Goff and Winston
August 16th, 2010 at 6:00 am by David FarrarNZPA reports:
Labour could work with New Zealand First if it needed the numbers to form a government, leader Phil Goff says.
Recently, Prime Minister John Key wouldn’t rule out working with NZ First – which failed to win a seat in Parliament at the 2008 election – but said it was a decision for closer to the election.
Speaking on TV3 political show The Nation this morning, Mr Goff said Labour had worked with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters in the past and could again. Mr Peters was Foreign Minister in the last years of the Helen Clark-led government.
“I think if you’ve got an MMP Parliament and you need to get a majority, you’ve got to consider all options.”
Mr Goff said Mr Peters had good support among elderly people.
“I wouldn’t rule Winston out…I think if he ramps up his campaign there’s every chance he’ll be back in Parliament.”
Sounds almost like a plea for people to vote NZ First. That is because Labour has pretty much no hope of forming a Government without NZ First.
Mr Goff was also open to the Maori Party; “…look I’ll work with any party in Parliament if it’s for what I see as being the good of New Zealanders and for the values that we believe in”.
But his MPs (Mallard, Jones etc) have done everything possible to make it impossible for the Maori Party to go with Labour. That means Labour needs to grow its vote by almost 10% to be able to form a Government – that would be a seismic shift.
So they need Winston, to be able to govern. I fully expect these “almost” endorsements of Winston to continue, and in fact for Labour to actively assist NZ First closer to the election.
I note the PM has not yet ruled out NZ First, or more specifically Winston, saying those decisions are made closer to the election. I certainly hope his 2011 policy will be the same as 2008. No Government with Winston as a Minister in it, has ever ended well. Three times it has ended in disaster.
A NZ First without Winston as Leader would be a different issue. But I do not believe Winston is pathologically capable of being trusted.
Related posts:
- Goff rules out Harawira led left party
- Goff rules out Hone but not Winston
- Key rules out Winston again
- Goff flip-flops on Harawira
August 16th, 2010 at 6:43 am
So long as whatever is done is to Winston’s advantage, he can be trusted to go along with it. Every two or three months he must be given a chance to rebel and throw a spanner in the works, so as to maintain his image.
Vote:Edit: I am not stating that it would be a good idea to ally with him, just that this is what needs to be recognised if one allies with him.
August 16th, 2010 at 6:55 am
I don’t like it, but Key is right to hedge until he knows what he’s dealing with. A flat out refusal to deal with Winston hands Winston a platform to campaign on.
Winston is already campaigning on the groundless accusation that National will break its promises to the elderly.. no need to provide him with fodder.
JC
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 7:06 am
I won’t trust any party that trusts Winston.
What about the $158,000?
And the lying to the Privileges Committee?
He should not be allowed back into Parliament.
And if National ruled him out of any coalition, then there is less incentive for those old enough to be losing their memories to vote for him.
Winston is simply a Bribe Magnet.
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 7:06 am
Labour people (not just Goff) seem to be linking their hopes of re-election to a second party, which at this stage is not even a viable party with any stated intentions. That’s bizarre. What happens if Peters and Laws can’t agree on who should be the focus of all the attention (aka the leader) and NZF doesn’t resurrect? Would that automatically signal no chance for Labour?
Peters seems like a forlorn hope for Labour, that’s sad. I think Labour are best to look at doing the best for themselves, on their own. If they recover about half the ground between them and National that would be a reasonably successful and realistic part recovery setting themselves up better for 2014. But if they keep tying their hopes to NZF it makes them look like a party looking backwards. If it’s Peters looming large in the rear vision mirror I think accelerating in a different direction would be the sensible thing to do, if Labour want a significant future this decade.
Labour also need to think things through some more – they may like the idea of getting the use of 5% of the vote via NZ First, but at what cost to their own vote recovery? I’d guess the nett effect would be negative.
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 7:50 am
What MajorBloodnok said
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Look carefully at Goff’s words – “…look I’ll work with any party in Parliament if it’s for what I see as being the good of New Zealanders and for the values that we believe in”. What he’s saying is that he’ll pinch his nose to mask the smell if that’s what it takes.
Key should tell NZ First that he’s happy to work with them, but NOT while they are led by WRP, and NOT until the $158k has been repaid, with interest. The playing field changes then.
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 8:22 am
Key will do whatever he needs to and if that means grovelling to WRP then he will. Different of course to sacking his own man, Mr Worth. He only screwed someone else. Now that different from WRP screwing everyone. Suppossedly that screwing everyone doesn’t hurt so much.
Vote:Unprincipled and a clear abrogation of principled leadership.
August 16th, 2010 at 8:30 am
The unholy alliance of the feeble (Goff) and the venal (Peters). This pair deserve each other.
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 8:44 am
If National Considered workig wit that corrupt bastard I’ll never give any portion of my vote to National. Of course with no money, no Parliamentary backing and a dying support base it is unlikely he will ever make it back into Parliament (and thank God for that)
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 10:07 am
The problem with saying, “I’ll never give my vote to Nat/Lab/? again if they…” is that eventually there are no parties left for you to vote for.
Vote:Do we really expect to have a perfect political party that does everything we want it to do? Or can we just accept that there will be things we approve of and things we don’t and it’s a matter of balance.
I cannot stomach Winston Peters but I’d rather have a National Government with him than that awful Labour crowd of unionists in again.
The ideal of course, would be for all leaders to say they wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole, let him enjoy the glamour of martyrdom among his senile supporters and gradually fade away.
But of course that would be the honourable thing to do, not the pragmatic way.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
DPF (and I2, since you’ve sugegsted the same thing), what leader would render NZF “acceptable”?
The racist (and hopeless) Brown? The unspeakable Laws? A return of the detestable Mark? The laughable Woolerton? Anyone with an ounce of character and honesty left that party long ago (with the exception of George Groombridge, the President).
All the likely candidates, with the exception of Laws, were there when the $158,000 was stolen and the lies were told. None spoke out. None resigned.
If you’re softening up National for the same idea, DPF, you’re doing them a dis-service. Key won support by ruling them out last time. It showed he had character.
Vote:August 16th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
why oh why is Peters doing this .. the ego must be incredible .. move on man.
Vote:now, Goff. His previous leader, Dame Helen, said on 2 (winning) occasions that she would work with the Greens and had public tea dates with Jennette and then dumped them like a dirty rag. maybe Goff has learned something … naaaaa