Finally we have a Government

The speculation was right. NZ First and United Future are in, and the Greens are out. Winston Peters now represents NZ to the world.

Clark seems to be creating a number of new constitutional conventions. The article states:

Both positions will be outside of Cabinet allowing them to disagree with the Government on issues outside of their portfolio areas.

This is in contradiction to the cabinet manual which makes it clear there is no difference in collective responsibility if Ministers are outside Cabinet.

Secondly an entirely new position of spokesperson for the Government has been created and given to the Greens. This seems to be the equivalent of Peters and Dunne getting to eat the roast ham at the top table while Jeanette and Rod get the jelly-meat so they don’t starve.

Thirdly it looks like it is being claimed that it is only a Labour-Progressive Government. The convention has been that any parties represented in the Executive as Ministers are recognised as part of the Government.

Fourthly (and this one isn’t something Clark is asserting) the article claims National and ACT will be the official opposition. Not so. The Greens and the Maori Party will be also, as they do not hold ministerial roles.