Oliver on National

Paula Oliver in the NZ Herald has some good advice and thoughts:

National will have to be careful which battles it picks to differentiate itself from Labour before the election.

Key refers to some core principles of the party that won’t change – tax cuts, smaller government, a tougher stance on law and order, mutual obligation on welfare, and a fundamentally greater trust of the private sector to play a role.

He acknowledges that if National looks too much like Labour there is little point in voting for his party, and he knows he won’t get to the ninth floor of the Beehive with tax cuts alone.

That list is a good start.  I would also add on a preference for targeted assistance over universal subsidies.  I think this is crucial – one can do so much more if you target assistance to those genuinely in need rather than give out welfare payments to people earning $120,000+.

It would have been a lot easier for National to have had a debate about partnering with the private sector in health and education if deputy leader Bill English hadn’t, just days before, tested the waters for partial SOE sales.

Public private partnerships is one battle National does look likely to fight, particularly in the area of building infrastructure.

Even senior figures in Labour acknowledge such a policy could potentially be sold to voters.

In education and health, there is a feeling that if National’s political management improves it could convince people not to be scared of greater private sector involvement.

Parents may not be too worried who built the school that little Johnny goes to, as long as there is one handy to home and its standard of education is good.

Patients, too, may not worry who removed their gall bladder as long as the pear-shaped item is gone.

Indeed.  A minority of New Zealanders are worried about the means of better education or healthcare.  The majority are focused on the outcomes and not that worried about the means fo achieving those better outcomes.