Hipkins congratulates another second-placed team – the one that he captains – and promises it will provide tough opposition
Within 30 minutes of Point of Order posting its Buzz yesterday, the mainstream media were bursting with news of the final count from the 2023 General Election.
Fellow blogger David Farrar was quick to post the news, too, on Kiwiblog:
2023 Election Final Results
2023 Election Final Results
Electorates that changed party from the provisional results are:
- Tāmaki Makaurau from Labour to TPM
- te tai tokerau from Labour to TPM
- nelson from National to Labour
- Te Atatu from National to Labour
Parliament will have 123 seats so 62 needed to govern. National and ACT are 59 seats (and 60 probably after Port Waikato) so need NZ First who bring the government to 68 seats and 55 seats for the opposition.
If you want it officially, one of the Scoop sites, Latest Politics Headlines, subsequently posted this from the Electoral Commission:
The Electoral Commission has declared the official results for the 2023 General Election. Party vote – main points The National Party has two fewer seats, Te Pāti Māori has gained two, and the Green Party has gained one more. More >>
For good measure, the same Scoop site carried advice from various quarters for the incoming government:
The Taxpayers’ Union congratulates the members of the new Parliament and is calling on them to immediately begin delivering on the mandate from voters by slashing spending, cutting red tape, and unwinding the damage of big, inefficient, and high-cost government. … More >>
The EMA today congratulated the successful candidates in the 2023 general election and urged the three parties likely to form the new government to move with urgency to finalise governing arrangements. More >>
Greenpeace is urging the National Party to keep New Zealand First out of any oceans or fisheries portfolios – citing previous examples of Winston Peters’ party pandering to fishing industry interests and blocking much-needed ocean protection. More >>
But the government’s official website – the usual hunting ground for Buzz news – remained unproductive, as it has done since caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and his caretaker Minister of Sport and Recreation, Grant Robertson, congratulated the All Blacks on their effort in finishing runners-up in the Men’s Rugby World Cup in Paris.
Point of Order accordingly turned to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines site to find who was saying what.
And guess what? We found news here in the form of Chris Hipkins congratulating another runner-up:
Experienced Labour Team Core Of Formidable Opposition
A 34-strong Labour Caucus has been confirmed with the final 2023 General Election result received today.
“The new Labour team will be a formidable Opposition, who will proudly stand on the Government’s record over the past six years and hold the expected three-party governing arrangement to account,” Chris Hipkins said.
This self-congratulatory press statement was one of four posted by political parties after the final count had been announced.
“With the special votes finally counted, ACT is proud to have achieved its greatest ever election result. Now it’s time for real change,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. More >>
A 34-strong Labour Caucus has been confirmed with the final 2023 General Election result received today. “ More >>
The Green Party is today celebrating its biggest election result ever. More >>
Te Pāti Māori are celebrating the most successful election result in the Party’s history following the announcement of the final vote count today. More >>
At time of checking, no similar statements had been posted by the National Party or New Zealand First. Too busy negotiating terms for coalition, perhaps.
In his statement promising formidable opposition from his Parliamentary team, Chris Hipkins said:
“We’ve got great talent and experience in our team, including a number of former Ministers, and we plan to work hard to win back the confidence of more New Zealanders over the next three years.
“Labour’s careful economic management is seeing the economy turn a corner, inflation and food prices coming down, low unemployment and growing wages. We’ve made inroads in important areas like climate change and child poverty.
“While Labour governed during an incredibly challenging time for New Zealand, progress was being made. We can’t let that go to waste.
“We will be an Opposition that will hold Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and Winston Peters to account and stand up for working people, our children and the environment.
“The incoming Government made big promises during the campaign and made it very clear to New Zealanders that they will deliver on all of them. This includes tax cuts of $250 per fortnight for many families, significant reductions in crime, greater numbers of frontline health workers and a free trade deal with India.
“We will be holding them to account for these promises but will also remain vigilant against any policies that hurt working families, our economy, and the environment.”
Chris Hipkins said the results show Labour has lost both senior and new MPs who worked hard for New Zealand and New Zealanders.
“I want to personally thank those MPs and their families, who have given so much to the country and to the Labour Party. Thank you for working hard to make a difference for your communities and for New Zealand.
“Labour has been sent a message and we have heard it. We will be working hard to rebuild support over the next three years and continue to stand up for working people, children and the environment.
“It has been an absolute privilege to serve as Prime Minister, and I’d like to offer my warmest thanks to everyone who supported me, and our Government over the past six years,” Chris Hipkins said.
Among the raft of mainstream media reports posted on line after the final votes had been announced, Point of Order paid special attention to the analysis of veteran political reporter Peter Wilson under the headline The Week in Politics: It all depends on Peters
Wilson addressed the possible shape of the new cabinet, whose ministerial press statements will provide the grist for the Buzz mill over the next three years:
When agreement on the shape of the government has been reached, Luxon’s next task will be putting his cabinet together.
His latest position on that was only two roles were locked in – his own as prime minister and his deputy Nicola Willis as finance minister.
He has to say he hasn’t made decisions on the other portfolios because he doesn’t know what ACT and NZ First are going to want, and until he does he won’t be able to appoint any of his own MPs.
He has, however, given very clear indications of who will get some of the important portfolios and Stuff collected some quotes on that.
Wilson sets out the case for Health going to Shane Reti, Police to Mark Mitchell,
And then he notes:
Luxon intends creating three new roles – he’s going to have a minister for mental health, a minister for space and a minister for hunting and fishing.
Names are suggested for just one of those posts: Matt Doocey is mooted as minister of mental health and suicide prevention.
Wilson then says:
Other MPs almost certain to be given high-ranking positions include Chris Bishop, the housing and infrastructure spokesperson; Erica Stanford who has education; Gerry Brownlee who handles foreign affairs and Simeon Brown, transport.
And the job of deputy prime minister?
Wilson says either ACT’s David Seymour or New Zealand First’s Winston Peters might demand the job, although neither has given any indication that they want it.
He quotes the Herald’s Audrey Young on the issue: she said Willis should definitely be deputy prime minister and explained why in an article headed “Nicola Willis is the clear pick for deputy prime minister after Winston Peters’ meltdown and David Seymour’s tax dig”.
Young said both would have a claim to the position but both would be problematic, for different reasons.
Readers can read either Young’s article or Wilson’s analysis to find out what those reasons might be.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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