Purge of old Labour
Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 at 8:59 PM | Permalink
Speculation has resurfaced that Labour will seek to emulate National's intake of new faces by purging backbenchers who failed to win their electorate seat. Former Labour staffer Mark Blackham has predicted that Russell Fairbrother, Dianne Yates and Jim Sutton would be gone by the end of the year. Others rumoured to be on the hit-list include Jill Pettis and Ann Hartley.
In a move unprecedented in living memory, the Labour hierarchy is organising a major revitalisation of its Parliamentary ranks. It is planning to secure this year the resignation from Parliament of a swag of its list MPs. The electoral rules then offer the free places to the next people on Labour's original election Party list.
Labour cannot actually do this without the agreement of the MPs in question, so all manner of inducements and sticks are being tried. Likely roles include chairing boards and overseas foreign affairs postings.
It is clear that Labour's intake from the last couple of elections is not enough to succeed the current leadership, recent cabinet promotions such as David Benson-Pope, David Parker and David Cunliffe have proved liabilities as much as assets.
National conducted a painful and traumatic renewal prior to the 2002 election but the payoff is showing: Don Brash and John Key in control with the path clear for performing newcomers such as Jonathon Coleman, Mark Blumsky, Chester Borrows and Chris Finlayson.
Helen Clark has long traded stability and loyalty for talent and fresh faces; in fact it has been a key ingredient of the Fifth Labour Government's success. But nothing lasts forever.
Tags: Labour disunity
In a move unprecedented in living memory, the Labour hierarchy is organising a major revitalisation of its Parliamentary ranks. It is planning to secure this year the resignation from Parliament of a swag of its list MPs. The electoral rules then offer the free places to the next people on Labour's original election Party list.
Labour cannot actually do this without the agreement of the MPs in question, so all manner of inducements and sticks are being tried. Likely roles include chairing boards and overseas foreign affairs postings.
It is clear that Labour's intake from the last couple of elections is not enough to succeed the current leadership, recent cabinet promotions such as David Benson-Pope, David Parker and David Cunliffe have proved liabilities as much as assets.
National conducted a painful and traumatic renewal prior to the 2002 election but the payoff is showing: Don Brash and John Key in control with the path clear for performing newcomers such as Jonathon Coleman, Mark Blumsky, Chester Borrows and Chris Finlayson.
Helen Clark has long traded stability and loyalty for talent and fresh faces; in fact it has been a key ingredient of the Fifth Labour Government's success. But nothing lasts forever.
Tags: Labour disunity
Cullen losing tax debate
Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 at 9:01 PM | Permalink
National successfully forced tax cuts back onto the public agenda in 2006 despite losing last year's election. Now Michael Cullen is coping flack from all sides, including his counterpart Peter Costello in Australia:
And if there are Kiwis who have skills and who want to come to Australia as skilled immigrants, of course they would be welcome in Australia. If they can play rugby union they will be double welcome.
Labour has tried to attack Brash as an unpatriotic New Zealander who only wants tax cuts for personal gain.
The most potent warning from Australia comes not from its Treasurer, but the latest opinion polls showing a drop in consumer confidence following Costello's A$37 billion in tax cuts (NZ Herald, 18 May 2006).
And if there are Kiwis who have skills and who want to come to Australia as skilled immigrants, of course they would be welcome in Australia. If they can play rugby union they will be double welcome.
Labour has tried to attack Brash as an unpatriotic New Zealander who only wants tax cuts for personal gain.
The most potent warning from Australia comes not from its Treasurer, but the latest opinion polls showing a drop in consumer confidence following Costello's A$37 billion in tax cuts (NZ Herald, 18 May 2006).
Labour succumbs to investment tax pressure
Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 8:22 PM | Permalink
Labour has done a partial u-turn providing Guinness Peat Group shareholders with a five-year exemption to the new capital gains tax on foreign investment. Quite what GPG has done to deserve an individual exemption is unclear but it is obvious their lobbying got to Michael Cullen and Peter Dunne.
Tags: Labour u-turns
Tags: Labour u-turns
Hooton calls for Brash to go
Posted on Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 9:00 PM | Permalink
In his latest Sunday Star Times column Matthew Hooton has written that Don Brash has achieved his goal of rescuing the National Party, and it is now time to stand aside.
National's poll-rating is 42%, New Zealand is blessed with the most talented alternative government in its history and the financial position of the party vis-à-vis Labour is outstanding...
But Brash is now an impediment to National achieving the next 5-10% of the vote it needs to dislodge the increasingly corrupt Labour regime...
By the end of last year's election campaign, he had communicated to Maori, solo mums, homosexuals, immigrants and people planning to vote Labour that he did not see them as "mainstream New Zealanders" - yet the latter group defines who National needs to win power.
National has restored is "core" support which went awol at the 2002 election and reaffirmed what it stands for. All that is left is for National to reach out across the centre ground to attract soft Labour and United Future voters.
National's poll-rating is 42%, New Zealand is blessed with the most talented alternative government in its history and the financial position of the party vis-à-vis Labour is outstanding...
But Brash is now an impediment to National achieving the next 5-10% of the vote it needs to dislodge the increasingly corrupt Labour regime...
By the end of last year's election campaign, he had communicated to Maori, solo mums, homosexuals, immigrants and people planning to vote Labour that he did not see them as "mainstream New Zealanders" - yet the latter group defines who National needs to win power.
National has restored is "core" support which went awol at the 2002 election and reaffirmed what it stands for. All that is left is for National to reach out across the centre ground to attract soft Labour and United Future voters.
Brash walking the plank
Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 8:18 PM | Permalink
Only two days after poorly handling an impromptu press conference, Don Brash was snapped in a most unfortunate photo op - walking the plank. For photo see today's print edition of the NZ Herald.
Also in today's NZ Herald is a column from John Armstrong summarising Brash's inability to compete in the cut and thrust of the House:
It must have been an especially pressing appointment that required Don Brash to walk out of Parliament prior to yesterday afternoon's free-for-all general debate and return to his office.
Otherwise his absence has to be viewed as being little short of an abdication of leadership.
Despite his colleagues' efforts to erect smokescreens to hide the obvious, National MPs were left leaderless as Labour lined up speaker after speaker to rubbish Dr Brash's bungled handling of a press conference the day before.
Also in today's NZ Herald is a column from John Armstrong summarising Brash's inability to compete in the cut and thrust of the House:
It must have been an especially pressing appointment that required Don Brash to walk out of Parliament prior to yesterday afternoon's free-for-all general debate and return to his office.
Otherwise his absence has to be viewed as being little short of an abdication of leadership.
Despite his colleagues' efforts to erect smokescreens to hide the obvious, National MPs were left leaderless as Labour lined up speaker after speaker to rubbish Dr Brash's bungled handling of a press conference the day before.
