NZ Election 2008: Leader's debate

An interesting premise, a political debate on YouTube.

In this TV One production YouTube users can put video questions to politicians to be answered in the debate which screens on TV One and YouTube on October 14 2008.

The debate is between John Key and Helen Clark and you can watch it here on Political Animal.

Here are a couple of questions from YouTube submitters:

 Why Should NZ trust you?

Welfare Dependancy

Labour, ignoring public opinion?

c Political Animal 2008

Helen is right

That Helen Clark instigated the disposal of the minor parties in the proposed TV3 political debate is no surprise to most. She has a long history of clamping down on free speech with the passing of the Electoral Finance Act and constant threats to media to stifle press freedoms.

Mark Jennings from TV3 said the Labour leader did not want to share the stage with the smaller parties, and talked National leader John Key into joining the boycott.

"Clark told me two months ago that it has always been her view there are too many people in the debates."

"She [Helen Clark] said to me: 'Oh, it does get messy, doesn't it'."

NZ Herald

I have to agree with the Prime Minister though. The minor parties will be a major distraction. The debates are not long enough to get any substance from the two leaders. Either two will be Prime Minister and we need to know from them what their vision for the country is.

For minor parties to be morally outraged at Clark's proposal is laughable at best.

Minor parties are there to support the major party that they go with after the election and have plenty of opportunity to get media attention from their policies.

c Political Animal 2008