The Idea of a National/Green govt

[Rep]

Lets assume you are right. That would give a Labour (46 seats) / Green (8 seats) / NZ First (9 Seats) coalition of 63 seats. National (56 seats) and ACT (1 Seat) would be in opposition with 57 seats. Giving a the Coalition a 3 seat buffer.

This means for the coalition to work there cant be any more than 2 fruitloops (oops I mean people with integrity and a conscience) in the coalition who are a risk of crossing the house. Bwahahaha

It's odds on that we normally have a byelection or two in each cycle.

Fortuitously, since neither the Greens or NZFirst won an electorate seat, it would only be a Labour seat that potentially would be lost that would halve the projected majority or make it disappear in a bare majority situation.

Labour won few rural seats apart from West Coast so it's the Auckland Mount electorates, Beltway seats, Christchurch and Dunedin that they need to shore up...

And hope no Labour/Green or NZ First backbencher crosses the floor - remember Labour were exposed over foreshore and seabed when Turia resigned Parliament and won the byelection as an independent.

I don't think she was a fruitloop at all. Even if you don't agree with her politics, she had the integrity to resign, seek and have an elected mandate to resume in Parliament and did a deal with the Key government.

If there is a left bloc, they'd better be mindful that they pay more than lip service to Treaty and Maori issues because the clean sweep of the Maori seats is both a strength and a weakness.

[minimoke]

If there is a left bloc, they'd better be mindful that they pay more than lip service to Treaty and Maori issues because the clean sweep of the Maori seats is both a strength and a weakness.

And that left bloc need to be mindful of NZ First stated policy which is:

MĀORI SEATS REFERENDUM

• Māori don’t need the Māori seats. They don’t need tokenism. That is why we commit to a referendum of all electors to retain or abolish the Māori seats.

SERVING MĀORI INTERESTS

• Ensure that all policy-making is based on need and not on race, creed or colour.
• Restructure the Ministry for Māori Development.
• End Whanau Ora and redirect resources into programmes that work for all Māori.
• Encourage Māori to build houses on collectively owned land.
• Strengthen the structures of the Māori Women's Welfare League, Māori Wardens and Te Kōhanga Reo.
• Address entrenched problems associated with the rating of multiple owned Māori land and rates remission.
• Ensure that the role of the Māori Language Commission is focused on actively protecting Māori language and culture, not under the guise of a Treaty obligation, but rather because they are the indigenous language and culture of New Zealand.

THE TREATY OF WAITANGI

• The Treaty should be a source of national pride and unity and not used to expand the separate rights of Māori or anyone else.
• The Treaty is not part of the New Zealand Constitution. It is not capable of supporting the extraction of so-called ‘principles’ for any legislative or government purpose. Ill-defined and abstract ‘principles’ are a recipe for legal and constitutional misunderstanding and dispute.
• The Waitangi Tribunal must fully, fairly and finally complete the settlement of all outstanding claims. New Zealand First believes in the concept of a fair go for all New Zealanders and this includes settling genuine historical grievances.

And best I dont say anymore on those Maori seats or how these policie could play out as it will only get me into trouble

[minimoke]

Greens just gifted National their questions during Question Time. That will put a dampen on Green MP exposure. Must be some quid pro quo in there somewhere. Labour / NZ First ought to be a bit worried

[artemis]

Greens just gifted National their questions during Question Time. That will put a dampen on Green MP exposure. Must be some quid pro quo in there somewhere. Labour / NZ First ought to be a bit worried

Mr Shaw said Greens are not keen on patsy questions. Not surprising - he looked like a dork when answering a series of patsies on the census.

[iceman]

I don't think we should be reading anything into the Greens gifting their questions to National. They have a history of criticising the "patsy" questions and would look silly to then use it themselves as soon as they have an opportunity to. I give them credit for trying to look credible, which they're probably desperate for as they hardly get any media exposure under this Government setup !!
Labour and Winnie will be fuming they did this

[blackcap]

Labour and Winnie will be fuming they did this

No no no, Ian Lees Galloway was saying Labour were pleased with this....

[minimoke]

I don't think we should be reading anything into the Greens gifting their questions to National. They have a history of criticising the "patsy" questions and would look silly to then use it themselves as soon as they have an opportunity to. I give them credit for trying to look credible, which they're probably desperate for as they hardly get any media exposure under this Government setup !!
Labour and Winnie will be fuming they did this

I dont recall any rule that says a question has to be a "patsy". What they have done, if nothing else, is loosing an opportunity of media exposure which will be given to National during Question Time.

Perhaps this is also a step where the Greens distance themselves from the mess that Labour is currently in with covering up the sexual abuse during the Labour Camp. Greens have been as silent as Tamiti Coffey.

[iceman]

Agree there are no rules that say they have to be patsy, but majority of them always are. I agree with you about the Greens losing an opportunity to use this for furthering their profile, but understand their reasoning for it. I hope National shows some fairness and appreciation and uses many of these questions in the environment arena.

[minimoke]

Agree there are no rules that say they have to be patsy, but majority of them always are. I agree with you about the Greens losing an opportunity to use this for furthering their profile, but understand their reasoning for it. I hope National shows some fairness and appreciation and uses many of these questions in the environment arena.

I am still at a loss with the reasoning. Also no rule that I know of that says if you have questions you must use them.

We have Greens gifting national questions. Labour gifting National an undercover scandal. What has NZ First got up its sleeve to share in the festivities ( I dont think Ron Marks use of helicopters really counts)

[fungus pudding]

I am still at a loss with the reasoning.

It's known as Kermit logic.