Brown win would suggest Auckland swing away from National

Auckland changing from blue to Brown
A POLITICAL expert is warning the National Party that a Len Brown mayoralty win in Auckland could signal a possible change in government.

In the race for the super city job, the Labour-aligned Manukau mayor is leading Auckland mayor and former National cabinet minister John Banks, according to a Horizon Research poll.

Wellington political commentator Jon Johansson said that if the figures reflected the result, Prime Minister John Key should be worried, because an Auckland swing away from National could have implications for next year's general election.

Auckland voters deserted Labour in droves in 2008, a decisive factor in Key's win that year.

I'm happy to see my favourite attack lines are being pushed in the msm, National won in 2008 because a vast chunk of the Labour Party urban liberal vote in Auckland didn't bother voting making 2008 one of the lowest turns outs on record which helped boost National's percentage as high as it was.

If Brown wins it will mark a return of Auckland to Labour, this is something we discuss on the Citizen A replay tonight - 8pm Sky 89 and Freeview 21.

For Labour to maximize this possible reversal of fortune they need to reach out to the tens of thousands of Auckland Labour Party voters who didn't vote at all in 2008 with policies that promote the liberal left; they need to reach out to those voters who voted Labour in 2005 but voted for 'change under Key in 2008 without knowing what that 'change' actually meant and they need to reach out to the first time voters who went with Key without knowing what life under a National Government would look like. I don't think they voted for 'change' that would have seen conservation land mined or ACC rape counselling denied, 90 day right to sack or National Standards that fail their children for the benefit of the private education industry (and all the other things National have done which I will gleefully point out before the 2011 election).

Suddenly power saving lightbulbs and water saving showerheads don't seem so big an issue do they?

It is no wonder National Party Svengali Michelle Boag is working so hard to elect Banks and it is no wonder her consultancy company (the one that got fantasist Wilce a job)is appointing so many people in the Super City, combine that with the fact National and ACT have stacked the CCO's with their corporate mates, the Super City win for National is essential for their 2011 privatization drive, let's hope the people of Auckland see through this bullshit.