Comments on: The Greens’ not so secret Australian political operatives

By: itstheeconomystupid

itstheeconomystupid — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:44:38 +0000

Kahikatea:
> What they have done is ‘bad’ in the sense of lessening people’s understanding of the political situation by spreading false information.

And caused a whole lot of innocent people some serious harm in the process. I think it’s a pity that when analysing the work of Crosby Textor the debate focuses around the people they work for, not the people that get in the way of their work.

By: kahikatea

kahikatea — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:18:54 +0000

# Patrick Starr Says:
July 1st, 2008 at 9:22 pm

> I’d say the only controversial reputation is that of Hagar. If Crosby Textor do such a bad job why are you trying to get Key to turn them away?

Forg’s not accusing them of doing a ‘bad’ job in the sense of being incompetent at getting their party elected - it seems they have both successes and failures in that respect, which I imagine is pretty normal. What they have done is ‘bad’ in the sense of lessening people’s understanding of the political situation by spreading false information.

By: StephenR

StephenR — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:37:00 +0000

*yech!*

By: Shunda barunda

Shunda barunda — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:36:05 +0000

At the end of the day National has ruled out push polling,labour hasn’t thats the real scandal.

By: StephenR

StephenR — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:47:04 +0000

No ones telling them to turn them away though! Personally rather they didn’t hire someone with their record of tactics used (which isn’t exactly ‘this is our policy, great eh?’), but it’s National’s call. Also National’s call not to confirm or deny that they’re using them, even though Hager’s info says otherwise. Apparently Key is doing the regular media rounds tomorrow…I don’t think many people care that much, but I’m just a politics nerd.

By: Patrick Starr

Patrick Starr — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:22:59 +0000

I’d say the only controversial reputation is that of Hagar. If Crosby Textor do such a bad job why are you trying to get Key to turn them away?

By: BluePeter

BluePeter — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:20:44 +0000

>>come up with new ideas

They aren’t new ideas, merely previously unspoken ideas.

By: StephenR

StephenR — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:20 +0000

If parties can’t adapt to changing circumstances by legislating, that would be a good reason not to vote for them!!

By: StephenR

StephenR — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:57:03 +0000

Quite right about the trains and EFA Strings. Not like governments never do that though - in fact I would guess that *all* governments come up with new ideas during their terms. Or if they don’t, they should.

These companies advise on how to handle sensitive issues and how to defuse difficult questions, and how to present in public - among other things. As Colin Espener said:

Why use a company that has a controversial reputation in Australia and Britain? A company that has been involved in scandals such as push-polling over a candidate’s mythical support for abortion to the ninth month of pregnancy? Who wants to be involved with a company tied up with stories about baby killers and the children overboard fiasco in Australia?

Though on ’success’:

Crosby Textor’s results are mixed at best. It has advised National in its last four campaigns. National has lost three in a row. It advised John Howard last year. Howard lost. It advised Michael Howard in Britain. Howard lost. Its sole recent success was Boris Johnson in the London mayorlty, and Red Ken was history after introducing the congestion charge.

By: Strings

Strings — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:46:28 +0000

>>why did the nats hire an Australian based company with such a dodgy record

If winning is dodgy, I think I know a few people who might help you lose seats at this election.

As a very wise man* once said ‘the point of running for election is to beat the opposition. Then youcan start doing the things you believe in’. I think we’ve seen this very clearly since the last election. As I recall, no policy to buy a train set, or infringe on the public’s right to free speech, to give just two examples, was included in the perloined ‘pledge card’ or other documentation used in that election campaign by the Labour Party.

* my Dad