Is it just me?

... Or is there something a bit suspicious about labour's sudden interest in putting out Good, Substantive Policy for an election that they're almost certain to lose?

Capital gains tax? Great.

Getting agriculture into the ETS in 2013? Great.

Raising the Super age? Great.

Universal child benefit? Great?

These are all good policies. Sensible policies. Mature polices. Probably, since we don't live in a good, sensible mature society, vote costing, election losing policies. So - since lots of the better, more sensible and mature part of Labour's constituency are bemoaning the fact their party has become a bunch of neo-liberal apologists - what better time to offer them a bunch of sops than at a time when it isn't going to make a blind bit of difference to the result?

Then, in 2014, when everyone's a bit sickened of John Key's peculiarly successful brand of politics - essentially doing nothing but smiling at random Big Events and with Important People - Labour can shed some crocodile tears and say to these good, senseible, mature voters, "Well, we offerred the electors all these good, sensible, mature policies in 2011, and they were rejected. So this time around, we'll offer essentially the same things as National, and hoepfully squeak in with a bit of help from the Greens, who are almost as long suffering and naive as you lot. But at least we're not National, so you should vote for us."