So, National want to appeal to the 'yoof'...

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The words "Dawn Raid" and "the National Party" in the same sentence may not seem the best way to entice young Pacific Island voters.

But the possibility of National leader Don Brash gearing up in threads from hip-hop fashion label Dawn Raid is apparently being touted as a way to make the political party "cool".

Its MPs are also being urged to associate themselves with groovy bands such as The Feelers and Steriogram, get involved with charities and promote women MPs, according to marketing material from the party's Auckland regional conference.

Slides of the presentation by general manager Greg Sheehan were obtained by Labour's Trevor Mallard, who yesterday ridiculed National's attempt to rebrand. "First of all they say make National cool. Well, that's a contradiction  I mean, Don Brash is so cool he's just about dead."

The slides include one headed "We Must Make National Cool", and another promoting the use of "collateral and merchandise", featuring pictures of gear from Auckland clothing label Dawn Raid, which also produces hip-hop music.

"Shame on the National Party, the party of the dawn raids (in the 1970s) trying to use Dawn Raid's collateral and merchandise for their own promotion," Mr Mallard said.

Other slides urged National's female MPs to appear on the covers of magazines such as The Australian Women's Weekly and suggested party members collect for charities like Women's Refuge, Rape Crisis and teenage cancer patients' group CanTeen.

Mr Mallard said that suggestion was cynical, but CanTeen national director Roger Hill said it would welcome collectors from any party.

National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee rejected Mr Mallard's criticisms and said his opponent had released the slides to deflect attention from Labour's embarrassment over Mangere MP Phillip Field.

There was nothing sinister or embarrassing about the party's plans to help charities or use music to connect with young people, he said.

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And it's hilarious that the first time The Feelers have ever been described as 'groovy' is when they're being namedropped by the National Party.

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