Joe Trinder editor for the Mana News

In World War 2 the Allies won the War because they formed an alliance of Nations against the Axis forces. In the last elections the opposition blamed Kim Dotcom for their election loss but refuse to shoulder any blame when the real problem was poor strategy the next prime minister needs to have an effective strategy.

Strategy

Build an alliance –Hold talks with the Greens/Mana/NZ First/Internet party and possibly the Maori party the reality is the opposition simply didn’t work together in the last elections and lost, forget first past the post those days are over take a holistic approach of building an alliance.

Time for change – By 2017 National will have been in power for 9 years, attacking the cult of personality Teamkey won’t work, go around this juggernaut and appeal to the public that it’s time for change that government is worn out and they lack innovative ideas.

Centre voter –Stop trying to appease indecisive voters with watered down policy have bold policy intended for loyal electorates don’t bend over backwards for the centre crowd they vote for personalities not policy e.g. Winston Peters.

Policy –Entrench it in helping struggling New Zealanders after 9 years of increasing poverty sell a vision of hope for the working class poor, bills and fees are overwhelming  struggling kiwi’s trying to feed their families, avoid Neo-liberal policy at all costs.

Swat analysis- Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the National caucus – “Know your enemy and know yourself” –Sun Tzu

Fundraising –The campaign for 2017 needs revenue to be competitive approx. $3-$4 million because the National party is wealthy –benefactors need to be discreet and remain unknown to the public.

Get out the vote- Base your campaign on getting voters to register with the electoral office and how important it is to vote. National voters always register and vote and roughly a million people didn’t show up to vote last elections.

Government Debt– New Zealand is in a debt crisis since 2008 treasury has borrowed enough money to buy 6 Nimitz class Aircraft carriers. This serious issue it barely got discussed in the last elections.

Leadership

Charisma –John Key uses a fake nice guy image and smiles at the cameras this is appealing to kiwi’s emulate this tactic look happy.

Tight five –A circle of trusted caucus members that have no leadership ambitions that will reinforce the leader and trouble shoot any serious issues.

Caucus – Have regular meetings with caucus members listen to their concerns and build goodwill, trust them to have total control over their own portfolios.

Cult of personality – Build an opposing force to Team key that caucus supports unconditionally no media leaks that undermine the leadership.

Great communicator –Avoid statesman like rhetoric the same as David Cunliffe this doesn’t resonate well with Kiwi’s be a good explanatory communicator like John Key

• Define what it is.
• Define what it isn’t.
• Define what you want people to do.

Media

Media strategy – If you haven’t got the support of the mainstream media you’re going nowhere court the media invite the media to everything and avoid being hostile even when asked awkward questions be a great communicator.

Attack politics –Contract this out and leave the attack politics to 3^rd parties let them form a wedge between the public and the government on issues like the United States spying on our national sovereignty, housing crisis and child poverty. Avoid attack politics this demobilises voters instead give people hope a new leader that will improve their lives.

Interparty cooperation Send media releases to confirmed allies so they release similar media releases and funnel the media onto single issues.

Party media discipline –All press releases should be vetted by the party whip avoid mistakes or talking out of turn, discussion should be kept to policy and not personal opinions avoid attacking allies or enemies,  maintain media discipline across the alliance.

Media bias –The National party bias in the NZ herald defies belief this institution lacks journalistic integrity and is uncritical of the national government but is highly critical of all opposition this leads to poor government and needs to be addressed.

Blogs –Make left wing bloggers your new best friend give them the scoop so they can put the right spin on the story –avoid whale oil type bloggers.

Social networking- Don’t underestimate the power of social networking young voters form their opinions from Facebook or Twitter, avoid personal attacks on your opponents the media is always watching, and maintain social networking discipline across the alliance.

Islamaphobia –Over the next 3 years National is going to play on New Zealander’s Islamaphobia that ISIS will attack and the only ones who can protect us are the fearless National party the same will happen with the Ebola virus put the focus back onto government debt crisis of $60 Billion.

In WW2 the D-Day invasion lots of really smart people where involved and everything was calculated in detail from tides, weather, time of year using the world first super computers in fact the supreme allied commander (Dwight Eisenhower) never thought they would get off the beaches. The 2017 elections needs this type of planning to be a combined left wing effort with every expert utilised from bloggers to statisticians against the most formidable national government in New Zealand history.

Joe Trinder – Ngāti Awa Born and born in Ōtepoti Ōtākou, Ex RNZN he is an Information Technology Analyst based in Mangere South Auckland.  MANA Tamaki Makaurau Chair and Chair of the Manukau Urban Maori Authority