Labour has held a ballot and elected a Cabinet. It's pretty much as you'd expect - Lianne Dalziel will be back, and Nanaia Mahuta has gained a cabinet post as a reward for her loyalty. David Parker and Clayton Cosgrove have also made it in ahead of a slate of associate ministers such as Dover Samuels, Harry Duynhoven, and Taito Phillip Field - though as associate positions are appointed seperately, some may be reappointed. The big surprise was Jim Sutton deciding not to stand - I guess he'd rather focus on his electorate. Meanwhile, the farmers who de-elected him but yet insisted that he remain as Minister of Trade Negotiations to serve their interests may want to rethink their strategy a bit.
No news on portfolios yet; that will likely have to wait until Wednesday.
I'm assuming that Sutton will choose to leave parliament after the completion of the trade round.
ReplyDeleteJim Sutton will choose to focus on whose electorate, I/S?
ReplyDeleteHe may have lost it, but he's still from there, and if he wants to be re-elected in 2008, he needs to grovel to the locals again.
ReplyDeleteAnd OTOH, Anita might be right. Sutton has had a good run (he's been in Parliament since 1984) and might want to retire now. Which would have the added bonus of allowing a new MP to adapt to Parliament before the next election.
Jim Sutton lost Aoraki after a 12,000 vote swing! (That's 12 THOUSAND!) He was the MP who neglected his electorate, who lied about the speedgate, who let local cops carry the can for the speeding, and who let Mallard close far too many schools. And you think the locals are going to forget that in 3 short years???
ReplyDeleteHave another think about it. He'll do a quiet 3 years and head off to some grazing paddock out the back. He's an MP who didn't keep his feet on the ground, and he got treated accordingly.
Labour already has a candidate in mind for Aoraki 2008
ReplyDelete