Mike's Minute: The right bloc looked better than the left this week

 

So a good week for National and, by association, for the Government in general. 

There has been a shift with two weeks to go. The gang drama might just have put a nail in Labour's chances of government. 

Their polling is now in trouble. Their gap to National is now a problem. 

Thomas Coughlan's piece yesterday talking of the issues they have found with lack of enrolment in South Auckland seems to have induced an amount of panic within the party. 

Not a lot has gone right for them this week. 

As far as I can see, it's the combo for the Government. All three players are campaigning well. 

ACT are still my medal winners for the week. They remained disciplined, on message and haven't put a foot wrong. On each debate their leader, if he doesn’t win, is consistent and clear. 

Winston, although not as disciplined, turns up enough when it counts to remind you he is still a force. 

Luxon's week seems to have been about good news. He hung out with farmers and kids in areas where they are fairly blue. He may or may not have won the debate, but none of the debates have damaged him in any way, shape or form. 

The poll movement, even if he doesn’t admit it, will have given him a spring and, probably most importantly, the poll that had twice as many of us thinking the economy will be better next year than think it will be worse is the sort of news an incumbent can't buy. 

It may be that their line that as we get closer more people get engaged and the more engaged they are, the more they sit with the Government, is right. 

This week might have been the week it settled in toward the coalition. 

The others look ropey. The Greens in their debate didn’t mention the environment once, Chlöe came on Newstalk ZB and sounded like a councillor created by AI and the Māori Party through Oriini Kaipara looked as separatist as ever. 

One group looked like adults while the other looked messy. 

And the Opportunity Party? The polls show a trend. The air is leaving the balloon. It's touch-and-go. 

I still say they won't make it. 

Labour must be praying they do.