Winston and I have never been exactly close. In fact he has threatened to sue me on occasion and I understand his nickname for me is Rumpelstiltskin, which I'm quite proud of as I can be a little imp.
A Government with 69 seats pledged to it will be more stable than with 61 seats. And reaching out to Winston for a deal, when (at this stage) you don't need to, engenders goodwill and respect, and people who know Winston say this is very important.
The numbers may change also. At the moment National/ACT is 61/121. The final vote might have them at 60/121 and needing NZ First. Now if you wait until end of November than if National wins Port waikato you're 61/122 and hung Parliament. If Māori Party only win three electorates then it 61/121. So basically there are multiple variables and you don't want to wait until Friday 3 November or even Saturday 25 November to start negotiating. You will also get a better deal now, than if you wait.
I'd love to see a National/ACT Cabinet. But I'm not against NZ First having roles outside Cabinet. And in fact there may be some roles where having a NZ First minister could be an opportunity. You could have Winston (or Casey Costello) as Minister of Crown/Maori Relations, who would handle the collective apoplexy of the establishment as it is made clear that public services should be based on need not race.
Consider the fun you could have if Shane Jones is (for example) Minister of energy. The Greens and Te Pāti Māori will rage against him, while National focused on the cost of living and fixing the health and education systems.
If we want a three-term National-led Government, we want the three parties of the centre-right fighting the left on woke identity politics, envy taxes, soft on crime policies, wasteful spending – not fighting each other.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.
The numbers may change also. At the moment National/ACT is 61/121. The final vote might have them at 60/121 and needing NZ First. Now if you wait until end of November than if National wins Port waikato you're 61/122 and hung Parliament. If Māori Party only win three electorates then it 61/121. So basically there are multiple variables and you don't want to wait until Friday 3 November or even Saturday 25 November to start negotiating. You will also get a better deal now, than if you wait.
I'd love to see a National/ACT Cabinet. But I'm not against NZ First having roles outside Cabinet. And in fact there may be some roles where having a NZ First minister could be an opportunity. You could have Winston (or Casey Costello) as Minister of Crown/Maori Relations, who would handle the collective apoplexy of the establishment as it is made clear that public services should be based on need not race.
Consider the fun you could have if Shane Jones is (for example) Minister of energy. The Greens and Te Pāti Māori will rage against him, while National focused on the cost of living and fixing the health and education systems.
If we want a three-term National-led Government, we want the three parties of the centre-right fighting the left on woke identity politics, envy taxes, soft on crime policies, wasteful spending – not fighting each other.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.
7 comments:
I like the idea of Winston as broadcasting minister!
Initially, I was completely against NZ First as part of a centre-right government.
But I'm coming round to the idea that 2 strongly anti-co-governance parties will be needed to push and prod woke National to do anything meaningful.
And i like the idea of Casey Costello as Maori Affairs Minister....a lot!
Now it all depends on Winston and whether he wants to be remembered for sticking to his word or reverting to form and grandstanding.
Winston and his team are ready to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in.
They are needed in this coalition government in the fight against 'in your face apartheid' that got out of control under that last useless administration masquerading as a democratic government.
We the people will be watching and paying a lot more attention from now on, and won't be shy in calling out BS and holding politicians to account going forward.
NZ First should consider sticking with a supply and confidence arrangement in order to ensure that there is a credible opposition to any government as there was none during the Arden government when they were in it with her and then out of parliament altogether. Someone needs to hold the politicians accountable and it certainly won't be the media.
NZ First has a great deal of talent and experience to offer the government team. Casey and Mark Mitchell would transform law and order. Winston, Foreign Affairs. In spite of what people may think about his track record, he would never be guilty of betraying his country.
Winston Peters will be bad enough in government, and much worse in opposition. Therefore Luxton must welcome him. Give him the rugby racing and beer portfolios, the 3 billion dollar election campaign provincial growth fund, and the other baubles he wants, but not foreign affairs. It would be a disaster if he went put Labour in again (still possible when all the specials and the by- election have been counted). Alan Davidson
There is much to be said for John Key's suggestion of Winston as Speaker.
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