National

Today will be a series of posts on each party, looking at what happened, how they did, and their challenges ahead.

MPs in

Scott Simpson (), Maggie Barry (North Shore), Mike Sabin (Northland), Ian McKelvie (), Mark Mitchell (Rodney), Jian Yang (List), Alfred Ngaro (List).

MPs out

. Aaron Gilmore is in for now but will be the MP National lose, if they lose a spot on specials.

Result

8/10. National hits its target of 48% and got a clear centre-right majority. To do so despite the economic troubles is a spectacular result. Would have got 9/10 if they could govern alone and 10/10 if they managed to get an MP for every electorate (ie 63 MPs).

Challenges

What portfolios do you give Banks? He was an extremely popular and successful Police Minister, but that may be a bit too much back to the future. He has a strong commercial background, and is thought to be interested in Associate Finance. That could help ACT's brand (which now will be economic liberalism rather than economic and liberalism), if he has an economic role. Other possibilities are Customs and/or .

What gains do you give the Party? They will want more than just a repeat of what they got last time. However any further policy concessions could play badly with National's support base, and be fuel for Winston.

Ministerial portfolios. There is room for three or four new Ministers with the retirements of Mapp, Power and te Heuheu plus ACT having one fewer Minister. Any members of the Class of 2005 who do not make it this time will take it (accurately) as a sign they will never be a Minister, and this can lead to grumpiness. Likely at least one member of the Class of 2008 will be promoted (to join Joyce and Parata already there), maybe two of them.

Select Committee Chairs. National will not have a majority on all select committees and four of its five support partner MPs will be Ministers, so select committees will be important. Normally the Opposition gets to chair two of them. Will Key be generous and offer a chairmanship each to , Greens and NZ First?

NZ First. Key rightfully ruled out a coalition or confidence and supply deal with Peters on the grounds of an inability to trust him as stable. However now he is back in Parliament, there is a need to have a working relationship with NZ First. Not an agreement, but they will be lobbied on bills they might support, will sit on the business committee etc. If Winston manages to avoid getting caught up in scandals, then the position on ruling him out may be different come 2014. Too early to speculate, but it will be interesting to observe.

2014: How the hell do you win in 2014? At this stage, I'd have to say the odds are not great for National, but there are three years to go. Labour also in a weak position. the reality is at this stage most likely 2014 outcome is Winston holds balance of power. But again if a week is a long time in politics, three years is an eternity.

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