The New Zealand political situation is dominated by our MMP (Mixed member Proportional) system of Government; where we have the Governing Labour Party assisted by its left-allies the Progressives, and aided by right-leaning supporters: United Future and New Zealand First. The Green Party achieved 5.4 percent of the national vote in the 2005 election and came perilously close to dropping below the 5% threshold to have MPs in Parliament, as a result of a close vote between the two largest Party’s. The Greens vote was still good enough to get 6 MPs in Parliament but the Party was soon rocked by the sudden and tragic death of its co-leader Rod Donald. Despite the Greens and Labour campaigning together at the last election, Labour reneged on it’s possible and ‘publicly electioneered on,’ alliance with the Greens, and in stead turned right and offered Government positions to the other party leaders; leading to the novel situation where Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand first, is New Zealand’s foreign Minister; yet is not in the Governments Cabinet. The Labour Party has successfully navigated the MMP political environment and can turn to the greens and to introduce ‘progressive,’ legislation,’ or can equally turn to the right for legislative support, and now in it’s third term as Government demonstrated that it can play the political game better than anyone else.

The New Zealand Green Party has just elected its new co-Leader - Dr Russell Norman who replaces the late Rod Donald and ushers in a big change to the Greens Parliamentary leadership. Dr Norman, who has a PhD in political science was the Party’s development Coordinator and was the campaign manager during the last election. Other candidates who stood were MP Nandor Tanchzos; former MP Mike Ward and David Clendon, however Dr Norman had the votes at the Green Party AGM and joins Jeanette Fitzsimons as the Green Party of Aotearoa’s Co-leader however is now the co-leader outside of Parliament; making an interesting political experiment.

One of the biggest issues in recent months, saying a lot about New Zealand, has been a hard fought campaign over the question to compulsorily microchip dogs, and whether farm dogs should be exempted, leading to a Government back down and removal of the Bill.

Climate change has been a big issue in politics with the government expected to announce its climate change policy in a few months. New Zealand has a ridiculous situation where we have signed up to the Kyoto protocol yet have done nothing substantial to curb greenhouse gas emissions or even a Government policy on it. Former initiatives such as a carbon tax and a methane tax have been removed and with no initiatives or penalties to influence carbon consumption New Zealand look set to exceed its targets; and its previously forecasted $500 million carbon windfall looks set to cost the Government a $500 million penalty. New Zealand differs from many countries in that methane from animals is our largest source of greenhouse gases as agriculture forms a large part of our economy. The unfortunately named, ‘fart-tax,’ was the victim of a concerted lobbying campaign by opposition MPs and farmers, and now with it gone there is no climate policy.

This is an article I wrote for UK Young Greens

# posted by gareth @ 11:17 AM