According to Vernon Small (great Labour connections) and Martin Kay in the Dominion Post PM Clark is staking the future of the Clark/Peters Government on experience and trust. This trust issue really interests us. Here we have the Clark/Peters Government exposed for lack of transparency and dishonesty on many occasions trying to say they can be trusted more than John Key, a man who worked for years in a high stakes industry based upon the word of those undertaking trades. Key was a world class operator in his chosen profession. Small and Kay are also suggesting that Labour think they can out campaign the "inexperienced" Key. Brave call. Last election Key outperformed the very experienced Cullen in the Finance portfolio area.
Miss Clark has set down November 8 as polling day - just a week short of the last possible day - and immediately declared: "This is an election about trust."
Mr Key hit back, saying voters could not trust Miss Clark and the election was about a fresh start.
These are fast emerging as the background themes to the campaign. Miss Clark used the words "trust" or "trusted" 15 times in her announcement yesterday, and Mr Key used "fresh" seven times.
The battle will pit the seasoned Miss Clark - fighting her 10th election and her third as prime minister - against first-time challenger Mr Key, who entered Parliament in 2002 and became National Party leader in 2006.
In 2005, Labour used a long campaign to haul back National's lead, exposing then-leader Don Brash to the uncertainties of the campaign trail. Eventually Mr Brash made gaffes on policy and on the Exclusive Brethren.
Labour plans to do the same with Mr Key, believing he is vulnerable reacting to breaking issues.
Mr Key rejected suggestions yesterday that his relative inexperience would be a handicap.
