Cut and thrust: Attacks a threat to Dalai Lama calm

By JOHN ARMSTRONG

So not to offend the easily offended Chinese, the Dalai Lama's New Zealand visit is tagged with the following diplomatic proviso: "Spiritual, not political".

Yesterday His Holiness was subjected to an experience that was profoundly political - and not a bit spiritual.

The Dalai Lama had only 5 minutes in Parliament's public gallery to wave his clasped hands and cast his beatific smile on proceedings below before his minders whisked the burgundy and mustard-robed one away to his next engagement.

Long enough, however, for Tibet's exiled leader to witness the daily whipping of another leader in exile. Not long enough to stop it.

Thanks to the absence of Helen Clark overseas, the Opposition was able to relentlessly pester Jim Anderton, Acting Prime Minister and temporarily exiled leader of his new Progressive Coalition, about his perceived party hopping.

Mr Anderton was repeatedly asked to justify using his taxpayer-funded salary and minister's free travel to promote the Progressive Coalition during the forthcoming election campaign, when, according to his own anti-party hopping law, he should have already resigned as an MP after leaving the Alliance.

Despite exchanging scarves with the Dalai Lama earlier in the day, Mr Anderton was not exuding Buddha-like calm under this onslaught.

Angrily, he referred to Peter Dunne amalgamating his United Party with a Christian-based grouping. Yet, no one was calling for Mr Dunne's resignation.

"I have made it clear that I will maintain the policies for which I was elected and the proportionality of Parliament in terms of party representation in this House as reflected at the last election," Mr Anderton fumed.

"However, in every Parliament there comes a point when a new mandate is sought by each member. The House rises and those who wish to be candidates seek a further mandate from the people. Members of Parliament cease to be members by operation of law on election day.

"But under the Constitution Act, there is continuity of Government until a new ministry is sworn in."

This reasonable-sounding explanation neatly avoided any reference to party hopping. It did not satisfy Act's Richard Prebble, who wanted to know if Mr Anderton would be perking on.

"Does he intend to remain an MP so he can use all the perks of office in order to campaign for a new party?"

To cries of "resign", Mr Anderton insisted he had honoured the commitment he had made at the last election to remain an "Alliance" MP - at least until the next one.

He would continue his full ministerial duties until he believed he was not adequately capable of doing so - and there was no suggestion of that being the case.

The same questions kept coming, prompting the same reply.

"It's the longest suicide note in history," interjected National's Maurice Williamson.

Not quite. Saint Jim of Wigram will without doubt hold onto his seat under his new banner.

But at an obvious price - daily humiliation in the House which would try the patience of a Dalai Lama.