Earlier Static Version - March 24th 2015

Nationals's candidate seems to be struggling to find his own voice as he attends a very public crash course in media training with media master Steven Joyce in Northland's By Election. Steven Joyce played a very influential role in National's astonishing victory in the last election, but can he save the campaign to hang onto the previously safe National seat?

Has the aspiring National Party Northland candidate, Mark Osborne, earned the title of "Porky Osborne" for telling us that he knew nothing about the accusations directed at former Northland MP Mike Sabin before late December last year? I find it very strange that Mark Osborne, in his role as the National Party Northland Branch treasurer in 2014 was so much out of the loop that he knew nothing about Mike Sabin's situation earlier in the year. Telling porkies during an election campaign will not help him hang onto this safe National seat, that's for sure.

Winston Peters topped TV3 poll results today for the Northland by election. This might indicate a defeat in one of National's safe seats and alter the balance of power in Parliament. Altho' a change in government is unlikely, it would make other minor parties more influential and could spell the end of the controversial changes planned by National to water down the Resource Management Act.

ENDS

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