a pirate. "Not my baaaaby!!!!!"

    It also literally sounds like "Knot your loved ones", but I don't want to think about tying up my gran.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Jordan Carter,

    I'm personally quite relieved that these are, actually, hopeless compared with what Ansell did last time. When I first saw them, the only branding that came to mind was, "TVNZOnDemand!!". Which probably isn't quite what National is looking for.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    That's two full-stops; two separate sentences that may not actually be related.

    And they're not.

    I accept that the current levels of emmigration are worth worrying about but I'm just not convinced that they're entirely a factor of a single issue; personal tax rates. I'm having a discussion (of sorts) about this point at kiwiblog, including with Ansell, and frankly it's ridiculous that Key would promise to reduce emmigration simply by reducing personal taxes. It's almost enough to make me want him to be PM so that we can hold him to the promise!

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Maxine Campbell,

    A new billboard out today apparently:
    Get youth into training, not into trouble


    Hardly pithy. News of its release was elicited from Key by his good friend Paul Henry (who should probably register as a third party) on Breakfast tv this morning. Watch how easily Key rolls when pressed to reveal the "line". Strong leadership? Bite me.

    http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_minisite_index_skin/news_breakfast_group /breakfast

    Hamilton • Since Dec 2006 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Get youth into training, not into trouble

    I can't view this link but if it's true, it's galling. The lies just don't stop!

    Transitions and pathways into training and employment from school have been hugely improved by Labour compared with National. A series of initiatives were spectacularly successful, not least of all Modern Apprenticeships which surprised officials, providers and Industry Training Organisations alike with it's success and exceeded all the targets (and was almost entirely the idea of the Minister, Maharey). Similarly, funding and support for industry training has ballooned (quadrupled funding if not more) under Labour having stagnated under National.

    I understand why, but National erred by letting English go from Education, he understood it well and was looking like he'd have a suite of alternative policies to offer.

    Ansell might have gone from National's team, but his preference for sloganeering in preference to policy remains.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Paul - I totally agree. At the Welly Film Archive, I recently noticed a video clip of David Lange raising similar issues in the 1978 election. And I quote from a recent article by Chris Trotter:

    How do you propose to silence our political consciences; close the wage-gap; cancel student debt; mend those broken hearts; curb our wanderlust; and end New Zealand's geographical isolation?

    By cutting personal income tax? Give me a break! You could abolish income tax altogether and we'd still be paid less than the Aussies.

    What's that? You're going to make the bosses pay their workers more?

    Yeah, right.

    I suspect what ties the above factors together is what Germaine Greer describes as suburban mediocrity.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Maxine Campbell,

    Try this one. You'll need to scroll down to their "latest video" listings.
    http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_minisite_index_skin/news_breakfast_group

    Hamilton • Since Dec 2006 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I missed this piece by Trotter, I can't say I'm actively looking for his commentary at the moment however I agree with these statements.

    I agree with Greer's summary of the Ramsey St ambition, though it's probably been updated since to be Fountain-Gate a la Kath and Kim. Interestingly, several commenters at kiwiblog responded to my questions about how Key'd do these things by saying he should bother providing the detail 'cause he doesn't need to - Ansell included! Their supporters clearly don't want to know, or worse; already know, but would rather we didn't.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Try this one. You'll need to scroll down to their "latest video" listings.
    http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_minisite_index_skin/news_breakfast_group

    Thanks - news of a policy! Good gracious. A promise to wave fees for, I think he said, 16 and 17 year olds in teriary study. It's a start I guess. Modest and largely replicates existing arrangements, but at least it's something that can be measured and assessed.

    The rapport between Henry and Key is charming though innit? Henry's politics are well known so I guess no one expects him to be anything other than a sycophant.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • James Francis,

    I'm personally quite relieved that these are, actually, hopeless compared with what Ansell did last time

    John Ansell's not doing these. Does anybody know who is? I'm curious.

    St John's, Newfoundland • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    This is classic Crosby-Textor - just compare them to the 2005 UK Conservative party billboards (defaced version here). Exploit and whip up fear, provide no answers.

    Crime/parole will be next, then racism.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Did no one else notice the dog-whistle about family safety in that second line?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Did no one else notice the dog-whistle about family safety in that second line?

    Plus it's written in a graffiti scrawl. Apparently.

    It also literally sounds like "Knot your loved ones"

    Kinky.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    "Knot your loved ones"

    Well that oughta keep em safe..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    The Nats even have tidy "graffiti scrawl", it would appear.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    Blue is an Ambitious colour, which
    when mixed with yellow
    gives you Green.

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    Explain?
    That would be losing
    Look at the pretty pictures

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    Okay, I'll stop now. But this surely has to be one of the more cryptic "political sloganeering" campaigns in a while.

    I'm not quite sure how they've managed to mix Crosby-Textor dog-whistling with Labour's quite baffling 05 "pitches," but they've done it. Does anyone remember their poster which had the baby, the string and the scissors? That was seriously weird. I think the "string" had various policies on it, or something.

    I've already forseen this election campaign to be one of the messiest in quite some time, but I think the vagueness might become an art in itself.

    Btw, how do you edit the original layout of them?

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    See the planes
    Shiny cars enjoy roads
    Rail gone by lunch time

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Programs like Photoshop can import graphic components from PDF files. I presume from earlier comments that the billboard background is separate from its words.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I'm not quite sure how they've managed to mix Crosby-Textor dog-whistling with Labour's quite baffling 05 "pitches," but they've done it. Does anyone remember their poster which had the baby, the string and the scissors? That was seriously weird. I think the "string" had various policies on it, or something.

    That was my immediate reaction: it's as bad as Labour's ghastly 05 baby-on-a-string campaign.

    Okay, that might be harsh.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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