Bridges comms team seem to be really fucking this up. Attacking a popular (polls suggest over 80% agreed) policy of lockdown that has been demonstrably successful makes no sense.

Here’s how I reckon Simon should have handled this:

Firstly, acknowledge how well NZ has done. Acknowledge that we have a chance to lead the world in this fight, and don’t pepper the acknowledgement with a silly barb of criticism. Now isn’t the time.

We are in this together as a country, criticising the lockdown criticises us.

Secondly, talk know about the hard road ahead to restart the economy, and that he will be working tirelessly on this.

Emphasising that his party has had to do this before (GFC, ChCh) and that they have the expertise to do it again.

A basic principle in marketing and sales is to not put down the competition, but to build yourself up. This is especially true in the current political climate because the general public believe Jacinda has done the right thing. So does the world. So do I. Simon won’t win here.

So he needs to leverage off the last National governments experience at dealing with financial recovery.

Here’s the thing: we’ve done extraordinarily well. Criticism will be seen for what it is, petty politicking. It looks bad, and it looks obvious.

Simon needs to play a longer game. But he won’t.

National have turned into a petty party. His tweets and interviews show that, and he personally suffers for it in the polls.

His answer to bad polling has been to attack more, which hasn’t worked.

Now, before you come at me with anti-national rhetoric, know that I don’t particularly believe they’re economically more competent, but many do. And that’s who he should be playing to.