Editorial: Politics of gutter fails to impress

Opinion

The public have spoken on the extraordinary political events of the past few weeks and, as usual, the majority verdict on all counts carries some welcome common sense. Did we need to know the scuttlebutt that has hurt the partners of the Prime Minister and the National Party leader? No, say a substantial majority in each case.

Do people believe Helen Clark had no part in disclosing Don Brash's apparent affair? More say no than believe her. Do they believe Don Brash's claim that National had no part in spreading rumours about her husband? More say no than believe him. Do they believe both leaders are honest people? Yes, reply a bare majority in each case.

These and other responses to this weekend's Herald-DigiPoll survey confirm that people retain a healthy perspective on politics. They can make allowances for political posturing and personal embarrassment without losing confidence in the basic honesty and integrity of the protagonists.

That lesson should be taken to heart now by Helen Clark in particular. The whole unseemly episode began because she became annoyed by National's continual use of the word "corrupt" to describe Labour's financing of its election pledge card from public revenue. The Government's behaviour was reprehensible, and exceeding legally permitted election spending is classed as a corrupt practice in law. But the pledge card was not corruption as the term is commonly understood, to describe bribery, kickbacks and the like.

A narrow majority in our survey think National was right to use the term for Labour's election spending, while still regarding Helen Clark as an honest person. So she should take heart: the pledge card business is an argument she has lost, but it is not necessarily fatal to her Government.

It would probably have been quickly forgotten had Labour not dismissed the Auditor-General's ruling in such a high-handed manner, proposing validating legislation and declaring that, whatever he decided, Labour would not repay the money.

When a Herald-DigiPoll survey disclosed that 81 per cent of the public thought the party should pay its bill, the Prime Minister's response was to blame National even more bitterly. If the Opposition would not tone down, she said, the Government would retaliate. Perhaps she intended only that her members should attack Dr Brash's dealings with the Exclusive Brethren, but soon Labour front-benchers were making their audible jibes at the National leader about a rumoured affair.

The counter-offensive has been a sorry debacle for the Government. Labour slipped behind National in the polls following the Taito Phillip Field and pledge card rows and the parties' relative positions have not changed after all the mud-slinging. The public is clearly unimpressed by the Prime Minister's performance in particular. Her personal rating has dropped another two percentage points while Dr Brash's has risen three points despite his marital difficulties.

The National leader's political future is not yet settled. While half of those we surveyed believe he should retain his position, those who disagreed included nearly a quarter of National supporters polled. Dr Brash did not inspire confidence with his comments at the weekend, on Maori and Muslims and his indecision on the Exclusive Brethren.

But the message in the poll was mainly for the Prime Minister. The public have not admired her attacks on Dr Brash of late. She needs to declare that if the Auditor-General holds to his view, she will pay that bill. Then she could do herself and the public a favour by returning our full attention to affairs of state.