Labour's new ad short on facts - Joyce

Labour's latest TV advertisement has produced a spirited response from National's campaign chairman Steven Joyce.

The new 30-second campaign ad focuses on leader John Key and outlines a series of economic "facts" about wages, immigration and the GST rise.

However, Joyce hit back last night, saying Labour's attack on the Government's economic record is "short on facts, long on revisionist history, and promises absolutely nothing."

"Their economic 'facts' don't stand up to 30 seconds of scrutiny. They fail to mention the GST changes were part of a tax switch that Labour is refusing to undo.

"They don't mention that most of the rise in unemployment occurred before the National Government's first Budget and as a direct result of the recession that started under Labour in early 2008."

Joyce turned the tables, slamming Labour for pretending "they didn't drive New Zealand into recession before the rest of the world...they pretend the global financial crisis and the Canterbury earthquakes never happened, and they want to pretend they didn't leave behind massive debt."

Labour leader Phil Goff last week made veiled attacks on Key, referring to "the people at the top" who took their "holidays in Hawaii."

Campaign spokesman Grant Robertson insisted the new ad, aired for the first time on Tuesday, was not negative.

"There are a lot of things at the moment that John Key doesn't want to talk about," he said.

He denied the party would try to gain leverage off the teapot tapes scandal, but would focus instead on economic issues.

Labour's campaign will step up next week with more billboards, stickers on hoardings and an Auckland rally on Sunday.

In previous campaigns the party has seen momentum drop-off in the final days and were looking to stave this off with a big spend on advertising.

It was also focusing on pushing the party vote rather than throwing resources at marginal electorates.

Joyce said Labour had run out of money and fallen asleep. "Now they have woken up but to the sound of their own dishonest 'facts'."

He added: "The only things that Labour is racking up faster than debt are smears and untruths."