For the media it was all about slowly teasing the public and getting a steady stream of tantalising ‘copy’ – just what appeals to our love of gossip.

For National (and ACT) it meant the focus was on them (even if they didn’t handle it well) – on whether their response was a principled one or a desperate attempt to cover up a political blunder; on whether or not bringing in the police was ‘wise’, etc..

But National had a clear strategy – stonewall in the full knowledge that, if it didn’t come out (or even if it did) prior to the election the ball was in their court to set the agenda around it.

The fact that it was in both the media’s and the National and ACT parties’ interests to keep the story unresolved meant that other issues, as you say, never got their ‘day in the sun’.

To be honest, I don’t know if, at the time, National’s spin doctors would have been too pleased but, irrespective, it DID work in their interests – whether they realised it or not (the rise of New Zealand First, notwithstanding).

The media leapt at the whole thing for nigh on two weeks.

YET there were far more important matters that should have been in the media.

Such as our chronic debt and ever increasing commodity prices.

It was a fabulous move by the Nats spin docs that an awful lot of folk fell for.

No there, however.

Thank you.