Now that Labour has released its candidate list and a policy, a new subsidy for public transport fares, it is time to pose questions about its plans, should it return to government this year. If you seek power, you deserve to be pressed on why the public should trust you and what you intend to do.

Labour has not been a party of policy courage, or meaningful redistribution in favour of working people, for a decade. Nor has it much to say about restraining corporate monopolies in favour of families, and raising incomes with pro-competition rules, regulatory innovation or more public control. Instead, identity and climate still seem higher priorities.

If Labour has done any hard thinking about what it got wrong in government, it’s not obvious. For example, it has not been able to explain why it got its KiwiBuild pledge to build 100,000 new homes so wrong, nor what changes need to be made to the public sector to improve its ability to deliver government priorities.

Governments that succeed start with a big idea, a purpose, an analysis of what is wrong and a plan to fix it. They level with the public about the need for effort, even sacrifice, and time to get great things done.

Josie's column in The Post is here.