Holding Back the Revolution.

For the past three years the Coalition has acted as a political dam. Pray that it doesn’t break.

THE DEFINING QUESTION of the forthcoming General Election could hardly be simpler: Which bloc will do the most damage to the New Zealand people?

The parties of the Right have proved themselves willing to adopt some pretty radical solutions to the challenges they identify as critical to New Zealand’s future. So radical that a great many of the voters who propelled the Right into office at the last election are having second thoughts about voting for them a second time.

The parties of the Left, meanwhile, are on their best behaviour. That may not mean much in the case of the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, but it is an absolutely critical feature of Labour’s campaign to turn the Coalition headed by Christopher Luxon into a one-term government.

Labour’s behaviour goes by many names: “The small target strategy” is the description favoured by most political commentators. Others, channelling the spirit of Napoleon Bonaparte, summarise Labour’s strategy as declining to interrupt the Right when it is making mistakes.

A less historically grand characterisation might be couched in the peremptory promise of the armed bank robber: “Nobody moves, nobody gets hurt.” Except, of course, these words are not directed outward, to the voters, but inward, to Labour’s MPs, party members, supporters, and to the Left generally.

Labour’s meaning is plain: “We are intending to win this election by default. Rash behaviour and rash statements should be avoided. Nothing must impede or distract the electorate from its growing determination to throw Luxon and his government out. So, say nothing. Do Nothing. Draw as little attention to yourselves as possible. If we can just muster the self-discipline to stand very still and wait, then we will be returned to power.”