Mana News editor Joe Trinder

National party candidate Mark Osborne isn’t going to win the Northland by-election his campaign manager MP Steven Joyce is the winner.

John Key says Winston Peters simply wants to give the Government a black eye, be disruptive and Winston Peters had “zero” chance of wresting the true-blue seat off National. The Prime minister called Mr Peters the “fly in the ointment” for National’s chances of regaining the seat. These seem like mixed messages, as though Mr Peters is a pest or a threat?

The scary part is I believe the prime minister’s opinion National will win. The reasons are simple the National government under Steven Joyce have stacked the boards of directors of the three major media outlets TVNZ, Media works and Fairfax media.

No other candidate can get a press release past the producers and the excuses vary from they have other programming or they are simply not covering the by-election.

The only candidate being offered promotional media coverage is Nationals Mark Osborne where he is given the opportunity to discuss his vast political experience versus Winston Peters. Mark Osborne is a movie usher where he got this vast political experience has me perplexed.

Secondly in true National party style Mark Osborne stacked his candidate selection with his mates. Another potential candidate with real political experience was overlooked by the National party executive.

Winston Peters is about to get a taste of the National parties tight grip over the media and Steven Joyce the campaign manager will ensure Mark Osborne is perceived as a super hero in Northland. With virtually no political experience having never stood in local body politics Osborne should win the by-election with ease.

Steven Joyce controls the New Zealand media their fore he determines the outcome of the by-election and our democracy.