And complaining that these billboards don't go far enough — which, somehow, I don't think John Key is losing any sleep over. :)

Quite. But being a filthy state socialist lickspittle thingy, he would say that ...

The creator of the Nats' billboards is a Libertarianz-style objectivist.

And complaining that these billboards don't go far enough — which, somehow, I don't think John Key is losing any sleep over. :)

Anyway, I should make one point: Yes 'Daisy Redux' is very clever. I'm too big a famn…

The creator of the Nats' billboards is a Libertarianz-style objectivist.

He even has a blog on the masturbation-tips website SOLO Passion, where his fellow utopians are bitching about it all.

It's genuinely funny.

I went out for lunch
Nuclear ships in harbour
I have fission ships.

Tell me you've used that before? Nice work.

Though I take Craig's earlier points, I still think the Greens billboard is well within reasonable limits. My concern is not that they make a claim about the future…

I completely get the Greens billboard. I think it speaks very clearly to what the Greens stand for.

Yeah, I got it immediately. I think it's an excellent campaign that fits the Greens' brand well.

National's campaign is poor and it's hard to see how it can improve. I fully…

I still stand by my point: Perhaps we should leave the content-free adorable kids for selling toilet paper, and just pretend that politics is a matter for grown-ups.

I suspect you and I both will be eagerly awaiting (with little happiness) the majority of politicians and the media acting grown-up…

I wonder if other Green billboards will target different voters, or if…

Ah yes, thanks Jackie. Hence the quote marks around 'our' Craig.

Fair enough, and please accept my apology for the misrepresentation of your argument. I still stand by my point: Perhaps we should leave the content-free adorable kids for selling toilet paper, and just pretend that politics is a matter…

And while we won't be voting for the Greens, I don't actually think those who do care about their families, communities and the future of this country any more than us. Would be rather nice to see that acknowledged, wouldn't it?

Craig, when the Nats release policies that show they're…

Meh. Without knowing who the kid in the photo is, the Greens are absolutely a party that is thinking about the future and trying to put in place policies for it.

And nobody else is?

Whether or not you agree with their thinking and their policies, they should absolutely keep…

And my belief is that it's utterly cynical using children as campaign fodder.

Meh. Without knowing who the kid in the photo is, the Greens are absolutely a party that is thinking about the future and trying to put in place policies for it. Whether or not you agree with…

And I really, really hope she is going to keep her foot down on that.

I don't doubt your sincerity on this Craig (and I'll not hold you at all responsible if you're wrong) but I'd not be at all surprised...

Perhaps it is simply a matter of what you believe or your perspective,

Um, yes. And my belief is that it's utterly cynical using children as campaign fodder. And one thing I'm glad of is that I'm reliable informed a family portrait of the Keys will end up on a…

Really, Paul, I don't know how it works in NSW but we don't actually let children stand for Parliament. It's all 'secondary meanings', and if it works it works.

Fair enough. I'd interpreted the "vote for me" to mean my interests . Right now, it's not clear that the adults…

There's no dog whistle here; it's unequivocal and I don't see any secondary meaning.

Really, Paul, I don't know how it works in NSW but we don't actually let children stand for Parliament. It's all 'secondary meanings', and if it works it works.

I just get rather squicky about children…

Let's get real about the dog being whistled for here — vote for me, or so you have something against cute kiddies.

There's no dog whistle here; it's unequivocal and I don't see any secondary meaning. The claim, appears to me at least, that the Greens are focused on the…

Hey! Is that Daisy's daughter?

Just in case, for the uninitiated...

Oh golly. The contrast with National's billboards is extreme isn't it?

And that's a bad thing?

I can see the potentially icky side of these

Potentially icky? Let's get real about the dog being whistled for here — vote for me, or so you have something against cute kiddies. Bullshit…

Chris Trotter is confidently predicting it's going to be worth two points to them, and he may be right.

Oh golly. The contrast with National's billboards is extreme isn't it? I can see the potentially icky side of these, but they're still a lot better than National's (but I would…

Chris Trotter is confidently predicting it's going to be worth two points to them, and he may be right. But it could also put off people who don't really respond well to "vote…

They've launched another one and teh grammar sux.

There's really something wrong here.

http://national.h.ac.nz/

All this of course, is more about the advertising than y'know, actual substance or ideas. But it's interesting to watch anyway.

Oh it sure is — like watching the GOP meeting this definition of insanity: Doing the same old shit over and over again, and expecting a different result. I'll…

And silly. But I'm sure John Key is quietly chortling that the big criticism appears to be that the latest round of billboards aren't enough like the "cancerous and corrosive" Iwi/Kiwi effort. Anyone else think that might be the point — despite the overly busy background?

I guess so, were…

John Key 'dragged up' as Ruth Richardson or a pair of 'devil eyes' photoshopped over his face? Considering…

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

Okay, that might be harsh.

And silly. But I'm sure John Key is quietly chortling that the big criticism appears to be that the latest round of billboards aren't enough like the "cancerous and corrosive" Iwi/Kiwi…

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…

"Knot your loved ones"

Well that oughta keep em safe..

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.

Crime/parole will be next, then racism.

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.

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…

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…

How do you propose to silence our political consciences; close the wage-gap; cancel student…

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…

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…

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)…

In fact, the second sentence "Not your loved ones" sounds like the wail of someone seeing their baby…

Said John, the man from Merrill’s

We shall sell. Trust me.

(With apologies to Rolling Stone magazine