Political diary: The political week that was

SUNDAY

Was it his idea or did he have to be prodded into doing it? Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia demands the family of the Kahui twins reveal who killed the babies. He also announces that he intends holding an all-party meeting on family violence. Bringing other Opposition parties into the fold is a good way of drawing the sting out of a political issue as they will look churlish if they do not co-operate. However, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has already been on the case, trying to get the Kahui family to co-operate with the police once the twins have been buried. While the deaths occurred on his Auckland patch, Sharples displays extraordinary leadership in trying to negotiate a solution amid the maelstrom of public anger provoked by the family's intransigence. Once again, the Maori Party is seen to be on the job with Labour's Maori caucus trailing behind - until the Prime Minister nudged Horomia into action.


TUESDAY

It was the house that Norm built. But could he have done it now? Building Issues Minister Clayton Cosgrove attacks National's Bob "The Builder" Clarkson in Parliament for planning a private member's bill to permit New Zealanders to build their own homes, whether they are licensed or unlicensed builders. Cosgrove warns this would cut right across his licensing regime to protect the public from shoddy workmanship. Nick Smith, National's building spokesman, asks Cosgrove whether he has visited the Kaiapoi house that former Labour prime minister Norm Kirk built "with his own sweat and toil". He says Cosgrove's complex regime would have required "Norm" to have separate licences for concrete work, blocklaying, roofing, carpentry and external plastering." Yes, Cosgrove has visited the house - not surprising given it is in his Waimakariri electorate. He argues Labour has struck "a common-sense balance". Do-it-yourselfers can still build a deck, a bathroom, or even a woolshed. But work on a building's "structural integrity" must be supervised or done by a licensed builder. If Kirk was alive today, Cosgrove says, he could still build his home, but would have to do so partly under supervision. All of which sounds sort of halfway house-ish.


THURSDAY

For the third day running in Parliament, National's John Key tries to force Finance Minister Michael Cullen to admit there must have been a conflict of interest of some sort in him and other ministers dining with Air New Zealand executives just as the Government was about to consider the airline's controversial deal with Qantas to stem losses on its transtasman routes. Cullen, Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel and then Transport Minister David Parker supped with the airline's executives at Wellington's upmarket Boulcott Street Bistro. Key runs into a brick wall, with Cullen adamant the March meeting dealt mostly with tourism matters. But has Key asked the right questions - such as who paid the bill, and, if it was Air New Zealand, was it still the Government paying given it owns around 80 per cent of the airline? And, most importantly, what did they drink? Surely, the diners would have found it difficult to go past a certain Aussie red listed in the bistro's cellar selection - the 2003 Cullen Mangan. At $100 a bottle, this blend of malbec, merlot and petit verdot has been described as a vibrant combination of intense violet and rose aromas. Perfect for a Finance Minister who wants to come up smelling like roses. However, Key really missed his chance. If ministers or the airline they bailed out can afford to dine at a restaurant which features a $400 bottle of French champagne on its wine list, why can't the Government afford tax cuts?


FRIDAY

It seems Labour is planning to trumpet New Zealand's unique "no fault" accident compensation scheme as one of its big contributions to New Zealand society when it celebrates its 90th birthday next week. Labour can claim credit for the scheme's universality and for finally getting it up and running in 1974. However, a no-fault scheme was recommended in 1967 by a royal commission which was instigated by National, while the initial enacting legislation was also passed while National was in power.