Prepare for four days of hot air
Expect to see agendas on display, and egos, and reckons, and the occasional gleaned factoid. But don’t expect predictions to be any better than chance.
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
Why Labour may form the next Government
The prospects of a Labour led Government have improved dramatically following the release of the final election results.
And the final result is …
The final election results have been announced with Labour and the Greens each picking up an extra seat.
Young on coalition options – an edge to Labour
Audrey Young on the coalition dance: “Labour would probably have an advantage because of the greater policy overlap”, “Keeping deputy leader Paula Bennett out of the first pro-forma courtesy meeting was an appalling decision by English that simply says he was desperate to please Peters at any cost”.
Coalition of liars
The right wing clobbering machine is already calling a possible Labour Green NZF a “coalition of losers”. Well under MMP a coalition of losers can be the winners. But however you cut it a coalition of liars will always be liars.
The Green Party’s coalition process
Important in the Green’s coalition deal-making process is the party’s political positioning, and the internal processes that the party is obligated to follow. Both of those things reflect deeper values around policy and decision making. Here’s a look at what processes the Greens will follow in the coming weeks and who will be involved.
Specials tomorrow
The special vote count should be out at 2pm tomorrow. The mathematically plausible scenarios are either good, or very good, for the left.
Pike River families win a “political reality”
Among the biggest winners of the election will be the Pike River families. Labour and Greens support re-entry. Gower on National: “They will not go into Opposition over this… They will literally go back on everything they’ve said in order to get Winston into power.”
Preliminary talks underway
Preliminary talks between NZF and National have concluded, talks between NZF and Labour are due this afternoon. (Image from Vernon Small)
Cameron Slater makes valuable contribution to blog defamation jurisprudence
Cameron Slater and friends and clients are in the High Court defending a claim that he defamed three health researchers. They tried to have the case kicked out but failed. The judgment makes for an interesting read.
Ten Reasons for National to do another term
A tongue in cheek list of reasons why it may be best for National to form the next Government.
Gilbert calls out Nat “tribalists” who continued to back the lies
Outspoken sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert on the “tribalists” who continued to back the Nats despite their brazen lies – “if Labour had made the same accusation against National and not a single economist supported it, would you have reacted the same way? No. Of course not. And that’s what defines you as a moron.”
ETS is useless, scrap it
I suspect that ETS has become a political football in the next parliament, but probably not part of a coalition agreement with either National or Labour. My guess is that both NZ First and the Greens will want it off the table unless it is agreed that it will go. That leaves them able to vote against further stupid patches being added to it.
There is hope
Anarchism and democracy.
Electoral Commission refers Sean Plunket’s tweets to the police
The Opportunities Party’s election campaign Communications Director and recent appointee to the Broadcasting Standards Authority has had their election day tweets referred to the police.
Indigenous and green politics require changes in perspectives
One of our key political challenges now is to broaden the understanding of what matters.
Good call from Ardern
I have very mixed feelings about a Labour Green NZF government. I certainly don’t think that Labour should “pay any price”. So I’m pleased to see Jacinda Ardern acknowledging the Greens.
Uncertainty doesn’t bother “the market” at all
There is no “strong and stable” government to “lead” us. Maximum uncertainty! No end in sight! According to received wisdom (and all those people in a self-interested rush to ordain the born-to-rule-party) the market should be panicking! In fact…
Cling to power vs the right thing to do
The Nats are desperate to make big concessions for a coalition with the Greens. The establishment is lining up in The Herald to beg for this to happen. Promises to strengthen environmental and social policies in order to cling to power – but not for the last nine long years when it was simply the right thing to do…
National no friends
In a sign of desperation Bill English rang Winston Peters on the weekend but the call was not answered. Clearly National realises that waiting for the special votes to be released will significantly weaken its bargaining position.
Resistance is futile …
The Standard regular Incognito writes about the unique voice the Greens bring to NZ politics and why a coalition deal with National would be the end of that.
The Herald doesn’t want Winston to go with Labour
The Herald has offered a number of opinions this weekend saying that Labour forming a coalition with New Zealand First would be a very bad thing.
We need a new version of MMP
This guest post looks at the ways that the national governments in Scotland and Wales operate. Their functional systems are effectively MMP, but they break up their list into regional areas which makes it easier to gain the voters to put regional issues into the wider debate.
English, Joyce, Bennett et al desperate to keep their power?
This might look like smart politics for National to draw the Greens in with National but a more primary motivation might be that English/Joyce and co. are desperate to form a coalition with anyone, otherwise as individuals, they’ll certainly lose their power within the party in the inevitable shakeup.
Nats fought a FPP campaign and blew it – Labour went with MMP…
You know that old saying about how generals always prepare to fight the last war? That’s National and their FPP election campaign (hello creepy joggers). There will be a certain poetic justice played out if Labour’s MMP campaign is the winner in the end.
On that stupid coalition deal…
A possible National/Green coalition deal? Matthew Whitehead discusses why and why not from a Green perspective.
The political strategy of Winston Peters
The Winston Peters interregnum provides New Zealand with the opportunity to work out what are core values and what can be the subject of compromise.
National the anti-environmental party
You can stop the silly chat now media – the Greens can’t go into coalition with National because of their members, their social polices… but mainly because of their environmental policies.
Dirty Politics 2017 style
The Greens aren’t going to support a National government, so why is there so much push to make it look like it might happen?
One obstacle to NZF + Labour removed
A significant and positive development late yesterday. Labour held firm on the Māori seats, and Peters has decided that a referendum is probably not a bottom line after all. This early progress bodes well for future negotiations.
Nats don’t understand a party of principle
Nats and their proxies continue to try and drag the Greens into negotiations with National. They just can’t conceive of a party based on principle. A party that exists for something other than the pursuit of power for power’s sake. But I fear that the Greens might have a stern test coming up.
Good work if you can get it
During the election campaign elements of the farming community protested the possibility of a water tax and of farming being in the ETS on the basis the sector could not afford it. In awkward news it has since come to light that the Chief Executive of Fonterra and senior executives are being paid huge salaries.
Peters campaigned against the Nats – his party wants him to do the right thing
Peters campaigned hard against the Nats, and for a change in government (check out the speech and video). To keep faith with democracy and with his party members he has to go with Labour Green (check out the feedback and polls). If Peters goes the other way NZF will implode.
Metiria Turei’s legacy
What she did wasn’t a mistake.
How a National/Green coalition could work
A plan for how the Greens could save the election.
National paying the price for cannibalising the political right
National have maintained their own vote but killed off all their political friends. Which is why their only route to power is now in the hands of an enemy, and why that enemy should be very wary of hitching his wagon to their fading star.