Hard left “journalist” Tracey Watkins is reporting that Don Brash is amenable to leading the ACT party. If the report is correct, (which I doubt) I have only this advice for Dr. Brash- Don’t even think about it.
ACT are a spent political force, and they are this way for three basic reasons-
1) They’re infested with left wing liberals who resist any attempt to clarify the party’s message
2) They’re generally gutless, and lack the courage to confront NZ’s even further left wing media who have over the decades succeeded in demonizing the party beyond recovery. A bit of fight back might have changed this, but all we have witnessed is weak supplication, no doubt partly as a result of the ideological liquidity in the party. David Garret’s tears over false allegations of “stealing a dead baby’s identity” were pitiful to behold.
3) Their brand is irretrievably damaged by the antics of Progressives like Heather Roy. If ACT was a real party, united in its political objectives, she would have been expelled long ago.
Brash in leaving National and joining ACT is jumping from the frying pan into the fire, and that idiot Banks will not help him either. The animal besotted Banks is another mainstream media sycophant and surrender monkey who lost the Auckland Mayoralty because of his failure to press home a clear Conservative message. The objective Don should be pursuing is to regain control of National from the utterly ineffective message-less Maori party appeaser and left wing media favourite John Key.
Forget ACT Don. It has some good people, but in terms of your own political career and ACT’s electoral appeal, you’d only be flogging a long dead horse. The only viable options IMHO are either National or a new party.
[Edit- I know quite a few ACT supporters read this blog. If you disagree with my thesis, feel free to make your case.]
TrueblueNZ 
14 responses to “Dr Brash to seek Act leadership? Don’t waste your time Don”
Both Brash and Banks have conservative appeal. Unfortunately Brash just does not have the thick skin needed to face down the communist media, and Banks has no ‘political’ charisma. However if either one stood in Epsom, I’d vote for him……..as long as he was not standing under a blue banner.
Obviously something is going on if there has already been some polling amongst the Epsom electorate. Maybe changes in ACT or, could we actually hope, a real right-wing party.
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i guess thats why hes going for the leadership. this could give him a platform to direct the party, some. unfortunately he is not the person to lead and lead you would have to, to put a conservative message through our media. i agree about taking back national. it has the only base that could ever support a conservative gov. brash would be better off in a bill english type role, to a leader that is yet to be forged..
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Red, I actually disagree with you on this one. ACT may be damaged thanks to Hide’s and Roy’s (and Garrett’s) stupidity, but plenty of people remember the values on which it was founded (it ain’t called the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers for nothing). Those same people know it has strayed far from those founding values, but that they do represent a standard around which to rally.
The fact is New Zealand desperately needs a party that will operate as National’s conscience. Absent a new party, which I believe cannot now rise in the 6 months between now and the election, the best option for that conscience is an ACT party returned to its founding values.
Remember also that Brash turned around the National party inside of a year. In 2002, Bill English led National to the worst defeat in its history. 22% of the party vote and 27 seats in the Parliament. Brash took over in 2003 and only lost the 2005 election because Liarbore broke the law and someone inside National (Key and/or English?) betrayed Brash.
Were anyone capable of turning ACT around, it is Brash. And if there ever was a time to do it, that time is now. There are many, many people who voted National in 2008 who are feeling utterly disappointed and betrayed. An ACT party returned to its original values, with no Rodney Hide (or Heather Roy), campaigning on the simple messages of economic conservatism and ‘one law for all’ could potentially secure the support of a large portion of those disaffected National voters.
He’d need to get rid of Roy (Douglas is already retiring), but an ACT Party of Brash, Boscawen, Clavert and (please, God) Newman (and say 5 others :)) would be a very good start.
Incidentally, I made the mistake of straying over to The Stranded to read their thoughts on this. Those boys really are the village idiots of the political blogosphere, aren’t they? They’ve clearly forgotten what Brash almost did to their Supreme Leader in 2005 and they’re actually thinking a Brash-led ACT will help their lost cause! Fucking idiots are obviously the Special Needs section of the political world.
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Thanks for the argument Gantt. I just don’t think ACT can be saved. The changes in personnel you suggest would be an improvement, but I doubt it could be done without severe electoral repercussions. The left wing media have always hated ACT. They hate Brash. They’d have a feast. ACT and Brash would be crucified by the commie scum.
Another party would by its very newness separate itself from a lot of the baggage ACT carries.
You’re right there is no time for the coming election. If Brash was going to return through a new party or National, it would have to be based on a time frame referencing the election after the approaching one.
Then again, I’m not sure Brash would be the one who could lead National back to its Conservative roots. He’s a bit wishy washy and lacks conviction on some major issues.
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Banks, the animal-rights zealot is a complete waste of space and should be rejected by ACT. On the other hand, I believe Brash would help getting more votes and trying to remove the stigma of being Key’s poodle as undrestood by the forgettable Rodney Hide.
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I’m more with Gant on this, starting a party from scratch has many disadvantages, that may be avoided by a “reverse take over”, as may now be in the works. It all depends on the details though. I agree that Banks should be stayed well clear of, same goes for Heather Roy and that other woman (whatshername?). Hide should ideally stay on and focus 100% on Epsom. Douglas must be out, the spirit of Prebble needs a wooden stake through its heart. In short, a thorough reinvigoration of ACT. Newman would be good, I’d also go for Lindsay Mitchell. There must easily be enough solid conservatives/small government types around to put together a solid list and good local candidates. With a hard campaign, not evading the real issues and showing guts and toughness on all the major items (economy, one law for all, balancing budget, smaller government), and good PR there really could be over 10% in this, i.e. a determining role in government formation, little risk of being played for suckers by the brown vote. Brash would need some solid PR advice, and there MUST be a new and tough party boss to keep all the troops in line, and to shoot the dissident fractions.
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We could ask why bother in the first place, see this about Belgium, which has been without a government for a year: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/8467607/Belgium-shows-the-way.html
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Red, I agree the LSM hate ACT. And that they hate Brash. But they’re gonna hate (and therefore seek to destroy) any party or candidate who stands to the right of Stalin.
That said, I still believe there are a large number of disaffected National and ACT voters looking for a party that represents them. They are simply looking for a reason to vote ACT. And replacing Hide with Brash may well give them that reason.
As I see it, New Zealand stands on a precipice. I’m not sure she has another 3 years to turn around. Unless something drastic happens there will be a credit downgrade, and then life will get a lot worse for the average kiwi.
And like I said, Brash turned around National in less than a year. The task ahead of him then was far greater than that facing him should he decide to take over ACT.
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Looks like The Don is serious:
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/don-brash-sets-sight-top-act-job-7-33-video-4139138
Have to say, I agree with absolutely everything the man is saying at this point. He can make a contribution, even if as ACT leader he gives Quisling Key an excuse for taking the steps he knows need to be taken but is too cowardly to. And of course, any excuse to get rid of that total fucking waste of space from the Min. Finance role will be a good one.
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We’re not infested with left wingers as you say, because we shouldn’t be viewed as either left or right! It is very wrong to view the political spectrum as a one dimensional left/right.
Instead it is very clear what ACT is: libertarians 😀
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Do ACT libertarians have backbones or just have bald heads and dress in canary yellow suits?
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Oh great here we go. Libertarians. The left you get when you’re not brave enough to call yourselves what you really are … greens in drag.
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“Instead it is very clear what ACT is: libertarians 😀 ”
Yep, directionless.
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Are libertarians fence sitters or fence fibbers? ACT is a funny farm much like every other fuckwit pollie party these days.
Give it a boot Don.
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