Opinion: Andrew Little is owning it

  • Breaking
  • 10/02/2015

Andrew Little is owning it.

Case in point: yesterday's opening of Parliament. Labour was dished up a dream issue with John Key on the ropes over the SkyCity pokies deal. Little made the most of it - nailing the attack lines in and out of the House.

The rise from little-known MP to Labour leader is proving to be a master-class in early-stage political leadership.

Our first 3 News Reid-Research poll shows people think Little is Labour's most capable leader since Helen Clark.

Between them, the party's last three leaders - technically four if you include David Parker, five throwing Annette King into the mix - covered the whole gamut of political balls-uppery.

It had reached a point where anything and anyone was going to be an improvement.

But Little's done more than just look good standing next to his predecessors.

He's owning the stand-offs with John Key in Parliament, owning the media stand-ups and by choosing to stand-down on policy for the time being, he's owning that too.

Let's take a look at each.

Stand-offs

Before he was famous Little got away with Psy "Gangnam Style" dances in the house. MPs dancing at work is rarely a good idea.

That's all changed. Now, mustering his best angry union boss bellow, Little's taken it up a gear.

He was off to a rip-roaring start last year sticking it to the Prime Minister with his "cut the crap" routine. It got headlines, it certainly got the point across and it established Little as a worthy head-to-head opponent for John Key.

Yesterday, the first sitting of Parliament, was no different. Little employed the skipping record technique.

Calling John Key and Steven Joyce the "Masters of the Universe" at least five times over the course of the day.

The only problem was that The Bonfire of the Vanities reference was lost to action Adonis He-Man. So instead of portraying Key and Joyce as greedy Wall Street wide boys, they were imbibed with the power of Grayskull.

Stand-ups

This was David Shearer's weakness. It's one of John Key's strengths.

A dozen or so journos come at you for around ten minutes with questions on anything and everything.

Leaders need to a) know their stuff b) keep their cool and c) stay "on message".

Little's adept at all three. Even when he doesn't know the answer he brings himself back on message with the old, "that's not the point - the point is..." line.

He's done it with curly questions over Maori sovereignty, Labour's lack of policy and Cricket World Cup jobs.

Stand-down

This is where David Cunliffe and Phil Goff went awry.

By reviewing all party policy Little's avoiding the pitfalls of not knowing policy detail. He also avoids having to defend unpopular policy choices.

The approach has risks. He'll be accused (I already have) of empty promises and talking tough without bringing the goods.

But for now steady-as-she-goes is working. Little's mastering his own little universe.

source: newshub archive