If you have ever wondered what cannon fodder looks like in politics, check out the news from Hutt South today.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has urged NZ First supporters in that electorate to give their candidate votes to National’s Chris Bishop to ensure he retains the seat. He is focusing on securing the party vote for NZ First.
As RNZ tells it:
Winston Peters has told his supporters in the Hutt South electorate to vote for National candidate Chris Bishop, because he could be out of Parliament if he doesn’t win the seat.
“Your electorate vote decides who represents the Hutt. Your party vote decides the balance of power in Parliament,” he told a packed public meeting in Lower Hutt on Wednesday evening.
Peters suggested Bishop was a “cut above” the usual National MP while (applying the labyrinthine logic of a veteran vote musterer) emphasising
… that didn’t mean an endorsement for National, rather, it was about making it clear “who should represent New Zealand”.
On current polling, RNZ noted, Bishop (along with other senior National ministers) is at risk of not making it back into Parliament if he doesn’t win his electorate.
Peters later told reporters that Bishop’s work on RMA reform in particular showed he was a capable member of and “serious contributor” to cabinet.
Peters said sometimes “you look across Parliament” at other parties and see people with real talent and ability.
“Unlike the claims of many political parties, people with real skills, insider knowledge and experience are not abundant in Parliament.
“So something like that would be a loss.”
The cannon fodder in this story is Alistair Boyce, the New Zealand First candidate for the Hutt South seat.
His prospects of making it into Parliament (never too strong, to be fair) have been shot down by his leader telling Hutt South people not to vote for him.
True, Peters is urging the same Hutt South people to cast their party votes in favour of New Zealand First.
But Boyce is in 35th place on the party list.
RNZ said he is “unlikely to make it into Parliament on the party’s current polling”.
Unlikely? About as likely (PoO ventures) as the Conservative Party’s leader becoming Prime Minister.
Fair to say, he is a dutiful trooper.
Boyce told RNZ he and Bishop had their “cup of tea” moment last week. Boyce joked that Bishop wouldn’t endorse the New Zealand First party vote in return.
“Bish won’t get in with the overhang. National haven’t got enough party votes, they’re all wasted. The only way he’ll get in is as the candidate for Hutt South.
“We’re all about the party vote. We believe in the overhang. If we can get Bish in, it’ll benefit us.”
He obviously knows and accepts his place in the campaign to optimise New Zealand First’s political strength.
Boyce acknowledged it wasn’t realistic “at all” he himself would get into Parliament.
“There’s not a chance at 35 getting into parliament. That’s not a consideration.
“The consideration is the best thing and the right thing to do for our country, and for the makeup of the strong coalition government.”
Boyce is a local businessman and the owner of Wellington’s well-known Backbencher Pub & Café.
It looks like he phlegmatically accepts his lot. He is more likely to be found in the Backbencher serving pints to order in the next three years rather than sitting on the back benches over the road from the pub making or listening to Parliamentary points of order.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE.
“Your electorate vote decides who represents the Hutt. Your party vote decides the balance of power in Parliament,” he told a packed public meeting in Lower Hutt on Wednesday evening.
Peters suggested Bishop was a “cut above” the usual National MP while (applying the labyrinthine logic of a veteran vote musterer) emphasising
… that didn’t mean an endorsement for National, rather, it was about making it clear “who should represent New Zealand”.
On current polling, RNZ noted, Bishop (along with other senior National ministers) is at risk of not making it back into Parliament if he doesn’t win his electorate.
Peters later told reporters that Bishop’s work on RMA reform in particular showed he was a capable member of and “serious contributor” to cabinet.
Peters said sometimes “you look across Parliament” at other parties and see people with real talent and ability.
“Unlike the claims of many political parties, people with real skills, insider knowledge and experience are not abundant in Parliament.
“So something like that would be a loss.”
The cannon fodder in this story is Alistair Boyce, the New Zealand First candidate for the Hutt South seat.
His prospects of making it into Parliament (never too strong, to be fair) have been shot down by his leader telling Hutt South people not to vote for him.
True, Peters is urging the same Hutt South people to cast their party votes in favour of New Zealand First.
But Boyce is in 35th place on the party list.
RNZ said he is “unlikely to make it into Parliament on the party’s current polling”.
Unlikely? About as likely (PoO ventures) as the Conservative Party’s leader becoming Prime Minister.
Fair to say, he is a dutiful trooper.
Boyce told RNZ he and Bishop had their “cup of tea” moment last week. Boyce joked that Bishop wouldn’t endorse the New Zealand First party vote in return.
“Bish won’t get in with the overhang. National haven’t got enough party votes, they’re all wasted. The only way he’ll get in is as the candidate for Hutt South.
“We’re all about the party vote. We believe in the overhang. If we can get Bish in, it’ll benefit us.”
He obviously knows and accepts his place in the campaign to optimise New Zealand First’s political strength.
Boyce acknowledged it wasn’t realistic “at all” he himself would get into Parliament.
“There’s not a chance at 35 getting into parliament. That’s not a consideration.
“The consideration is the best thing and the right thing to do for our country, and for the makeup of the strong coalition government.”
Boyce is a local businessman and the owner of Wellington’s well-known Backbencher Pub & Café.
It looks like he phlegmatically accepts his lot. He is more likely to be found in the Backbencher serving pints to order in the next three years rather than sitting on the back benches over the road from the pub making or listening to Parliamentary points of order.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE.
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