The 2015 Trans-Tasman Ratings

Transtasman has published its annual ratings for most of the 121 MPs. As usual, I do some analysis.

The overall average rating is 4.1 (-1.2 from 2014), which is a huge drop. This may reflect grumpier reviewers more than the  possibility that almost every single MP is doing worse than a year ago. I have to say that the number of ratings they have given which I think are totally detached from reality is higher than normal.

Average Ratings per Party

1. ACT 8.5
2. United Future 5.0 (nc)
3. National 4.3 (-1.5)
4. Labour 4.1 (-1.0)
5. Maori 4.0 (-2.5)
6. Green 3.9 (-0.3)
7. NZ First 3.2 (-0.9)

Of the four main parties, their average rankings in order are National, Labour, Greens, NZ First

Top MPs

1. David Seymour 8.5
2. Murray McCully 8.0 (+0.5)
   Bill English 8.0 (-1.0)
3. John Key 7.5 (-2.0)
   Tim Groser 7.5 (nc)
   Amy Adams 7.5 (+0.5)

Bottom MPs

1. Darroch Ball 2.0
   Mahesh Bindra 2.0
   Catherine Delahunty 2.0 (nc)
   Ruth Dyson 2.0 (-1.5)
   Paul Foster-Bell 2.0 (-1.5)
   Barbara Kuriger, 2.0
   Melissa Lee 2.0 (-1.0)
   Tracey Martin 2.0 (-2.0)
   Clayton Mitchell 2.0
   Pita Paraone 2.0
   Stuart Smith 2.0
   Rino Tirakatene 2.0 (-0.5)

Top Labour MPs

1. Annette King 6.5 (-1.0)
2. Andrew Little 6.0 (-1.0)
   Phil Twyford 6.0 (nc)
   Kelvin Davis 6.0

Top Third Party MPs

1. David Seymour 8.5
2. Winston Peters 7.0 (-0.5)
3. James Shaw 5.5

Biggest Increases

1. Denis O’Rourke +1.0
   Barbara Stewart +1.0
   Nanaia Mahuta +1.0
   Jan Logie +1.0

Biggest Decreases

1. David Carter -3.0
2. Mark Mitchell -2.5
   Grant Ribertson -2.5
   Nick Smith -2.5

Group Ratings

1. Ministers 5.9 (-0.4)
2. Cabinet 6.3 (-0.6)
3. National frontbench 6.7 (-1.0)
4. Labour frontbench 5.3 (-0.7)
5. National backbench 3.3 (-1.4)

Basically every group has dropped.

Only 10 MPs got a higher score, 16 MPs stayed the same and 63 MPs got a lower score.

A reminder these are the opinions of the three authors at Trans-Tasman, not mine. I’d love to publish my own scores for all 121 MPs but I value my relationships too much to do so!

One thing I do agree with is their appraisal of David Seymour as MP of the Year, and I quote them:

While not exactly a political novice – he has form in student politics, and stood unsuccessfully twice in Auckland seats before getting elected, as well as being an adviser to then ACT leader John Banks, 32 year old David Seymour is in his first term in Parliament, he is a novice as a party leader, and coalition member. The surprise is how well he has performed, and the degree to which he seems to have made ACT a potential vote winner again. Sure he made the odd “coq” up, but no more than many of his colleagues.

He has handled his work with dedication, he is “everywhere” and he is a genuine talent. ACT’s charter school policies could turn out to be one of the successes of the coalition in policy terms and his move to ensure bars could open during the Rugby World Cup showed how in touch he is with public thinking. He gets the nod as politician of the year because he is at the vanguard of a new wave of politicians – starting with a back to basics approach both in electorate and Parliamentary work. He’s doing what a minor party should do under MMP – giving support, but making the Govt’s life difficult as well, and he is also doing it tactically. He has proven he can master the Parliamentary bun fight, now he needs to show he can make his party relevant.