Which Way Will They Jump?

Winston Peter's has promised Labour the support of New Zealand First on matters of confidence and supply. That means they need the support other 54 MP's incuding their own to form a government? The question is: which parties should help Labour form a government?

A principle of social democracy is to be inclusive. Political comentator Colin James said on Election Night that Labour would probably try and have a coalition consisting of themselves, Jim Anderton's Progressive Party and United Future. The reason is that Labour does not want to look to have pandered to "radical" interests so that it can win the next election.

Is this a good long-term move? Why does Labour exist if all it wants to do is retain power?

What about the problem of energy? The Greens certainly (and possibly Jim Anderton's Progressive Party) have a handle on what to do about peak oil. Another issue that the Greens wish to pursue is child poverty. If Labour let the Greens into Government they would have their 54 seats.

But what about the Maori Party? Labour could exclude them and appear not to be "pandering to Maori".

The events in the Tamaki Makarau electorate on Friday 16 September are an example of an alternative justice system in action. It shows that there is more than one culture or group of people who do things a certain way. New Zealand society is not Dr Brash's mainstream but a cacophany of babbling brooks. Labour can take the Brash approach and impose a British colonial model on the people of New Zealand or it can cater for people of different backgrounds.

It will be in the interest of society at large if Labour, having opened up the can of worms that is the foreshore and seabed issue, works with the Maori Party on the foreshore and seabed issue so that everyone is satisfied. To leave the matter lie will just leave a festering sore. There are also other issues that are important to Maori (as well as many other people) that Labout needs to work on - child poverty, housing, unemployment and low wages to name a few. To do this the Maori Party should form part of the Government.

Finally, if Labour wants to be really inclusive they should invite United Future to join the Government. Sure United Future is led by a leading Rogernome (Peter Dunne helped to implement GST) but the Party does seem to have some social conscience. If United Future doesn't want to be part of a government that includes the Greens that is not Labour's fault.

Labour has tried to distance itself from Rogernomics. It has turned back many of the reforms of Ruthanasia. If Labour wants to show that it is a social democratic party, it should be inclusive of other parties ideas and get on with achieving what it wants to achieve over the next three years
rather than take a cautious line just to stay power at the next election.