Sunday, August 31, 2008



Labour's list: looks like New Zealand

Labour has released its party list. Where last time they focused on incumbent protection (with a consequent lack of new blood), this time round they've taken the opposite approach. After the core team and top-ranked cabinet Ministers, they've generally ranked younger, newer MPs ahead of older ones, with the aim of renewing their party even if they lose MPs. And the list looks like New Zealand, with 40% women in the top 30 and solid Maori, "Asian" and Pasifika candidates.

As with last election, I've done a table showing the top candidates relative placements with last time. The big winners are Labour's new Cabinet picks - Chris Carter, David Cunliffe, Maryann Street, Shane Jones and David Parker, who are clearly expected to form the core of Labour's future team. The big losers are underperforming Maori MPs, who have generally seen their list places drop (possibly in an effort to threaten their electorates into voting for them) and older MPs like Rick Barker, Martin Gallagher and Judith Tizard.

2008 RankName2005 RankDifference
1Helen Clark10
2Michael Cullen20
3Phil Goff6+3
4Annette King7+3
5Parekura Horomia50
6Pete Hodgson12+6
7Chris Carter19+12
8David Cunliffe31+23
9Maryan Street36+25
10Nanaia Mahuta----
11Winnie Laban20+9
12Rajen Prasad----
13Ruth Dyson14+1
14Trevor Mallard8-6
15Lianne Dalziel26+11
16Shane Jones27+11
17David Parker37+20
18Clayton Cosgrove----
19Darren Hughes34+15
20Jacinda Ardern----
21Raymond Huo----
22Sue Moroney42+20
23Mita Ririnui15-8
24Su'a William Sio47+23
25Moana Mackey41+16
26Phil Twyford55+29
27Charles Chauvel44+17
28Carol Beaumont----
29Kelvin Davis----
30Steve Chadwick33+3
31Ashraf Choudhary25-6
32Lynne Pillay40+7
33Darien Fenton43+10
34Rick Barker21-13
35Carmel Sepuloni----
36Stuart Nash60+24
37Damien O'Connor----
38Judith Tizard18-20
39Mark Burton16-23
40Mahara Okeroa22-18
41Martin Gallagher32-9
42Dave Hereora39-3
43Louisa Wall46+3
44Lesley Soper45+1
45Clare Curran----
46Grant Robertson----
47Chris Hipkins----
48Iain Lees-Galloway----
49Brendon Burns48-1
50Hamish McCracken49-1
51Erin Ebborn-Gillespie69+18
52Errol Mason----
53Chris Yoo57+4
54Jo Bartley----
55Don Pryde----
56Michael Wood58+2
57Farida Sultana----
58Denise MacKenzie50+8
59Julian Blanchard----
60Hamish McDouall----

Not on the table is sitting MP Lesley Soper, who has gone from position 45 (and a seat in Parliament) to number 77. They must really, really hate her.

Update: So, Scoop's original version of the list (which had a gap at 44 and Soper at 77) was incorrect; according to the Herald and the PDF on The Standard, she's at 44 and has gone up a place. I wonder what happened?