October 19, 2005 8:14pm by David Farrar

Who said this?

Every week National Radio has on two former Ministerial advisors on to review the week in politics. They are Matthew Hooton who worked for Lockwood Smith and Peter Harris who worked for Michael Cullen.

Now this week, one of them said this about the new Government:

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BruceHaycock

Clark is smart. Going with UF and NZ1 rather than Green and MP shifts the perception of her govt toward the centre-right, in keeping with the mood of an important part of the centre electorate. Don’t think this sister has given up the on-going positioning of Labour as the natural party of govt

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October 19, 2005 8:57pm

Belt

“…what ordinary voters are thinking?”

From what I see around the place, they are thinking:

“at least it is better than the alternative – a National-led Government”

Pragmatism at its bluntest.

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October 19, 2005 9:35pm

P. Crem

And why did Brash shaft Hide to have tea with Dunne when Dunne was always prepared to stab him in the back? At the time Brash did this many said that Dunne couldn’t be trusted. It was just bad taste for DB to ignore a good ally like Hide in favour of sending out a message to National voters that his coalition partner would be Dunne. All he did was help deliver a coalition partner to Clark.

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October 19, 2005 9:55pm

Aspidistra

I think it’s kind of a silly question to ask “What must Labour voters be thinking?!”

It might be interesting to know what Green voters, NZ1st voters, United voters and Maori voters are thinking.

But to ask Labour voters? Well chances are you’re one of them. Or your partner is, or the girl you sit next on the bus and the guy who sits next to you at work is a Labour voter.

We don’t need to hypothesize about what these voters might think, how outraged they might be at having Winston as a minister, how betrayed they might feel. Because they’re everywhere, we know what they think.

And if my last two days in the real world are any inclination they 1) understand that Helen needed to do what she had to do; and 2) like most people whoever they voted for, don’t actually care very much.

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October 19, 2005 10:08pm

Paul W

Harris’s comments are fine DPF. No one would have predicted this outcome at the begining of the election but as others have said here and elsewhere, it reasonably reflects the election result and is a very smart move by Labour.

I’m not blaming Brash, though I really do wonder about the logic of his strategy in the last few days – he sounds like a spurned lover criticising the new brides choice of bridesmaids – but he needs to get past this and start planning to be an effective opposition. All this tea-leaf gazing is a distraction, the GG will do her bit, parliament will open and the show will be back on in earnest.

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October 19, 2005 10:13pm

sock thief

I think the lesson is to see a great deal of what politicians say about who they will or wont work with for what it really is – pre-election posturing and rhetoric. Nothing is carved stone. That’s politics.

For Labour and Green supporters to see Winston as a minister as a betrayal is just as silly as National supporters saying it amounts to Helen lying.

Harris’ comments are all very well for someone who doesn’t actually have to make the decisions.

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October 19, 2005 10:51pm

timbarclay

Dunny was playing a double game all right. Using National to screw more out of Clark. She had made up her mind nearly 2 weeks ago and before the 57 votes letter that the Greens were out which left her no choice but to deal with Dunny (who must have given her a very clear signal to ignore any dealings with National). Leading Don into the 57 votes letter was just an attempt to screw something extra out of Labour. At least Winston (this time) had the honesty to ignore Dunny’s promises of support to National.

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October 20, 2005 8:56am

John Pickering

What nonsense P Crem taling about Dunne not being “trusted.” He had a public cuppa with Brash sending a message “We can work with National too.” and that’s it … NO promises. Everytime he was asked who he’d go with he said that he could work with either. What is the point in being a centre party if you are not able to work with parties on either side of the political sepctrum AND you are pragmatic enough to do so.
Well prior to the election campaign National and Labour had indicated that UF was a preferred partner – they’d prooved they were trustworthy.
Besides, once Winston decided to go with Labour over the weekend, UF had no real option but to follow suit (the alternative would have been to take the blame for not forming a govt and that would have been political suicide).
I’m constantly surprised at how left and right people, including those who post here, view politics. Under MMP the parties in the centre will always punch above their weight and be critical in govt formation.

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October 20, 2005 9:04am

gd

Watching this rag tag bunch of cretins is going to provide plenty of entertainment for how ever long it lasts.Luigi and Dunny are going to be at each others throats before long and by Budget time it will be all on for man and boy to get the biggest slice so they can show their voters how well they have done.Wonderful.

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October 20, 2005 11:29am

timbarclay

Centre Parties that have no real philosophical compass other that they are no so and so and who punch above their weight will be punched all right. Hard, especially when they double deal. The National Party thinks they have been dicked by Dunny. They have up to 3 years to get rid of Dunny out of Ohairiu (Mark Blumsky??), not impossible given National won the Party vote comfortably.

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October 20, 2005 2:41pm

John Pickering

Where’s it written, Tim, that a party or politician can only point left or right? Politics is much more multidimensional than a simple left-right political spectrum.
National “getting rid” of Dunne won’t help them to get the reigns of government. Are you seriously thinking that they’ll try and play the high risk “we can get 50.1%” card again? They’re fools if they try even if UF and NZ1 go under there will still be the Maori party they’d have to deal with.

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October 20, 2005 3:06pm

Paul W

Hey DPF: I just listened to this interview on RNZ’s brilliant new site.

Someone, guess who, goes on to say that they think the government will stay together for 3 years, is the government the electorate wanted, will be well managed by Helen, will probably deliver tax cuts, and may well win a FOURTH term.

I wonder why you didn’t extract that quote and ask who said it – your mate Hooton!

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October 21, 2005 6:03pm