Get set for a bitter campaign

Policies are likely to be overshadowed by personalities as the election campaign begins in earnest today.

As predicted in the Otago Daily Times as early as June this year, the election will be held on November 8, providing enough time for the Government's October 1 tax cuts to be felt in the back pockets of voters.

Prime Minister Helen Clark caught most off guard in her timing of yesterday's announcement, forcing National Party leader John Key to cut short a visit to Christchurch and return to Wellington for a press con-ference.

Labour Party internal polling indicates a closing in the gap between itself and National and Miss Clark has decided there is some momentum gathering for her party.

University of Otago political scientist Chris Rudd fears policies will be sidelined during the election.

Miss Clark's opponents would try to portray her as a "weak leader", who should have sacked New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters a long time ago, he said.

There was likely to be a return to the scandals that had haunted Miss Clark, such as Paintergate, Speedgate and Doonegate.

The "Petersgate" saga was the pinnacle of those incidents.

National would urge electors to vote for a change, but for the negative reason of a vote against the Government.

"John Key needs to focus on the fresh start and the new faces representing the X generation - whoever they are," Dr Rudd said.

"Already, he has been reaching out to young voters and women. He needs to push the message that voters 'can rely on me' and that he can lead."

Miss Clark was likely to focus on National's "secret agendas" and that Mr Key was inexperienced in politics, Dr Rudd said.

The last three weeks of Parliament have been dominated by the donations controversy surrounding Mr Peters.

Announcing the election date has allowed the Prime Minister to distance herself somewhat from the controversy and the growing labelling of her administration as the "Clark-Peters" government.

Brian Henry, the lawyer for Mr Peters, is due to appear before Parliament's privileges committee on Tuesday and the committee is due to present its recommendation to the House on September 23.

But the result is largely academic as attention now focuses on what will be a bitter election campaign.

Miss Clark yesterday declared the election would be about trust.

"It is about which leader and which major party we New Zealanders trust our families' and our country's future with.

"This election is a choice between a government which has shown it can make the tough choices and an opposition which flip-flops on almost every major issue which emerges."

Mr Key said the election was the chance for voters to choose a brighter future for New Zealanders.

"The election is about New Zealanders having the opportunity to choose a government that is focused on what matters to them.

"It is about being able to turn a fresh page and put all the political distractions and intrigue of the past three years behind us."