Will's Word: PM's State of the Nation plays it safe but lacks spark

I was left somewhat underwhelmed by the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation speech.

I'm not saying it was bad. Far from it. But it wasn’t especially hopeful either.

To be fair to the guy, at least he stayed consistent. Staying the course. No overpromising. No lolly scramble politics.

There is something refreshing about a Prime Minister effectively telling voters not to expect an Oprah-style “everyone gets a car” moment this election.

That honesty deserves credit. But in an election year, I wanted a little more lift.

A little more sense of where we are heading, not just what we are managing.

Listen to Will's Word below.

As for the National Party’s slogan, “fixing the basics, building the future”, it feels more like management speak. It's not memorable.

I was 11 when National campaigned on “building a brighter future” under John Key.

That was a memorable slogan. This new one feels less like a new chapter and more like a rehash. So if I had to sum up the PM's speech, I'd say it was safe but still leaving me wanting a bit more about what that future actually looks like.