Debates
September 30th, 2008 at 3:23 pm by David FarrarThe Herald backs Clark and Key in agreeing to debates between the two of them only:
They need make no apology for that. Theirs are the only parties capable of forming a government. Far from undermining MMP, their joint decision is perfectly in line with the way MMP has developed in this country. After 12 years, the voting system has not produced a three- or four-party contest as it did in Germany, the only close model.
There, the two smaller parties each attract around 10 per cent of the vote and can claim significant places on the stage at each election. The most successful of our smaller parties have half that support and it becomes harder to argue that they should be included in televised debates while others should not. …
National and Labour have a legitimate shared interest in minimising third-party influence. They are under no obligation to let minnows enjoy their limelight. They obviously see their prospects best served by a simple two-sided debate. The rest will no doubt get a separate televised forum for their contest.
And there is a debate on TV One on 27 October between the six minor parliamentary parties.
Meanwhile Pundit has a copy of the letter sent to Clark and Key from TVNZ and TV3 jointly:
A joint letter from news chiefs at TV3 and TVNZ last Monday pleaded with both Helen Clark and John Key not to turn their backs on multi-party debates, insisting they were of “fundamental importance in an MMP environment”.
I have said I think there should be one debate with all eight leaders. I would have four debates – two head to heads, one with all eight and one with only the minors.
But I do think people over-state MMP as the reason for including the minors. Social Credit has twice as many MPs as Jim Anderton, yet Bruce Beetham never got invited to the debates.
But talking of debates, the Alliance is complaining the CTU has refused to allow them to attend a Meet the Parties meeting in Christchurch:
Alliance Party Canterbury Convenor Quentin Findlay says the the local Council of Trade Unions leadership has locked the Alliance out of the debate.
He says Alliance members would be picketing the venue and would accept a last minute invitation to speak.
“All we are asking is for a chance to speak. No special treatment, we just to want to talk to the workers.”
Mr Findlay says the Alliance is a strongly pro-worker party that strongly supports the Union movement, and had not taken the decision to go public lightly.
Related posts:
- When are the televised MMP debates?
- You Tube for NZ election debates
- Election Debates
- Two TVNZ7 debates
September 30th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Theirs are the only parties capable of forming a government.
Which is at least partly because of the media’s focus mainly on them.
Which is because they’re the only parties capable of forming a government.
Which is at least partly because of the media’s focus mainly on them.
Which is because they’re the only parties capable of forming a government.
AAAAAND I’m bored.
[DPF: The suggestion that National and Labour get 90% of the vote because of media attention being some beneficial circle is not true. Winston has had lots of publicity lately. ]
Vote:September 30th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I think there’s a few more options nobody seems to be considering.. you could justify:
1. Just National & Labour (major parties)
2. National, Labour, Greens, NZ First (5% + at last election)
3. National, Labour, Greens, Maori Party (More than 5 MP’s likely based on current polling)
etc
Personally I think excluding ACT, United Future, Anderton and Independents should be pretty easy to justify. You end up with 4 or 5 leaders who represent 5 or more MPs.
Then you have a minor parties one with the two majors excluded, and two head-to-head Key v. Clark. The really small parties get one debate, mid-size parties get two, and the potential PM’s have three.
I don’t really like the 8-leader ones – there’s nowhere near enough time to cover anything in detail and it’s just point-scoring.
Vote:September 30th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Key must be pretty confident he can beat Clark on his own. Not to bash Key but Helen is a tough nut to crack in a debate. With the nats lead in the polls, wouldn’t it have been safer for Key to soften the debate by including the minor parties?
Vote:September 30th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
It’s just a real shame to see John Key agree with Helen Clark…..AGAIN.
Vote:September 30th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Of course the real shame of Clarke and Key pulling out of the debates with all 8 leaders is that people like me who long to be immature don’t get to come up with hillarious puns using the word “mass” and “debates” together.
Though I suppose you could say that Clarke and Key have said no to mass debating.
Vote:September 30th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Clark /Key are irellavant….both socialist….no real prospect of change.
The real movers and shakers of MMP will be either ACT,Greens, and Maori….they are the tails that will wag the dogs….
Vote:September 30th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Ha ha ha, I don’t know why Alliance member Quentin Findlay would be upset at being locked out… he should be used to that. Imagine the maddest left winger you have ever met, who stuck around campus for half his life, protesting the most hopeless causes ever….. he was destined to be in the Alliance.
I remember when Sir Roger Douglas came to Otago and Quentin was so excited, because he was going to “stick it” to him… and yet in his presence, Quentin was dumbstruck…silence. Quentins life is an eternal disappointment.
Vote:September 30th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
From Clark’s point of view I think they don’t won’t to be associated with Winnie by having him team up with her in the debates
Vote:From Key’s point of view I think he may see this as a chance to help push the Greens under the threshold by not giving them exposure. And to a lesser extent be outperformed by Hide.
September 30th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
It’s funny. The advocates for the left parties – who universally lampoon Key and celebrate Clark – should be eager for this head-to-head. But they’re letting minor party vanities stand in the way of what they can only expect to be Clark demolishing Key. Of course, we know that won’t happen – but unless they think Key will do well, why object?
Vote: