1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: It was always going to be a risky strategy, but 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: it seems to be backfiring kind of badly for Labour. 3 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: At the moment, the two year policy drought is now 4 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: over over, it's been broken. The heavens have opened and 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: a flood, or more like a couple of rain drops 6 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,080 Speaker 1: of policy have come through. The reason it's gone about 7 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: Haywhy is not just because Hipkins forgot that his health 8 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: spokesperson was actually announcing a policy yesterday, but because of 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: the contents of the policy. At a nutshell, it's about 10 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: letting some independent group of experts decide on health funding 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: for GPS, and as I mentioned yesterday, a trend is 12 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: now emerging. Labour doesn't trust itself to make wise choices, 13 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: or rather it knows the electorate doesn't trust it to 14 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 1: make wise choices with their hard earned money. That's why 15 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: they are outsourcing decisions about funding to other people. They 16 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: did it with the Future Fund and now they're doing 17 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: it with health. In some ways it's smart. They're trying 18 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: to suggest that National will sell off the assets, they'll 19 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: defund the doctors, so there needs to be an independent 20 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: group making these decisions. But mostly it's done because there's 21 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: one thing keyws don't like backing, and that's a loser. 22 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: And this strategy feels like a loser because it lacks confidence. 23 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: It's the message it's sending. It doesn't say here's where 24 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: I'll put your money, here's how, here's why. It says 25 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: I'm not too confident that you're confident in me, so 26 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: I'll give your money to someone else to decide. Feels 27 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: a bit weak. It's not a plan or a policy. 28 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: It's almost an admission of guilt of failure in the 29 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: previous government. If the goal was to box national into 30 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: a corner during an election campaign, that also creates problems. 31 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: Are these the best policies to grow New Zealand and 32 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: can get the best outcomes, or are they just politically 33 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: expedient policies designed to start fights on a campaign trail. 34 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: All of this, of course, comes ahead of a capital 35 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: gains tax announcement. We're expecting that apparently in a couple 36 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: of weeks time. What's next They'll let a group of 37 00:01:54,760 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: accountants decide who should pay tax on what income. Confidence 38 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: is key in politics, and you've got to know what 39 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: you want and you've got to go for it. Chippy 40 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: so far, looks like he's left his mojo at the door. 41 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live 42 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: to News Talk Set B from five am weekdays, or 43 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.