Colin James wrote a few days ago in the NZ Herald about the need for Labour to improve its political management, a skill that had failed the PM in recent months. How does Labour respond? By really angering three local authorities - Napier, Hastings and Hawkes Bay Regional.
We are not saying that Cunliffe was necessarily wrong in taking the action he has. If left unchecked the Hawkes Bay DHB could have grown into an even bigger embarrassment for the Government. But would it not have been smarter to visit Hawkes Bay first - talk to the Mayors and other key community leaders? To at least try and win the hearts and minds of these key opinion formers?
Labour was probably not going to do well in Hawkes Bay this election. David Cunliffe has just ensured that it will do much worse.
