NEWS ON POLICY AND POLITICS
8 February, 2007

Watching Brief is a regular publication from Russell McVeagh on developments in public law and policy of interest to New Zealand business.

www.russellmcveagh.com

IN POLITICS

Key shows early command, but can he deliver the Treasury benches?
The notable thing about John Key's leadership is the ease with which he has asserted control of the political agenda. more...

IN PARLIAMENT

Before Select Committee more...

Open for submissions
Submissions closed

Regulations Passed more...

IN CONSULTATION

IN OTHER NEWS

Key shows early command, but can he deliver the Treasury benches?

The notable thing about John Key's leadership is the ease with which he has asserted control of the political agenda. Disputing Labour's monopoly on caring, he has tapped a vein of public concern about the realities of institutionalised poverty and demonstrated a comfort with media and people unusual amongst today's Wellington-centric politicians.

Key has been helped in this by the antiseptic nature of Labour's rebuttal. Claiming success in the face of perceivable social decay, Labour has instead given rise to speculation about just how in touch it is with its core constituencies and how much it really cares. For the government, it seems, Key is going to be a problem.

The recent fillip of the TV3 TNS poll provides comfort for Labour, but only of a marginal sort. The prospect of a fourth term in government might be welcome, but is made less inviting by the dependence on the Greens that would be involved. Forcing Labour to shift to the left can only be problematic since it can only strengthen Key's bid for the centre ground.

But Key is not going to get it all his own way. Labour's native capacity to tug on the heartstrings of national identity will see it pour massive effort into equating nationhood with things 'green'. In the Prime Minister's opening speech to Parliament next week we should expect the rhetoric of the kiwi battler will give way to jingoism of an environmental sort. A raft of planet saving initiatives will be foreshadowed with economics and practicability (if the government's position on carbon credits is any indication) coming a distant second to the realpolitik of capitalising on public fears about climate change. This is not an area where National - in the public mind at least - is at home. Properly handled by Labour's media machine, it will be one most likely to secure the government a fourth term.

National's relationship with an increasingly important Maori Party is also a source of future problems. The Party's difficulty in reconciling its position on public access over private land with that of customary rights over the foreshore remains a stumbling block that its decision to vote against Tariana Turia's Foreshore and Seabed (Repeal) Bill to select committee will have done nothing to address.

So, while Key has exercised early command of the political agenda, he has a long way to go in what will be a critical year for National. In asserting rationality over government's pro-green initiatives, National will find itself painted as an irresponsible denier of climate change, unfit to grapple with the problems of New Zealand's 21st century. Also, in failing to enter a real rapprochement with Maori over the genuinely held sense of grievance over the Foreshore and Seabed legislation, National will find itself without a viable coalition partner. Philip Field and social isolation may continue to dog the Prime Minister, but the weather and the practicalities of forming a government may prove harder still for Key.

Parliament will resume on February 13

Before Select Committee

Open for submissions

Submissions Closed

Regulations

Takeovers Code (Pen Investments Limited) Exemption Notice 2007
Securities Act (Overseas Employee Share Purchase Schemes) Exemption Amendment Notice 2007
Goods Service Vehicle (Constructional) Amendment Regulations 2007
Heavy Motor Vehicle Amendment Regulations 2007
Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Amendment Regulations 2007
Passenger Service Vehicle Construction Regulations Revocation Order 2007
Traffic Amendment Regulations 2007
Fisheries (Foveaux Strait Dredge Oyster Fishery) Notice 2007
Pupu Springs Scenic Reserve Bylaws 2007
Takeovers Code (Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust) Exemption Notice 2007

What's New

Ongoing

Election spending back on the agenda

Labour President Mike Williams has added to Labour's political woes by suggesting that Labour might renege on its commitment to repay money misspent in the run up to the last general election. A hasty retraction was issued, but not before the government's public credibility took an avoidable hit.

Water Management

This month is expected to see the emergence of a proposed national accord on water management. Senior regional and central government officials are scheduled to meet with executives from private sector stakeholders to decide if sufficient groundwork has been done to allow an accord to proceed.

The accord will be led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and will be a sub-set of the Sustainable Water Plan of Action being developed in conjunction with the Ministry for the Environment.

Costello puts merger on the table

Following up on the report of the Australian Federal Parliament on closer relations with New Zealand, Australian Treasurer, Hon Peter Costello last week raised again the prospect of economic and political union with Australia.

The discomfort of his opposite number in response was apparent and Dr Cullen's smiling recourse to bureaucratese suggests that whilst government will keep business law harmonisation firmly on the agenda, that's as far as it's prepared to go for now.

Law Commission looks at commissions of inquiry

The Law Commission has released an issues paper examining the form and purpose of public inquiries, commissions of inquiry and non statutory ministerial inquiries. The stated objective behind the paper is to examine the motivations behind the establishment of inquiries and the particular type employed.

A copy of the issues paper is available at www.lawcom.govt.nz. The closing date for submissions is March 2. Responses can be sent to the Law Commission, either at Law Commission, P O Box 2590, Wellington, or by email to [email protected].

Securities Commission Oversight Review of New Zealand Exchange Limited

The Securities Commission has released the terms of reference for its oversight review of NZX in respect of the 2006 calendar year. These are published on the Commission's website, www.sec-com.govt.nz.

The terms of reference are in three parts. The first relates to the NZAX market, processes regarding admission or approval of listed issuers and market participants to NZX's markets and NZX's role in minimising the risk of non-compliance by its listed issuers and market participants.

The second part concerns any new developments in relation to the eight core areas of NZX's activities identified and reported on in last year's first annual oversight review. The third concerns NZX's progress towards implementing the recommendations made by the Commission in last year's report.

The Commission expects to complete its review and publish a report by 30 June 2007.

Links

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