I guess that there are a few politicians who suspect that the TVNZ reporters and mediators who interview them are somewhat less than neutral in their questioning.
In my opinion, Winston Peters could be excused if he so believed. Up until now the news media have tried to largely ignore the progress NZ First has been making in its campaign. Even the print media have not all exercised the same degree of fairness that The Gisborne Herald has in that matter.
I was somewhat reassured when Winston Peters received some positive references from TVNZ’s Celebrity Treasure Island participants on Wednesday evening.
I for one believe that post- election, successful parties may find that some of the detail in what they said in their campaigns may be changed by the circumstances of going into coalition, or circumstances that may have changed even immediately after the election, or existing but not yet generally known.
While intelligence demands that politicians be prepared to react to unforeseen circumstances and a changed environment, they should in my opinion stay as close to the principles they espoused pre-election as their consciences allow.
