Challenges ahead for each party

What are the challenges ahead for each party?

National

Assuming they get to form a Government, how do you set it up to be Winston proof, ie so he has an incentive to be a constructive player.

Rejuvenation. National needs to bring at least three or four backbenchers into the ministry to keep the rejuvenation going. They also may need to make room for NZ First ministers. So several Ministers may have to step aside. But there are three vacancies, being the positions held by the Maori Party, United Future and ACT (Peters won’t let Seymour be in Government).

Labour

Learn from their mistakes in the campaign. Mend relations with the rural community. Work out how to keep Jacinda positive (which the public like) but also how to be an effective opposition leader in the House. Keep an eye on some of their new backbench MPs as success (13 more MPs) often brings challenges – National found this out in 1990.

NZ First

Work out how not to get wiped out in 2020. They have lost their safety net of an electorate seat so it is essential they stay above the 5% threshold. Instability in Government could see them punished next time.

Also if Winston does want to retire this term, how do you do a succession that keeps them in Parliament? Both Peters and Jones failed in their electorate bids and can Jones keep NZ First over 5%? If they had got 15% in this election (which was very possible pre-Jacinda) then you would be confident Jones could keep them to at least 8% or 9%. But they only got 7.5% so even a 3% drop from Peters to Jones could kill them. So maybe Peters has to stand again in 2020 when he will be 75.

Greens

Stop trying to claim losing half your caucus is a victory. Yes you survived but your brand got trashed by the Metiria fiasco. Need to change the brand from pro welfare fraud to pro-environment.

Key challenge ahead is whom they elect as female co-leader. If it is Julie Anne Genter it signals they will be more green than red. If it is Marama Davidson, then they will remain locked 100% to Labour and of marginal influence. I understand Davidson is favoured at this stage, but the poor result might make them reconsider.