Deborah Coddington: Resolutions to test MPs' resolve

New Year resolutions were made by current and aspiring politicians back in September during the election campaign.

Well, half-pie resolutions, really - they said things they meant to do for us, but didn't go so far as conceding the need to turn over a new leaf.

Such an admission implies the old leaf is munted, behaviour needs drastic improvement and political lines or themes once considered the mark of an outstanding career are actually wrong. U-turn is not a word politicians like to see in headlines about themselves.

Why is it considered a weakness to change tack? I'm stumped. Only MPs and their sycophants hold themselves up as infallible.

People in general are overwhelmingly forgiving and understanding, especially if the U-turner admits they were mistaken, accepts good advice, learns from the error and heads off down a more productive path.

I got vilified by Act members for changing my mind and voting in favour of the Civil Union Bill but not one bothered to ask me why. Clearly I should have ignored good sense, acted stupidly and continued to oppose the bill.

Hopefully a few of our MPs, between last night's kisses and this morning's headaches, have taken a good, hard look at themselves and made some New Year resolutions of greater national importance than the selfish ones we make - lose weight, let other motorists change lanes, refuse all requests to speak at conferences, be nice to the ex-wife.

But in case party leaders are stuck for clues, here's some resolutions I've helpfully prepared:

Don Brash: Out in the big, wide world, we who are brutally honest say size does matter, it doesn't happen to every guy and yes, it is a big deal. It's the same in the debating chamber of the House of Representatives, where a leader's performance does matter, a second-term MP is not inexperienced and in terms of your troops' morale, it's an enormous deal.

Brash's contribution to the address-in-reply debate was abysmal and the expressions on the faces of his two closest pretenders said it all - Bill English was comatose and John Key looked asleep.

Brash's resolutions should include ignoring advice from the Business Roundtable's Roger Kerr, who wouldn't know a passionate delivery if he tripped over it. Wittering on about productivity and OECD tables is a waste of time. We want to be on the edges of our seats, punching the air with joy - or your nose (metaphorically) in angry opposition.

Secondly, apply one law for all to your own caucus. We're still waiting for an explanation why Katherine Rich was sacked for refusing to support a social welfare policy that denied extra support for solo parents who keep having kids, but when Judith Collins took up the portfolio, this contentious issue - and adoption - was quietly dropped.

Helen Clark: A resolution to ditch the haughtiness would be nice. Just because you cobbled together a third-term Labour Government, there's no reason to skite - most of the country didn't vote for you.

In fact, most voters chose policies promising tax cuts - they want to keep more of their money, not have it taken off them and spent on increased numbers of public servants, unionists and beneficiaries who'll vote Labour next time.

Student loan write-offs might have swung a big chunk of the vote your way but you've cost taxpayers $1 billion, with worse to come.

Re-read The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner and learn a lesson about albatrosses, curses and subsequent becalming.

On the other hand, you could do the country's prosperity a service by repealing the Reserve Bank Act's price stability agreement. We can almost hear the relief in Alan Bollard's voice when he talks about the economy slowing. The good governor won't suffer - no doubt he's mortgage free and his wife's in the money-supply business, but this cack-handed obsession with rising prices is torturing producers, exporters and low-income families. Talk to Michael Cullen and Jim Anderton - they know this monetary policy's nuts.

Winston Peters: Probably never makes New Year resolutions, certainly not about giving up smoking. Though his foreign affairs portfolio's attracted media scrutiny, the Minister of Racing (as he is too) needs to deliver on what he's promised his sport-of-kings supporters. Peters' resolutions should include tax reform for the racing industry and equivalent footing with others in the wager industry. But can Peters persuade Cullen and Cabinet to move on this in the 2006 budget?

Jeanette Fitzsimons: A New Year resolution to stop trusting Labour - the Greens deserve better treatment than constant shafting.

Tariana Turia: Beware not of Greeks but the National and Act parties bearing gifts.

Peter Dunne: Must stop being so modest and become more God-like.

Rodney Hide: No resolutions needed - self-regarded as perfect, with no room for improvement.