John Armstrong: Name-calling won't win vote

She called him an amateur. She called him slippery. She called him untrustworthy.

The very fact Helen Clark kept calling Don Brash all manner of names while announcing September 17 as election day said it all.

That she felt obliged to keep mentioning the enemy was a revealing indication of how much the election campaign is being fought on National's terms, rather than Labour's agenda.

No one is talking about what the Prime Minister would prefer to talk about: Labour's strengths, particularly its highly presentable track record of six years of solid economic growth and stable, predictable Government.

The arguments are instead centred on Labour's perceived failings being highlighted by National: its refusal to address tax cuts; its being seen as a bit tired, a tad arrogant and somewhat complacent; and its so-called political correctness, especially on Maori matters.

The plus for Labour is that the electorate is not in one of those vengeful moods when it chucks out the incumbent regardless.

The challenge for the Prime Minister over the next 54 days is to jolt voters out of such perceptions by persuading middle-of-the-road voters her Government can reinvigorate itself both in terms of policy and personnel, that it will not kowtow to the Greens, and, above all, that it recognises those not benefiting from its income assistance policies are also facing pressures on the household budget.

Essentially, Labour needs to flash in neon lights convincing reasons voters should not change.

But campaigns are always hard work for governing parties.

The temptation is to go negative - too negative.

Although Helen Clark is clearly going to make the demonisation of Don Brash a major feature of Labour's campaign, National's leader is an unlikely demon.

Rather than cheap insults, the more damaging label Helen Clark needs to pin on Don Brash is that he is an unreconstructed radical.

The Prime Minister believes the electorate is not looking for radical policy change at this election. However, she says radical policy change is what is on offer from National.

If the first premise is correct, then by her logic, the winning of the election lies in convincing middle-of- the-road voters of the second by reminding them of where Dr Brash's ideological inclinations might take National once he is ensconced in office.

To that end, Labour had some success last week in hounding Dr Brash over his stance on New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy and his refusal to declare whether he would send combat troops to Iraq.

Dr Brash's credibility will have taken a hit, but the election will not be won on foreign policy.

Labour needs to find him out on a crunch issue of major domestic concern.

Tax shines as the most obvious. But Labour cannot press home its claim that National is going to have to slash state-provided health and education services to pay for tax cuts until it sees National's policy.

That is why Dr Brash last night indicated the policy would not be unveiled before the start of the formal four-week campaign.

There is a risk public pressure will force him to do it earlier.

But the longer he holds his nerve, the longer Labour is left punching at air.