The Prime Minister has fired a warning at smaller political parties, telling them to “be careful” with what bottom lines they make ahead of the general election or risk not being part of any governing arrangement at all.
“Ultimately, the larger parties do need to be able to implement the commitments that they campaign on,” Chris Hipkins told reporters in Westport on Friday.
Te Pati Maori president John Tamihere has outlined in The Post several policies the party would fight for if its support was required to prop up the next Government.
They’re described in the article as “demands” and include removing GST from food, a wealth tax and pulling out of the Five Eyes intelligence pact.
Asked about the policies, the Prime Minister said Labour would outline its tax policy prior to the election and that would include its own “bottom lines” for tax.
The Government’s confirmed there won’t be any major tax changes in the Budget in keeping with Labour’s 2020 promise of no new taxes this term outside of the new 39 percent tax rate.
Hipkins specifically addressed Te Pati Maori’s desire for New Zealand to not be part of the Five Eyes group.
“I don’t think it would be in New Zealand’s best interests to withdraw from the Five Eyes relationship,” he said.
“It is pretty critical to the security of many of the things that New Zealanders rely on on a day-to-day basis, when we use our phones, when we log on to our computers, when we switch on the lights, a lot of the infrastructure that supports those things is secure and supported through those international arrangements that we have.”
He said withdrawing from that arrangement would not make New Zealand safer and could “have potential consequences for Kiwis on daily basis”.
The Prime Minister said MMP does typically require parties to negotiate following an election to form a Government. Labour currently has a majority – something Hipkins said the party has “quite enjoyed” and would love again – but it’s the only example of a majority since MMP was introduced in 1996.
“That does mean that parties negotiate after the election, but it also has to recognise the proportionate size of the parties as well,” he said.
“Smaller parties I think need to be careful in whatever they issue in terms of bottom lines or they could find themselves simply not able to be part of any governing arrangement at all because, ultimately, the larger parties do need to be able to implement the commitments that they campaign on.”
Hipkins said Labour’s election manifesto would include “bottoms lines that will be non-negotiable in any governing arrangement that we would be part of”.
Newshub
Typical major party arrogance. But in the next breath telling off minor parties but pointing out how important the commitments were for the big parties.
It’s an astounding attitude to have, really. So arrogant, so doctrinaire. Basically, Chris Hipkins is saying you are fleas and you will do what you are told.
But the reality of the situation is that he is talking only to the Green Party and the Maori Party; his only realistic coalition partners. Winston Peters has already said “no deal with Labour”, so it’s just the Greens and the Maori Party he is lecturing.
Let’s hope they get the pip with him.
Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. This article was first published HERE
3 comments:
While no fan of Chris Hipkins, whom I dearly wish to lose to lose the next election resoundingly, I have full sympathy with his telling the dopey Maori Party to pull its head in. What a bunch of ignorant arrogant noddies I would also love to see down the road without a paddle come October.
'ultimately, the larger parties do need to be able to implement the commitments that they campaign on' - yet after the past two elections he has been happy to implement things they never even told us about.
After their taste of power and the thrill of creating dissension does any one really believe the Reversionists and the woke will go away?
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