
Some might even say she exhibited some low rat cunning in playing the Greens like a fiddle while at the same time keeping the faith with those tens of thousands of voters who handed Labour a majority of seats in the hope that would govern alone without having to rely on the loony tunes Party.
The Greens were given the barest minimum … a couple of junior ministerial positions outside cabinet … positions that don’t even rate a department of state … plus the opportunity to Chair a Select Committee (in which Labour will likely have a majority) plus a Select Committee Deputy Chair appointment (can be likened to tits on a Bull). No policy gains … just tea and bikkies with Jacinda every six weeks or so. One can understand the scorn heaped upon the arrangement by a plethora of Green Party luminaries.
But its a win, win for Jacinda. She gets a cabinet of her own while locking in Green Party support for whenever the tide turns and she needs them.
While Shaw and Davidson can feast on the baubles of office and not much more.
Reblogged this on Utopia, you are standing in it! and commented:
One meeting every six weeks with the Prime Minister is pretty ordinary.
Given many party voted to blunt the Greens she would have been unwise not to.
“The Greens were given the barest minimum…”
Given that Labour has the numbers to govern alone, what leverage were you imagining Shaw and Davidson applying to force Labour to improve its offer?
What they’ve got is pretty good under the circumstances. Norman and Bradford would prefer it if the Greens had gone into opposition because that’s where they personally were more comfortable – fortunately, Shaw at least is much smarter than that.
Milt … my take, your take. Net on net I think the Greens came out of it as losers but whatever rings your bell.
What do you believe they lost? Their entitlement to roles in cabinet was zero.
Perhaps John Bishop has gone for a deeper analysis, and I quote from The Taxpayers Union web site
“The usual supine media have praised Adern’s deal with the Greens as a master stroke. Maybe. It also betrays those National voters who went with Labour to keep the Greens out. With Shaw keeping climate change and adding biodiversity and working with Parker on water and fisheries his real title is Minister for reshaping farming practices. How will that play in the new Labour voting rural areas?”
Perhaps not such a great deal for the farmers but serves them right for lying down with the devil