ACT of madness?

Prebble's decision to resign as leader may well be the only thing that saves it from being swallowed up by a resurgent National party. Actually ACT has probably already been swallowed up so its more like they're attempting a desperate heimlich maneuver or sticking their pudgy little capitalist fingers down National's throat to force vomiting in the hope that they will spit ACT back out again

While on the one hand we get to see an interesting and possibly bloody tussle between the faithful policy purists (who probably still have pictures of Rodger Douglas pinned to their wall, and a zeal that is only exceeded by that of hard core Christians) and the more populist approach of Rodney Hide, it does ensure that ACT will be in the news for the next few months giving them maximum exposure to the voters. Thats if the Tariana Turia travelling circus doesn't steal the show.

So who should they pick as leader? Its easy to see why they wouldn't be so keen on having Hide as head stone thrower in the ACT glass house. Aside from the embarrassment of Donna Awatere Huata there are a few others in the party whose ethics have been called into question over the years...even if they aren't quite in the same league as she is in the dodginess stakes. With Hide out busting perks and uncovering scandals, people might be tempted to look more closely at ACT.

Hide has his uses but he doesn't come across as a team player. Besides its always a mistake to give the leadership to anyone who openly covets it and especially to reward someone for undermining the incumbent leader.

I'd go for Stephen Franks personally. The few times I have heard Stephen Franks in interviews and debates I have been impressed. He's someone who does his homework and gets his point across well and has found some of the Government ministers wanting on occasions. People have suggested that his leadership skills are an unknown (true) and that he lacks charisma but I'm not sure how much charisma matters in ACT. I don't think people voted for Prebble on the basis of his warm, fluffy personality and besides I seem to remember people saying that Brash's lack of charisma would be his downfall.

Of the others, Ken Shirley is solid but probably won't inspire people and Dr Murial Newman makes me ill...which could be be a desirable quality if its something that only happens to lefties :-)

In any case I hope that they can turn their poll rating around...not because I want them in Government but because they have been very good in opposition at keeping the Government honest, certainly better than National has been up until recently. Of course the other reason to have them there is that if National's support does hold and they win the next election, ACT will be there to counterbalance NZ First. Lets face it, Labour has dropped the ball so badly over the foreshore and seabed that National winning the next election is a distinct possibility. Well there are one or two good things a National Government could do that Labour can't, its not something I'd overly look forward to.