Trust me, says a young, beautified Helen on her Labour roadside hoardings. Trust me, says a middle-aged, overly made-up, Sarah Palin-esque dressed Helen on TV.

Labour would have us believe the hoardings are the true Helen. I believe what I see on TV.

Trust is a wonderful thing. Can we trust the Helen Clark who does a complete about-face on the Maori seats?

Do we really trust our foreign policy in the hands of Labour and Winston?

Dear old Winston – and he is getting on. The thought of him visiting the hinterlands of this fair country in a black and white helicopter is fascinating. Why black and white, I wonder. Did he go to Christ’s College with Michael Cullen?

I, along with 400 or so others, went to the Chamber of Comics’ finance spokesman debate the other night. It was great to see such a turnout.

I can’t say the words of Michael Cullen filled me with any trust. In any event, with respect to our politicians, the best thing about the debate was the comments our mayor made after the six politicians had had their say.

Helen Clark’s handling of the Winston affair epitomises her reign. When it suits, she remembers things – but when it does not, she obfuscates.

I realise Helen Clark not unreasonably throws forgetfulness at John Key but at least he admits or explains his forgetfulness or factual inexactness.

Clark initially prevaricated on the Owen Glenn appointment yet as the story unfolded and Winston’s involvement and her knowledge of it became more and more apparent, she changed her tune.

She dealt with the matter in a manner typical of her methodology as the excellent politician she is. She got people confused, bemused and discombobulated as to her position and the Labour Party’s position in the matter.

To satisfy our cry for blood, she suspended Winston. Unlike those many ministers she’d previously sacked from Cabinet, Winston retained all the baubles of office. One wonders why.

The Labour Party president’s visit to Australia to uplift 20kg of paper was typical of the party. I wonder if the president had to pay excess baggage on his return. But then, as president of the Labour Party I suppose he flew first class.

The public’s wish is to see the parties – as National, Maori, the Greens, ACT and the rest are doing – sell themselves and their policies for our future.

The Labour Party, it seems, is intent on retaining power at whatever cost and now seems more intent on throwing dirt than it is on selling us policy.

We have the Labour Party, and in particular Helen Clark, asking us for trust in her and her party.

Frankly, I have more trust in Winston and Sarah Palin than I have in Labour and Helen Clark.

Nine years is a long time and, as has oft been put, it’s time for a change.

Simon Stamers-Smith is a local lawyer and raconteur