Political discourses in New Zealand: Constructions of political parties

The following study sets out to identify the discursive resources which were used by Prime Minister Jim Bolger and the leader of the Opposition Helen Clark in two speeches delivered at Massey University's Winter Lecture Series in 1994. Resources such as pronoun use and rhetorical devices were examined to show how the speakers constructed versions of both the National and Labour parties. We conclude that Bolger's speech works to justify and warrant Government policies. Clark's speech is an attempt to establish the viability of Labour as an alternative.