Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 14/11/23

Abuzz with conjecture

No, nothing new on the government’s official website again today.

But the media are abuzz with conjecture about the whereabouts of someone who – in all likelihood – is bound to become an inhabitant of a Beehive ministerial office before long.

The Stuff website typically was asking:

Live: Where’s Winston? Coalition talks ramp up but no sign of Peters; Labour MP flies to Apec

The news was:

• New Zealand First leader Winston Peters had not flown into Wellington for coalition negotiations.

ACT leader David Seymour earlier today said all party leaders would be in Wellington, paving the way for tri-partisan negotiations to begin. But shortly before 1pm, when the rest of the NZ First caucus headed for lunch, they were without Peters. Casey Costello – ranked third on the party’s list – claimed she didn’t even know if Peters is in Wellington.

• The caretaker Labour minister for trade, Damien O’Connor, has gone to San Francisco for the APEC forum and a meeting of trade ministers.

Yep, the new PM had wanted to go – but forming the government is more important than hobnobbing with world leaders.

Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton