Asset sales provided Labour with a big juicy target for the first day of Parliament, but it was Winston Peters hitting the mark yesterday. Peters is back where he's at his best - in Parliament, in Opposition, and attacking the Government over special initiatives directed at Maori. John Armstrong says that Peters used his one question in the House yesterday to hand out 'free lessons on how to be effective on the opposition benches' while Shearer's attack on Key was swatted away easily - see: Master gives the apprentice a lesson in opposition tactics.
Like any cunning predator, Peters knows to single out the weakest in the herd and he focused on the Maori Party and their flagship Whanau Ora policy, which he knows will play well to his target audience. Peters built his political career on precisely these types of issues and he can sniff out a political scandal from a mile away. In Whanau Ora 'a waste of money' John Hartevelt reports that the details of the whanau renunion grant were publicised in an official report, there for anyone to see, but only Peters saw the political potential. He will hope that his instincts are shared by his own crop of newbie MPs. Joanne Carroll reports that Tracy Martin took to the hurly burly of opposition immediately and could be a potential successor - see: Peters' new kid plunges into fray.
Peters declared the Maori Party 'Missing in Action' yesterday when their three MPs failed to turn up. On the one hand the no-show was surely intended as a very public snub to National. On the other, it was a wasted opportunity for them to front-foot the debate, and their absence may reflect a lack of confidence to defend their position, particularly as Whanau Ora was under attack.
In contrast to the NZ First leader, David Shearer barely made an impact on the first day. He appears to be determined to 'play the long game' rather than seek headlines at every opportunity. It's an unusual political strategy and his extremely cautious and considered approach is not the type of Opposition leadership we are used to. It makes him vulnerable to being overshadowed by Peters, Norman and Harawira (and even his own Labour colleagues) who will compete to be the 'unofficial Leader of the Opposition'.
Outside the debating chamber David Shearer showed his vulnerability when answering questions about Maori ownership of water in New Zealand. Unlike the Prime Minister - who clearly articulated a line in favour of common ownership that will resonate with the vast majority of New Zealanders - Shearer equivocated. This is typical of his generally cautious approach, but it might also reflect divisions within Labour. Either way, Shearer looked like he was dithering, vague, and uncertain.
Although John Key didn't seem phased by Labour's asset sales attacks in Parliament, the Greens raised an issue that could be the next problem for the partial privatisation plan. Alex Tarrant reports that the Government has received legal advice on if it can restrict foreign purchasing of the shares but has refused to release it to date.
