Transtasman Political Letter – 30 March Digest

30th March 2006

The first British PM to visit NZ in 48 years spends a day in Auckland, but there’s no Parliamentary platform for him here, as there was in Canberra
... No chance for him, then, to make the case for the war against terrorism
... Michael Joseph Savage’s “Where Britain goes, we go”doesn’t ring any bells with NZ Labour in 2006
... Despite all the stumbles, the Clark Govt’s stability is unshaken
... So How Far Will the Dollar Fall?

Contrasts In Blair’s Visits To Aust NZ

Subtle differences in Tony Blair’s visits to Aust and NZ provided an intriguing contrast in diplomacy at this level. Where Blair evoked the close relationship Britain has with both Aust and NZ, he saw Aust as an ally in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Blair Says The Right Things On Trade

Britain’s Tony Blair told an Auckland audience it’s time for the European Union to lower its trade barriers. He says EU agriculture protection policy was a “policy born of another age.”

Labour’s Drubbing Leaves It Un-Dented

The Clark Govt looked as if it was running low on political capital, after the Benson-Pope gaffe, the David Parker fiasco, and the disclosure of unethical spending of parliamentary funds in the election campaign.

Power Pylons To Be Binned, For The Present

Transpower’s plan to build a 400kV power line through the Waikato to Auckland could be binned this week by the Board of the Electricity Commission, though it is not expected to disclose the decision until April 27.

CAPITAL TALK

Winston Peters has become National’s chief tormentor in Parliament but this week the Nats’ Gerry Brownlee showed the biter can be bitten.

Play of the Week - Lifting Your Game

MPs fell over themselves at the start of the week to shake their heads and tut-tut over our team’s performance at the Commonwealth Games. By Wednesday they were instead falling over themselves to congratulate the team.

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