You’ve probably seen the full scale attack on Christopher Luxon this morning across print, billboards, and online media by the Council of Trade Unions (CTU). We understand an American-style, personal, TV attack ad is set to be launched tonight too.
This feels a lot like the dirty tactics of 2005
Six weeks out from the 2005 election Don Brash looked set to become Prime Minister. But a similar union-led personal smear campaign scare campaign saw Helen Clark win.
Back then, Labour and the unions even sent letters to Housing NZ tenants on National Party letterheads telling tenants that they’d be evicted if Don Brash became Prime Minister.
On Saturday, Helen Clark told the Labour faithful that they have won from behind before. It is clear that they are going to use the same smear tactics all over again.
Labour, Greens, and the Māori Party will stop at nothing to ensure there isn’t a change of Government.
National has called out these dirty tricks for what they are. But incredibly, Chris Hipkins cited the Taxpayers’ Union (and held up some of our ads to the press pack) to justify the CTU’s ad hominem attacks!
Unlike this effort by Labour/the CTU, the Taxpayers’ Union campaigns on policy – not personal attacks.
Here’s the front page of this morning’s NZ Herald:
And here are the advertisements Chris Hipkins literally held up at his press conference trying to justify the CTU’s attack ads.
Our advertisement on Grant Robertson’s tax hikes:
And our advert on the Labour Government’s bills to introduce ‘Central Planning Committees’:
Or this Three Waters advert that Chris Hipkins described as is a ‘pretty nasty, despicable personal attack’ on Nanaia Mahuta:
We make no apology for working hard to hold Chris Hipkins and his Government to account. But we will continue to lead with policy, not ad hominem personal attacks.
And unlike the Labour Party affiliate unions, the Taxpayers’ Union does not work with the National Party (or any other party!) in planning our campaigns.
Chris Hipkins doesn’t like you holding him to account
Our national debt figures are alarming, the economy is tanking, our current account deficit has hit crisis levels, and our projected growth figures are literally the worst in the developed world. That’s why the CTU/Labour are trying to distract voters.
Now we have no option but to go toe-to-toe with Labour’s well funded unions.
>> Stand up to Labour’s desperate negative and personal politics <<
Unlike the CTU, our record speaks for itself. Under the National Key/English Government, we were just as principled in fighting for our mission. If the Government changes, you can count on us to hold a National/ACT Government to account just as vigorously. The CTU certainly can’t say they hold Labour to account!
Our work is made possible by those like you who choose to support our campaigns – whereas the CTU is picking the pockets of union members who have to pay union dues but don’t necessarily dislike Mr Luxon.
Unlike the CTU, the facts are on our side. We don’t need to, and won’t rely on, ad hominem attacks.
Click here to make a confidential donation.
I hope we can count on your support.
 | Jordan Williams Executive Director New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. |
By indulging in typical personal attacks rather than address issues, Labour and their cronies may find their campaign backfires on them. —Eds
An impressive own goal imho. As Prebble observed last week in the Herald, woman voters tend to dislike personal attack tactics. Women voters have been largely instrumental in a large bloc move from National to Labour in 2020. Nicola Willis continues to impress, and will increasingly appeal to the female vote. Net result of the (imho crude) CTU advert could well be loss of a very significant number of votes for Labour. Not the Kiwi way, CTU.
I don’t recall any of the ‘attacks’ that Hipkins mentions as being on the two full front pages of the Herald. Imagine the reaction if Jacinda Ardern had been the subject of this type of attack? A serious own goal for the CTU.