Having been an ACT supporter in the past it is a shame to suggest ACT may not recover sufficiently from their low polling position the way things are going at present.
As ACT leader Rodney needs to have a more statesmanlike aura to appeal to the high earning, fiscally conservative voter base it has had in the past. Rodney Hide had the flexibility to be a full time perk buster when ACT espoused "Values, not politics". He had the rest of ACT to balance the headline seeking. The trouble is that good policy and speechmaking does not get media coverage and Rodney Hide becoming a Stephen Franks would be a quick way to electoral oblivion.
ACT does not have Peters constituency seat. I cannot see Richard Worth stepping down to give ACT that insurance. The biggest risk for the right at this election is that ACT win just under 5% of the vote.
ACT need to re establish voter credibility after a disastrous period with Awatere and the leadership change. That will only come from positive web and MSM coverage.
ACT still need the headlines but I would suggest that someone other than Rodney (preferably the rest of the caucus) need to make the perk busting/hip hop tour scandal type of headlines. Looking through the caucus Ken Wang and Deborah Coddington would seem the most likely to go after Labour with a bit of mongrel. They need to be savaged not subjected to effete intellectual points that nobody else in the country understands or cares about.
Media are interested in the scandal of the minutiae. But voters want a credible policy base that ties into their own situation.
Have a look at the ACT policy site. There is a great deal of information organised in a very corporate way. A political website will be the prime source of information for politically curious potential voters and for media interested in getting a few pithy quotes easily. There is too much information presented deep behind links. The key points are made in macroeconomic terms, not in simple points relevant to a voter or a journalist wishing to get quotes.
It would be comforting for a middle income earner to know that the ACT policy on tax will increase their disposable income by ???. Keep the policy base but bring all the failings of this socialist government front and centre. That would also reduce the ability of media/labour to claim they are the party for the rich.
In summary, ACT need a major people, website and policy relaunch. Hopefully they use the Christmas break to refocus and eat a fair amount of raw beef. The ACT caucus all need to come back punching, biting and kicking if they are to get back above 5%. Intellectual debate will not cut it.
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