Nonsense story

Stuff reports:

There’s been a big hole where the Opposition leader is meant to be this week. Bill English has gone AWOL.

Parliament was in recess this week so it’s perfectly normal to only see the Government ministers about the precinct but this is the time for the Opposition to shine. So where exactly is their leader?

Umm its recess week. That usually means meeting people around the country. He was also doing interviews with a business newspaper and radio interviews. The gallery often think they are the only ones who count, but that’s simply no longer the case.

Some have taken to Opposition like a duck to water with the likes of Nikki Kaye and Judith Collins barking at everything passing by them.

Steven Joyce has been strolling around Parliament buildings doing a terrible job of hiding the fact he’s quite enjoying going up against Finance Minister Grant Robertson.

But where’s Bill?

This is silly stuff.

Good Opposition Leaders don’t bark at every issue. That is what Goff, Cunliffe and Little did and look where it got them. That is what you have spokespersons for.

The Opposition Leader is about formulating a coherent narrative as an alternative to what the Government is doing. That is not the same as providing a quote every day to the gallery.

The worst thing Bill English could do is be perpetually negative and attacking every day. It’s not his brand and doesn’t work – especially with a new Government.