Opposition performance statistics Q2 2012
This is the second quarter of performance stats for opposition MPs. The post of the first quarter stats has the full explanations and methodology.
First looking at the parties, there is a small difference in terms of press releases. NZ First average the most, then Greens, then Labour. We see the same with news stories, with NZ First highest, then Greens and then Labour.
However when it comes to asking written questions, Labour are out in front of the other parties, with Greens and NZ First well behind.
For press releases, the five top MPs are Winston Peters, David Shearer, Russel Norman, Metiria Turei and Hone Harawira – the five party leaders. Turei is now doing far more than in Q1. After the five party leaders, the next two MPs are Clare Curran and Grant Robertson.
The MPs who have done the least releases are Rino Tirikatene, Parekura Horomia, Louisa Wall and Megan Woods who have done two each.
For news stories, the top five MPs are David Shearer, Winston Peters, Russel Norman, Kevin Hague and Hone Harawira. The next time Winston claims the media do not report him enough, recall he had only six fewer stories than the leader of the party which got four times his support. Also interesting that Kevin Hague has had more stories than Andrew Little.
The MPs with the least news stories (as indexed by Google News) are Rajen Prasad (1), Raymond Huo (1), Denis O’Rourke (2) and Su’a Wiliam Sio (2).
For PQs, the top five MPs are David Cunliffe (415), Phil Goff (197), Iain Lees-Galloway (190), Darien Fenton (189) and Annette King (91). It is pleasing to see the abusive fishing expediations by Mallard and Hipkins in Q1 have not been repeated. The level of use is now pretty good.
14 Opposition MPs did not ask a single written PQ this quarter. Incredible that there is nothing they wish to find out in their portfolios.
This shows the output of each MP compared to the median. The simple average is just that. The weighted average applies a weighting of 1/2 to news stories, 1/3 to press releases and 1/6 to PQs. Also to discourage abuse of PQs, the maximum number of PQs counted is 12 time the median, or 200% weighted.
So overall the top of the league table goes to Winston Peters, then David Shearer, Russel Norman, David Cunliffe and Metiria Turei.
The big moves up are Megan Woods (+24), Clayton Cosgrove (+22), Shane Jones (+21) Metiria Turei (+20), Kevin Hague (+20), Catherine Delahunty (+20).
Down the bottom of the league table is is Rajen Prasad for the second quarter running whose activity is 14% of the median. Next lowest is Denis O’Rourke at 24%, Raymonds Huo at 25%, Parekura Horomia at 33%, Brendan Horan at 33% and Mojo Mathers at 34%.
The big moves down have been Trevor Mallard (-24), Chris Hipkins (-16), Mojo Mathers (-16), Maryan Street (-15),
Note that of course these stats are quantitative, not qualitative. Just because an MP is being reported in the media, doesn’t mean it is positive publicity.