Kicking the tyres: to promote radical change for the benefit of the few.
We've seen National try this little piece of spin twice now, first on MMP, and now on ACC. In both cases they clearly have a specific plan in mind - rolling back MMP in favour of an unfair and non-proportional system of plurality rule and rolling back core ACC entitlements and privatising the scheme so as to transfer wealth to their donors and cronies in the insurance industry respectively - and in both cases the public of New Zealand is the loser. But National isn't there to serve the public of New Zealand - they're there to serve the interests of their big business buddies, and they have absolutely no shame about it.
Meanwhile, it seems that ACC Minister Nick Smith has acquired a habit of trying to lie his way out of trouble. On Sunday, he was denying that the proposals uncovered by the Sunday Star-Times were even being debated; today, he admits that they are under active consideration. Quite apart from the merits of the proposal (and I agree with the ACC schemes architect, Owen Woodhouse: there aren't any), that sort of deceitful attitude is simply unacceptable in a minister and unacceptable in a government. But I guess the reality of their plan is so unpalatable - "we want to make you worse off so our friends will get richer" - that deceit is their only option if they want to get elected.
