Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 6:44 pm, September 13th, 2018 - 82 comments

Categories: accountability, class war, Deep stuff, democratic participation, Economy, election 2017, elections, greens, john key, labour, nz first, political alternatives, Politics, same old national, Shane Jones, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, workers' rights - Tags: coalitions, MMP

The National Party and their paid stooges have been promoting the narrative that NZ First is the party that’s really in control of the new government. That’s bollocks.

What’s actually happening is that we have an MMP Government that is functioning in exactly the way it was envisaged to work. The three parties negotiate, they argue for their positions, they seek consensus and then they enact legislation. And, yes, it is a three way deal. The Greens have managed to find ways to build a relationship with NZ First that must be annoying the hell out of the Nats.

Much has already been agreed, as part of the post election bargaining. But much more has yet to be decided and if there is no immediate agreement on an issue, then there will discussions. Some issues will be bottom line matters for one or more parties, most will not be contentious. All will be agreed, in some form or other.

The fundamental difference between this Government and the three versions of the Key administration is that Labour do not have an outright majority with cling on parties entirely dependent on the whims of the Prime Minister.

Key had the ability to tell the Maori Party, Peter Dunne and the token Act MP to piss off any time he chose. Those parties were mere lapdogs, warming their fat arses on the heated seats of limousines only as long as they kept quietly obedient.

The Ardern led Government is going to be successful, and be re-elected, exactly because its policies are going to be strenuously tested in house before they go to a parliamentary vote.

Now, it’s fair to say, it’s not always going to be to be Labour’s liking. There will be disappointment, there will be disagreement, there will be disputes. However, when legislation goes forward, it will reflect the will of the entire coalition, not just the brain farts of the leadership.

Can anyone see this Government blowing millions on vanity projects like the flag referendum?

No, me neither.

Winston Peters gets it right when he notes that

“This is the first real MMP government and consultation and communication are what we do”.

That’s MMP folks.

Working as it should, working in the interests of the majority, not the parasitic minority.

Here’s a good example. The Tories have said that the proposed strengthening of the Employment Relations Act was going to fall over because NZ First was agin it.

Not so, as it turns out.

I’ve no doubt that the NZ’s worst employers, the Talley’s group, have been leaning on Shane Jones. These guys always expect a return on their money and they haven’t donated all that dosh to various MP’s down the years because they love parliamentary democracy.

But if the Talley brothers have reminded Jones of where his loyalties should lie, it hasn’t worked.

And that’s because the strength of this coalition is respect for different opinions and a way of working that emphasises consensus. How very different from the undemocratic FPP when a one seat majority ensured an effective dictatorship over legislation.

No, this is the modern way. No wonder the right can’t understand why they lost the last election.

They’re dinosaurs, watching the comets fall.

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