Transtasman Political Letter – 28 September Digest

28th September 2006

Has the mud stopped flying?
... Certainly not for Brian Connell
... What are the lessons from “this period of madness”? Parties read the entrails, er, the polls, and get their own answers
... But the Auditor General’s shadow (or is that shroud) is still hanging over the Govt... Whose finger was on the trigger in the National caucus?
... And the Govt plans vengeance on that religious sect.

Working Through “This Period Of Madness”

Both National and Labour drew heart, selectively, from latest polls: National more from TVNZ’s Colmar Brunton showing it at 49%, Labour more from the Herald-Digi poll, which showed the standings of the main parties unchanged from the previous month, and the parties of the left still ahead of those on the right.

Brash’s Show Of Strength

After the latest poll results National leader Don Brash could afford a show of strength in Caucus, and it’s notable how talk of a swift transition to a new leadership has died away.

Was There More Than One Finger On The Trigger?

The suspicion there was more than one person involved, when the issue of whether Don Brash was “unfit” to be the leader came before the National Caucus, has been obscured by the rush of support for Brash in the wake of latest poll ratings.

Connell Joins A Long Line

Rakaia MP Brian Connell confessed to being “surprised” at his suspension from the National Caucus. But his career in politics has been notable more for the damage he has done to his own party than to his supposed political opponents.

CAPITAL TALK

Winston Peters went to Washington, with the NZ media in trail, and ends up in fire-fights with reporters that dominate the headlines and bulletins. He travelled to New York last week for the UN General Assembly, minus reporters other than local stringers and chats on the mobile back home – and secures wide coverage (the envy of other Ministers) that focuses on the business of his trip. A lesson here somewhere?......

Play Of The Week: A Dirty Dozen

Reflecting on recent events in NZ politics, to whom, we wonder, in the current Parliament might the following aphorisms apply.

“Never throw mud. You may miss your mark, but you will have dirty hands.”
- Joseph Parker.

Transtasman is a subscriber newsletter published weekly and read widely in New Zealand and abroad. The above is a summary of this week's edition. To subscribe and read the full newsletter see.. http://Transtasman.co.nz

© Scoop Media