National Party Election Advertising, Colenso, 1975
The most famous single piece of political advertising in New Zealand history thus far. Animation by Hanna Barbera (Fred Flinstone fame).
The following is a party political broadcast on behalf of the National Party. Tonight: superannuation.
"On April Fools’ Day, the Labour Government started a compulsory superannuation scheme, and called it: "A bold piece of social legislation." It wasn't even a very funny joke. What they didn't tell you was that nobody would get its full benefit until the year 2028. If you are one of New Zealand's half a million housewives, you don't get anything. Ever. The same goes for the five hundred thousand people over 55. And the four hundred thousand on Social Security. But the superannuation scheme isn't just one of Labour's bad ideas. It's also a dangerous one. Shortly, Labour will be taking millions out of our pay packets each week, and spending it. In just seven years they will have enough money to buy every share in every public company in New Zealand. Soon, they could buy all the farms. Indeed, one day, the government could wind up owning literally everything. And you know what that's called, don't you?"
Discussion Points:
- Obvious April Fools’ Day reference – not "even a very funny joke."
- Connotation – ‘compulsory’: being forced to do something.
- Claims the policy is dishonest – "What they didn’t tell you …"
- Syntax – minor sentence for effect: "…don’t get anything. Ever." Emphasises point.
- Use of statistics – and the numbers are impressive, too.
- Syntax – "And the four hundred thousand …"
- "It’s also a dangerous one" – powerfully emotive word.
- Symbol – the noose (to emphasise "dangerous")
- Pronoun – "…taking millions out of our pay packets…"
- Parallel construction – "…every share in every public company…"
- Owning all the farms – reference to the collectivisation of agriculture in the USSR
- Colours – New Zealand turns red – Labour’s colour, but linked to ‘Reds under the bed’ – communism.
- Rhetorical question at the end, although the Cossacks answer it nicely!
