Originally founded by exiles from Labour’s neoliberal wing, it is now an important part of the new right-wing coalition government in Wellington.
If National are to comprehensively balance the books and leave room for the investments in infrastructure and public services that need to be made, nothing less than swingeing cuts will be required.
There’s only one possible government in the new parliament – but negotiations between National, ACT, and New Zealand First are dragging out.
Winston Peters is a vision of what Nigel Farage might have achieved if the United Kingdom had a different electoral system. Paradoxically, the usual beneficiary is Labour.
Under the Mixed Member Proportional system, a winning party usually needs just shy of every second vote cast to be sure of forming a government.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister’s visit to London for the coronation is a chance to reflect on the Crown’s unique role in the country’s development.
She won the first overall majority under the country’s proportional electoral system, but voters feel she has done little with it.
It has been dispatched by one man – New Zealand First’s party leader, Winston Peters, who has Labour’s inexperienced leader in his pocket.