Across the Ditch: Australian radio FiveAA.com.au’s Peter Godfrey and EveningReport.nz’s Selwyn Manning deliver this week’s Across the Ditch and discuss: Politics with the Labour and Green parties announcing a MOU that they will campaign as a pre-election coalition to kick the Nationals out of Government in 2017. Also discussed was how a dodgy Auckland house sold for $1.136 million, despite it having been tested for methamphetamine and with tests actually showing it had elevated levels of lead contamination. Recorded live on 2/06/16.
* Round up of the morning’s main headlines.
ITEM ONE
New Zealand Labour and the Green parties have signed a memorandum of understanding that they will work as partners to get rid of the Nationals from Government at the 2017 general election. In essence it is New Zealand’s centre-left version of how Australia’s centre-right parties position themselves when campaigning to become the government.
In NZ, the centre-left is fragmented with NZ Labour attracting percentage support ranging from the mid 20s (at the 2014 General Election) to the low 30s as shown in this recent Newshub/Reid Poll. The Greens poll just above 11 percent. Together they attract a respectable vote, almost… just almost on par with the National Party, that the Newshub/Reid suggested hovered around 47 percent.
This Red-Green political de facto marriage presents a legitimate claim to develop policies under a Government-in-Waiting umbrella.
BUT… to become government in 2017, both… the Labour-Green bloc (and the incumbent National Party) need the support of the centrist and nationalistic New Zealand First party, and its leader Winston Peters.
So which way would Winston Peters swing?
If… if at the 2017 General Election the Labour-Green bloc attracted a higher percentage of support than the National Party… then, Winston Peters may just consider the merits of a black-red-green government.
But if the National Party maintains its supremacy (even if by just a percentage point of the popular vote/party vote), then Peters may insist that the people have spoken and assist John Key to enjoy the spoils of a fourth term in Government.
Interesting times.
ITEM TWO
Auckland’s average home sale price is on target to pass the $1 million ceiling within a year. And some fairly dilapidated houses are already selling for over $1 million… Like this train-wreck of a house, that has some walls missing and was tested for methamphetamine contamination, and discovered to have elevated lead levels.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11648953
Across the Ditch broadcasts live on Australia’s FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz, LiveNews.co.nz, and foreignaffairs.co.nz.
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