Jacinda Ardern wants to be relentlessly positive in a factual campaign. Pass me the sick bag, says Duncan Garner.

OPINION: So the PM wants to be relentlessly positive in a factual campaign run by Facebook's rules. Pass me a giant sick bag and send me a second one just in case.

Is this the same sort of promise that saw Jacinda Ardern promise to be the most open and transparent Government, yet when it came time to practise the preaching they failed and flopped and then some. You bet it is.

It's the same mistake as promising the year of delivery which by the way was made up on the spot but not knowing what was in the pipeline of the Beehive.

Factual, warm, happy and relentlessly positive. Yep that sounds like Winston and Shane. Ron Mark not so much. Gerry and Simon will be in to as there is so much to be smiling about under this Government.

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Haven't you seen the streets. Can you hear the people sing.

We have no homeless and families are no longer struggling we have houses for all and and an abundance of wealth and love for each other. It was never like this before this Government. Why can't you all see what they see and be ever so thankful for their presence.

So come on, National, sign up to Labour's new principles, which are actually not their principles but Facebook's guide to the truth. Help! Facebook now is the mediator when it comes to the truth. Can't Labour write its own pledge card around trust and truth. Did someone mention pledge card. Google it and add in circa 1999. Big mistake.

So smile and sign up to Facebook. Tell her no thanks, Simon. But be sure to be smiling along the way.

Sure National will sign up to that. Just after the pig flying around Simon Bridges' office takes a seat to hear the rules.

Relentlessly positive. Say it again and again until you're happy and you know it clap your hands.

JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Garner: Don't be tempted to follow Ardern in signing up to Facebook's transparency rules, Simon. ''Tell her no thanks. But be sure to be smiling along the way.''

It's patronising and controlling and no-one should buy it.

Such super spin and, yes, it could be genuinely quite clever but no-one is this gullible. It's an attempt to crush debate and force those who push for answers to look like negative nellies.

It sounds like Takapuna Library after 2pm each Sunday during silent sessions when the local geriatrics meet to swap rare marbles and books before heading home wondering how many marbles they lost in the transaction.

No election has ever been that benign and nor should it be. It should be a genuine and at times fiery debate of ideas and approaches. Every party has its dogs and devils and long may we see them in public fighting over the rotten carcass. At least we know who they are and what they're doing.

In every election I have covered since 1993 it's been nasty, dirty, full of lies, hatred and anger. Good, fair and nice people are left watching from the sidelines shaking their heads as the feral beasts turn on each other with a mix of fact, fiction and utter bile at times.



These guys are fighting to run the country it's not hug-a-tree day with James Shaw as MC for the festivities.

Supplied Duncan Garner: Jacinda Ardern wants to crush debate during the election campaign and force those who push for answers to look like negative nellies.

Few people are nice in politics and many put their families second, third and last in their desperate pursuit to run the world. So much is at stake and this power play from Ardern is nothing but an attempt to limit debate and write some tight rules about the election discourse.

Truth is this is not the most open and honest government ever. Actually when the time has come for that they locked all the doors and pulled the curtains. I expect it to get worse this year before it gets better.

I think debate will be limited. That's the way Ardern wants it. She wants it controlled and measured and she wants to know what lurks around the corner.

The element of surprise is not her strength. She likes to publicly clean up someone's mess. She has that gig locked and loaded and been awarded the life service medal for empathy in spades at Olympics for the Relentlessly Positive sponsored by Prozac and friends.

This Government doesn't want to be tested and scrutinised too heavily. Because mostly it's hard to find success on all the things they claimed to care about and promised to fix.

It was like sending infants to war and hoping they all return with a victory. Winston knew that and he knew he'd look experienced and wise and he could run these critters around the block while he took control of the Beehive.

How can anyone expect a factual and truthful happy-go-lucky debate about the pros and cons of this Government when its very formation was based on negotiations that were not dealt with under any good faith. The whole thing was a set-up and voters have every right to be relentlessly looking for payback.

How can anyone expect a warm Milo of a debate when this Government has refused to measure itself properly at a public service level. Truth is, a factual debate is the last thing Jacinda Ardern should be calling for.

Facts will show it never closed the poverty gap and it struggled to build houses. It never increased any quality or standard of living or made your ride to work easier. It largely spent billions more achieving lower economic growth than the last guys but it sent out hordes of media releases saying what it was spending the money on.

It seemed mightily impressive at the time. Can someone show me the results please. Then I can be relentlessly positive. Until then the gloves are off and the game is on. Now let's all do a group selfie, smile and say happy times please after me!