Sometimes it’s hard to see why New Zealand went with Mixed Member Proportional representation, when if we really wanted a PR system we could have gone for the ‘real deal’ and left the electorate component out of the equation and just had 120 list MPs. It would certainly solve a lot of MMP’s problems that are continually complained about. The latest complaint is around so-called ‘electorate stich-ups’, with National’s strategic deals in Epsom and Ohariu being the focus of much political commentary in the last week. The must-read account of the moment is by Claire Trevett – see: Deals on the table, this time with a price. Trevett explains that the Epsom and Ohariu deals shouldn’t really be seen as remarkable, and it’d be more newsworthy if such deal making wasn’t happening. But she does point out that there are in fact two reasons that the 2011 ‘stitch-ups’ are different: (1) ‘This is the first time National has extracted a price in return. Deals have been made under which Act will not stand candidates in at least two marginal seats to maximise National's chances - Waimakariri, held by Labour's Clayton Cosgrove, and New Plymouth, which National's Jonathan Young holds with a tiny majority. Up to eight others are under negotiation’; and (2) ‘the usual quiet hints have increased to loudhailer volume. In the past it wasn't done to openly admit you were working the system, even though most parties did it to some extent’. The other decent account of the MMP ‘stitch-ups’ is by Anthony Hubbard – see: The Epsom equation – in which he comes up with a fantastic quote about the Epsom deal, by Green candidate David Hay: ‘National has selected a candidate it doesn't want to win [Goldsmith], in order to support a candidate they don't want in parliament [Act candidate and former Nat John Banks], to get someone else in parliament that the Epsom voters wouldn't vote for [Act leader Don Brash.]’. Another very astute piece of analysis by Hubbard can also be read in his article, Top dogs, battlers... and Hone. [Continue reading below for a full list of the highlights of NZ Politics Daily]
Below are the internet links to all the NZ politics material from the last 24 hours that are either informative, insightful, interesting or influential. This list and the links are taken from a fuller document, NZ Politics Daily, which is emailed out, Monday to Friday, to various researchers, academics, journalists, MPs and so forth. The document is purely for research purposes only, and if you would like to be on the subscription list, please email: bryce.edwards@otago.ac.nz
Electorate deals
Claire Trevett (NZH): Deals on the table, this time with a price
Anthony Hubbard (SST): The Epsom equation
John Hartevelt (SST): Electorate stitch-ups could still come undone
Vernon Small and Danya Levy (Dom Post): Dunne deal as Shanks toes line
TV3: Strategic deal with Act to win National seats
Gareth Hughes (Frogblog): Ohariu: deal or no deal?
NZPA: ACT may not join government – Brash
Editorial (NZH): Parties do deals at their peril
James Meager (mydeology): MMP – it’s a stitch-up!
John Key’s Washington visit
Audrey Young (NZH): US-NZ relationship has come of age, says Key
NZH: Visit seals the deal on partnership
Audrey Young (NZH): Key-Obama meeting cut short
TV3: Key’s US visit ‘highly symbolic’
TVNZ: Key wraps up US visit with Obama meeting
Tim Watkin (Pundit): John Key & Barack Obama - the wedding night & other negotiations
TV3: Repairing the ANZUS breakdown - Key and Obama
Tracy Watkins (Dom Post): Key a man the US can do business with
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): US grants John Key's every wish
Audrey Young (NZH): All go, now the rock is out of the way
Audrey Young (NZH): Trans-Pacific trade deal top of agenda at White House
Audrey Young (NZH): Tiny NZ a big part of US trade growth plans
NBR staff: TVNZ's Q+A interview with John Key
Israeli spy allegations
TVNZ: Goff complains to SIS about PM's briefing claim
Danya Levy (Dom Post): PM regrets comment on Israelis
Derek Cheng (NZH): Spy claims ridiculous, say Israelis
Jared Morgan (Southland Times): Green MP questions Israeli rescuer's links
David Fisher (NZH): Israeli search team leader refutes spy allegations
Jared Morgan (Southland Times): Israeli Kibbutz culture 'explains silence'
Lane Nichols (Dom Post): Spy man says NZ credible target
Fran O’Sullivan (NZH): NZ reaction to Israel 'scandal' exposes official wariness
Kerre Woodham (NZH): Israeli backpackers - were they spooks?
Paul Thomas (NZH): Trivial story with no sex and no intrigue
Patrick Goodenough (NZH): Stereotypes rife in Israel 'spy' coverage
Kiwipolitico: Reputation and precedent in the construction of the “spy” story.
SST Editorial: How spin doctors botched news of accidental spy [Not currently online]
Horizon poll
SST: National 10pc ahead in poll
RadioLIVE: New poll says still life in Labour ahead of election
The Dim-Post: Deep question
Imperator Fish: Is Latest Horizon Poll Credible?
Child welfare
TVNZ: Controversial paper addresses child abuse
Danya Levy (Dom Post): Child abuse review called political stunt
Simon Collins (NZH): Our hungry kids: Hungry pupils 'need taxpayer help'
TVNZ: Not only Maori children abused – researcher
SAS in Afghanistan
TVNZ: Time for SAS to regroup, says Key
Editorial (ODT): Parliament’s call
Matt McCarten (NZH): Let's not forget SAS is under civilian control
Political communication
NZH: Labour in trouble again over ads
No Right Turn: FFS Labour
Whaleoil: You are who your ad man is — Part One
Whaleoil: You are who your ad-man is — Part Two
Whaleoil: You are who your ad-man is — Part Three
Whaleoil: Is Mallard Zetetic?
Maori politics
Marta Steeman (Press): Iwi eyes options in quake rebuild
Kieran Nash (NZH): Board faces taniwha advice fee
Yvonne Tahana (NZH): Give me another run at top job says Tamaki
Elizabeth Binning (NZH): Maori lodge claim over kohanga reo discrimination
Stuff: Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan dies
Other
Anthony Hubbard (SST): Top dogs, battlers... and Hone
Grant Duncan (Policy Matters): The Key to Power
Dom Post: This Week in Politics
Dom Post: Today in Politics – Monday
Newstalk ZB: Mclean is Selwyn candidate
Neil Reid (SST): Farmers jab back at Green MP's antibiotics claims
Kiran Chug (Dom Post): Climate talks show NZ hypocrisy, says WWF
Editorial (NZH): Give priority to genuine refugees
NZPA: NZ worst for domestic violence - UN report
TVNZ: Govt tries to deport bashed wife
Deborah Coddington (NZH): Everything fine then in education? Yeah, right!
TVNZ: British MP advocates welfare reform in NZ
Steve Braunias (Southland Times): The secret diary of Don Brash
