Ardern: Mandate exists for Labour to form a govt within 3 weeks

Jacinda Ardern: Labour has a mandate to form a government within the next 3 weeks; Talks with the Greens won't happen until next week

18th Oct 20, 3:07pm by Jenée Tibshraeny

Jacinda Ardern addressing media on Sunday afternoon

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern expects to form a government within the next two to three weeks, but won’t comment on whether the Greens will be a part of that government.

“We clearly have a mandate on behalf of New Zealand to crack on with government formation.” Ardern told media on Sunday afternoon.

“I have said I want to talk with the Greens and will do that next week. But as I say, that mandate does exist for Labour.”

Ardern said she had a “very brief” conversation with Greens co-leader, James Shaw, to acknowledge the party's election "success". She also put in a call to the other co-leader, Marama Davidson.

“We have left it that we will speak again next week. So, nothing further to report there, other than that initial conversation,” she said.

“I have been a consensus builder, but I also need to work with the mandate that Labour has been given.”

Labour's caucus will meet on Monday and Tuesday.

Ardern was confident the party had enough talent to fill ministerial roles.

Asked what Labour’s “strong mandate” meant in practical terms, Ardern signalled Labour would continue on the path it was on in terms of policy.

She said she maintained the Labour-led Government’s Covid-19 response and the Labour Party’s plan going forward were what New Zealanders, particularly new Labour voters, endorsed at the election.

In terms of the economic recovery, Ardern mentioned Labour’s policies to extend the Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme until the end of 2023, and expand the existing “flexi-wage” subsidy available to employers who hire people "at risk of long-term unemployment".

Asked if the result was a vote for a “progressive New Zealand”, Ardern said, “I think last night’s vote was a vote of confidence in… our Covid response and recovery, and to keep going…

“I’d like to think that New Zealand has always been a relatively progressive country. Even at times, we may’ve had a centre-right government, you still have some of those conscience issues coming through.”

Special votes yet to be counted

The Electoral Commission says around 480,000 special votes (17% of total votes) are yet to be counted. This includes an estimated 66,000 overseas and dictation votes.

Voter turnout is estimated to be 82.5% of those enrolled as at 6pm, October 16. This compares with a final 79.8% turnout of those enrolled in 2017.

Here are the preliminary election night results:

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104 Comments

by waymad | 18th Oct 20, 3:11pm 1602987107

Which being translated means - Greens, we won, you lost, eat that.

by Foxglove. | 18th Oct 20, 3:36pm 1602988614

Hope so. The electorate has returned Labour with a clear and independent majority and a strong message that the Greens are not considered as being either relevant or necessary. Labour therefore has the mandate and the will of the people to govern alone. To do so will be one of the most sensible, justifiable and understandable decisions any incoming NZ government has ever made and it will vindicate all those that voted accordingly, and indeed the very nature and the spirit, of MMP itself.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 3:55pm 1602989744

Ardern has already hinted she will take the Greens with her - the "by the people for the people" (ok so I paraphrased ). She won't risk alienating Green leaning Labour voters. She'll also want a scapegoat. I very much doubt she is that much of a risktaker as to shut them out and I definitely think she's waay to canny. She'll be thinking about 2023 in the upcoming negs

by Theoracle | 18th Oct 20, 10:24pm 1603013077

Yep they'll need a party to blame for all their failures.

by sharetrader | 18th Oct 20, 4:05pm 1602990335

a lot voted for labour to govern alone so there will be no CGT or wealth tax , i hope when she rang the leaders she told them to forget it

by donny11 | 19th Oct 20, 6:40am 1603042852

Land tax hasn't been ruled out though

by Lanthanide | 19th Oct 20, 11:36am 1603060582

Correct it hasn't, but they ruled out any tax changes other than 39% at $180k for this term.

by AndrewRiddell5886 | 18th Oct 20, 4:36pm 1602992201

You need to reconcile your strong message re Greens with the Greens getting an increased number of party votes/MPs, don't you?

by Foxglove. | 18th Oct 20, 4:49pm 1602992953

The Greens finished fourth.

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 5:51pm 1602996704

... yep .... by rights , she ought to call up ACT ...

by kiwichas | 19th Oct 20, 12:04pm 1603062285

Or National

by morepork | 18th Oct 20, 9:33pm 1603010012

Based on previous elections, I'd expect the Greens to get more votes than ACT once the special votes are counted

by Whatwillhappen | 19th Oct 20, 2:22pm 1603070548

This wasn't like other elections... If anything ACT could get increased share of votes, and National lower. A vote for ACT was a message to National to shape up

by waymad | 18th Oct 20, 4:54pm 1602993291

ODT has this headline: Labour wins party vote in Every SI electorate. Strategic voting to foobar Green leverage, and it's worked.....

Lesser of two weevils, and all that....

by Foxglove. | 18th Oct 20, 5:33pm 1602995604

Aye there will be a lot of those voters feeling betrayed if said voting does not realise that outcome. Undesirable black cloud over a new government I would venture to suggest

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 7:35pm 1603002949

Well if they were National supporters and voted Labour they'd only have one person to blame.

Wonder if they'll be able to figure that out?

by Foxglove. | 18th Oct 20, 8:03pm 1603004597

It would not be unprecedented for a government to disrespect those that had given their vote to them, but regardless of what issue that vote might be of, do not believe this particular Prime Minister is of that ilk. In fact, the Prime Minister stands to gain great respect and trust, if she demonstrates the strength of character to honour the very definite mandate the electorate has entrusted to her government

by Henry_Tull | 19th Oct 20, 9:37am 1603053479

Possibly, traveling round the South, there was deep concern of Greens.

Question if the Day, what does James Shaw do. He may not be at the top table anymore. Or will he?

To pick a turning point, a large part is on Todd Muller, at his collapse, many people saw they were on their own and needed to take matters into their own hands.

by Noncents | 18th Oct 20, 6:16pm 1602998199

It really is quite funny watching the media. Green's may get a minister, Green may be invited into coalition.

The Greens were not in the coalition this time around, and did not have a minister. Why on earth would they get one when Labour now has a majority.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 6:44pm 1602999851

I assume you're talking about Cabinet Ministers - Shaw had Climate Change and Sage had Conservation

by Foxglove. | 18th Oct 20, 6:48pm 1603000117

The exact reality thus explained Noncents. I remember my father long ago telling me that give a man, a hat, a white coat and a whistle and put him charge of a car park and soon he will think to rule the world. There is an extraordinary presumptuous element to the Greens that borders on deluded and that is what concerns most sensible NZrs and that is what the election result has demonstrated.

by powerdownkiwi | 18th Oct 20, 7:56pm 1603004166

There are just people who realise we're stuffing the planet.

If you need to hide, that's your problem

by Noncents | 18th Oct 20, 8:11pm 1603005068

Do the Green's actually realise this? I think if they did comprehend the real issues, they would understand they cannot tax their way out of it.

by Ocelot | 19th Oct 20, 10:51am 1603057913

If you don't understand incentives, then you should not be discussing economics, you should be doing more listening and reading.

by Noncents | 19th Oct 20, 1:08pm 1603066091

If you don't understand the actual issue, you should be doing more listening and reading, so that you incentivize the correct behavior.

What does a "wealth" tax incentivize? Hiding ones wealth? or an immediate halt to saving for retirement? How does it fix the underlying equality issues? or the rampant overpopulation? or the over consumption of resources?

What about a tax on ICVs to incentivize Electric cars? Does it address the mining or rare earth elements? the Fossil fuel powered electricity generation? or the requirement for ongoing roading?

by Foxglove. | 19th Oct 20, 2:17pm 1603070276

Curled up in that though NC, and worse still, was the intention to empower IRD to be able to search out your assets, right of entry to your home to do so, to make sure nothing is escaping the wealth tax. That to be justified, by some perverted twist of natural law, because benefit fraud is investigated. That is a venal and malignant proposal that strikes at the liberty and privacy of all of NZ. It is not welcome in NZ, past, present and future and it is absolutely shocking that it could be formulated by any political party, let alone one that has been in government.

by Hook | 19th Oct 20, 7:05pm 1603087505

My tax deductable security system - two 100kg Mastiffs - will ensure there is no IRD inspectors gaining access to my property to count assets, they are more than welcome to contest the idea with my property manager - a third Mastiff, a tax deductible staff cost, Read it and weep Cindy!

by Advisor | 19th Oct 20, 11:13am 1603059207

NC, seems to be the typical argument from those libertarians/neoliberals these days.

- Reduce tax on businesses because they create jobs but tax those who work for them
- Those without experience running a business aren't qualified to be in government because that's the role of government in society is
- Governments should not tell businesses what to do (more deregulation) but should listen and follow everything businesses have to say

by Noncents | 19th Oct 20, 1:11pm 1603066311

Your second point is one that I really hate people making. Government has nothing to do with business acumen. Further, "running a business" has nothing to do with Business acumen.

Governing is a skill in its own, and not one NZ excels at.

by Whatwillhappen | 19th Oct 20, 2:23pm 1603070637

Brooke van Velden (D leader of ACT) was a Green voter once and realised that to care about the planet, poor people need to not be struggling for survival.

by kiwimm | 19th Oct 20, 9:44am 1603053868

I'd see the Greens involved in government, albeit with a Labour veto on policy.

Current Green responsibilities:
- James Shaw, MP, Green Party Co-leader: Minister for Climate Change, Minister of Statistics, Associate Minister of Finance
- Eugenie Sage, MP: Minister of Conservation, Minister of Land Information New Zealand, Associate Minister for the Environment,
- Julie Anne Genter, MP: Minister for Women, Associate Minister of Health, Associate Minister of Transport
- Jan Logie, MP: Parliamentary Undersecretary to the Minister of Justice (Domestic and Sexual Violence)

I would see Labour re-claiming anything social and core spending and leaving the Greens with Climate Change and Conservation where they have stronger policies.

by Dale Smith | 20th Oct 20, 4:39pm 1603165165

But whoever holds 'Climate Change' rules the country because there is not one other policy that would not fall under the umbrella of climate change, because just to exist affects the climate by their definition.

And unless the Greens can dominate that policy then they will look like a sell out to their constituents anyway.

If Labour does not go alone, then they have already betrayed those voters that helped them be in that position, so would lose them at the next election anyway, which by definition would mean they would need the Greens support again.

And if they truly think the only way they can Govern for all NZers is by a coalition, then they would have to include positions for National and Act as well.

One option is for them to make an offer to the Greens that "they have to refuse,' so it looks like it was the Greens that walked rather than Labour wanting to Govern alone.

They should go alone, but I'll be surprised if they have the guts to do it.

They seem to be good at managing an external crisis, not from stopping us from getting into one of their own makings.

by Housingisoverpriced | 20th Oct 20, 9:24am 1603139080

Onward comrades to $2M average akl house prices by 2030 yay!

by PonziKiwi | 18th Oct 20, 3:19pm 1602987574

PRESIDENT ADRIAN ORR

Is happy with his new govt and super majority.

He now has a mandate from kiwis to go hard and go early and boost house prices on an epic scale. Because kiwis are cool with that after the election..

by RCD | 18th Oct 20, 3:24pm 1602987841

And totally screw anyone who had the temerity and personal responsibility to save for their retirement any nest egg in cash, better quickly dispose of that worthless paper and join the rush to get into tax free capital gains with no cashflow, then just hold out your hand like everyone else for government support because you cant afford to feed yourself.

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 3:39pm 1602988740

But haven’t they been telling us how savers are suckers and the smart people pour every dime into residential property “investment”?

Ordinary New Zealanders love Ardern and despise Collins, and so Labour destroyed National. Learn to live with the fact, mummy’s boys.

by PonziKiwi | 18th Oct 20, 3:40pm 1602988802

Are you Jamie malarkey the ufc fighter from Melbourne?

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 6:45pm 1602999936

No he's just Malarkey - irish slang for BS

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 3:55pm 1602989758

100% agree!
Working is optional in NZ.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/123055187/thousands-of-jobs…
However, Ministry of Business, Industry and Employment acting immigration policy manager Andrew Craig said it was expected that more New Zealanders would be available to fill job vacancies “if the sector makes the jobs more attractive”.

by nz-it-worker | 18th Oct 20, 5:22pm 1602994925

How dare he hint at wage inflation. Doesn’t he know the only things allowed to inflate are house prices? Shame on him.

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 5:24pm 1602995093

Well when one is on the dole they should be made to take the job or cut the benefit. Not pick and choose. Choose being choose not to work....

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 5:43pm 1602996236

Hi OC, whilst I agree with you at one level, having been an employer of said beneficiaries it's nothing but an absolute headache. If they're forced to work all they do is turn up and slack off. National tried the "Work for the Dole" scheme but it was quashed. No doubt you've read the articles recently about 1000s of jobs going begging and the comments here about predatory employers providing low (minimum) wages and no free accommodation - it's the country we live in

by nz-it-worker | 18th Oct 20, 5:49pm 1602996576

Dam right. Kiwis won’t line up to get exploited, so we have to get Islanders in.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/asparagus-grower-ordered-pa…

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 5:51pm 1602996674

Instead they exploit the taxpayer!

by nz-it-worker | 18th Oct 20, 5:54pm 1602996868

Is this thread about the unemployed or landlords?

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 6:14pm 1602998086

Do all landlords exploit the taxpayer?
Plenty of commercials landlords pay massive amounts of tax and also those who are not making losses on residential....
Landlords also worked to get where they are

by Pragmatist | 18th Oct 20, 8:09pm 1603004960

All residential landlords do, many indirectly. The accommodation supplement props up all price levels of residential rentals.

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 8:12pm 1603005137

Some residential landlords do. Agreed. But to say all do is ridiculous.
I want the AS scrapped.

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 5:49pm 1602996594

Hello Hook. I hear what you are saying. What do you do just say a certain portion of population are road kill and they will just stay on welfare never getting ahead?

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 6:52pm 1603000362

Well OC, to coin a phrase from an old manager of mine - "we all have choices". He wasn't well liked but he was very good and was also respected. We both know there is definitely a proportion of beneficiaries who have absolutely no intention to come off welfare. They have a state funded lifestyle they are more than happy with especially when they can supplement their income with cash gains - it's just how it is

by Tradersam | 19th Oct 20, 9:40am 1603053625

NZ has been sold out to the Reserve bank to inflate the stock market and re-inflate a massive housing bubble- thus creating an illusion of prosperity.

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 3:24pm 1602987840

Congratulations, you guys. After so many decades of praying, something FINALLY put Un Zul’n on the map.

by RCD | 18th Oct 20, 3:25pm 1602987901

Thats "Nu Zillun"

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 3:28pm 1602988134

Sorry. I’ve been living overseas so long I can barely understand a word you guys say.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 3:28pm 1602988127

Congratulations to Jenee - still up at midnight but manages to write articles for us to discuss and devour. What a trooper. Thanks Jenee

by waymad | 18th Oct 20, 3:50pm 1602989450

Seconded.

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 4:12pm 1602990768

Thirdeded ....

by jackmarrow | 19th Oct 20, 2:35am 1603028150

She's working really hard

by Pusheen | 18th Oct 20, 3:45pm 1602989138

The sad things about Jacinda, it's her tunnel vision, not flexible & all about popularity contest. When you're a parent to couple kids, it's not easy to do balancing act, one need to be wise & have ability to manage all resources, taking-giving in harmonious way the balancing of yin-yang etc. She's tend to put childish populist remark, there won't be a CGT while I'm a PM, that statement can work as a curse, zealot kind. Things always change, now it's a bit hard to swallow past statement isn't it? - NZ economy keeps on pretending, for how long?

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 4:06pm 1602990403

And yet she won in an epic landslide victory the likes of which has not seen in at least fifty years.

So, I guess it’s just you.

by GV 27 | 19th Oct 20, 6:50am 1603043415

Let me know when she starts getting held to the same account as the National government that preceded her. Then it will be impressive. I'm not hearing daily RNZ stories about the housing crisis anymore, put it that way.

by Sluggy | 19th Oct 20, 12:01pm 1603062068

Well it was never a crisis. It was a sign of success - ask anyone named johnkey

by Advisor | 19th Oct 20, 9:05am 1603051515

The opposition promised to not only resist changes to our broken system but also repeal some worthwhile changes made in the past 3 years.

Wonder why young voters can't connect with NZ National anymore?

by Andrewj | 18th Oct 20, 3:52pm 1602989525

Blairlite

by Pietro | 19th Oct 20, 6:43am 1603043019

Britain boomed under Blair and his ‘third way’. Shame he didn’t find any WMDs.

by FCM | 18th Oct 20, 3:54pm 1602989650

Yep, think people understood national didn't have a chance, so gave labour mandate govern alone, be interesting see share market on Monday.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 4:03pm 1602990230

Given the polls over the last few weeks signalled this as a likely outcome, probably little to no effect. Labour hasn't signalled any major lurches and with the majority provided meaning greater stability the market will likely be happy enough. Besides it's more driven by events in EU, US and UK. CS stocks (WHS in particular) might be worth watching after we find out what the Greens get regarding taxation and UBI etc.

by sharetrader | 18th Oct 20, 4:07pm 1602990464

both wont happen but they might get through the working wage

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 5:16pm 1602994615

You mean the "living wage"? That won't fly either imo. Ardern won't want to ruffle Business confidence that much, especially now that the Round Table is warming to Robertson, Mind you.. never say never. The Benefit increases might get some traction though. I'd also watch the Retirement stocks as well.. closely linked to housing

by Roger the dodger | 18th Oct 20, 4:09pm 1602990569

Any thoughts from the wise on the effect on the sharemarket? Particularly dual listed co's like atm where aussie traders have been pushing it around and who may have a strong perception of labour being anti business?

by Jenée Tibshraeny | 18th Oct 20, 4:22pm 1602991342

Triple T Consulting's Sean Keane wrote in a Credit Suisse note:

Financial markets likely to be relieved at lack of dependence on the Greens in the new Labour government.

From a financial markets perspective not much changes in response to the election result. The Labour led government was widely expected to win the election, with the only real uncertainty being whether they would need the support of the Green Party to form a government...

The expectation now will be that Labour will continue to direct more money towards their traditional policy areas of health and education and that they will continue to highlight issues of poverty and inequality. The transfer of wealth via tax and benefits will thus accelerate to some extent but it will be limited by the tax parameters that the government has told voters that it will adhere to. None of this will be new or surprising news to the local market, and this will not move the market dial.

Our overall take-away is that the election result will not be a material market moving event, and that in fact the lack of reliance on the support of the Green Party removes the risk of some of the more extreme wealth redistribution policies making it to the Cabinet table.

This means that for the market the election result will quickly disappear into the rear view mirror and the focus will turn to how the government attempts to get the economic recovery back on track whilst seemingly wanting to maintain one of the most aggressive Covid responses in the world.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 5:04pm 1602993857

I can see why Keane is a consultant - took 4 paragraphs to say what I said in two sentences ... hahaha

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 5:56pm 1602996974

... oh , behave .... James Shaw was a consultant at PWC ... was he not ? .... ergo , a wealth tax to sock it to those rich pr*cks must be a good idea .... Yes ! ...

by Roger the dodger | 19th Oct 20, 7:30am 1603045819

Brilliant, thanks.

by frazz | 18th Oct 20, 9:25pm 1603009536

Share market near all time highs..does yhat answer your question?

by Roger the dodger | 19th Oct 20, 7:36am 1603046195

No. You have misunderstood.

by karl seastrand | 19th Oct 20, 1:38pm 1603067922

dodger.. you may find our election has little to no effect on the share market. IMO the US election poses far more risk.

by b21 | 18th Oct 20, 4:51pm 1602993087

If they are smart they'd rather include the Greens in the government even if it is only a cosmetic agreement since they have no leverage to put pressure on Labor than having them as one more opposition group.

by bw | 18th Oct 20, 4:57pm 1602993456

And how is Jacinda going to tell those in her own ranks that they will miss out a job to a Party that doesn't have to get that job?
The last thing Jacinda needs to stroke now is internal discontent.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 5:31pm 1602995477

I don't think there's enough depth of actual talent in Labour to increase Ministerial positions for her MPs. Finding a new Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Minister for OT and the other positions NZF had plus taking some strain off Hipkins and Woods is going to be a big exercise and one she'll have to think very carefully about. The Ministerial Portfolio list will be quite interesting and telling as to where her priorities lie imv

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 5:37pm 1602995863

Unfortunately they will give it ago.
There will be more Twyfords and kiwibuilds and failed policies but not to worry Cindy will announce a reset when these arrive to the press.
Reset = we could not actually do it and we are not to talk about that policy again after today but in a few years I will outline our success in the particular area and not be challenged on it.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 5:46pm 1602996386

Haha.. true. And don't forget those targets weren't targets but "aspirations"

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 4:57pm 1602993430

Leave them as opposition they will have to come up with more and more bizarre policies to get air time that the masses don't want. Starve them of oxygen.

by iconoclast | 18th Oct 20, 5:41pm 1602996117

Political Capital
Labour has achieved the political capital needed to "do things" and implement its policies. It should do so immediately and quickly before the capital dissipates

The problem Labour faces is that it doesn't have a lot of depth of talent in its caucus. With the experience and guidance of Helen Clark and Michael Cullen they need to bring its own MP's into the caucus and blood them and train them, and bring them up to speed and give them the experience. It would be a mistake to bring Greens into the cabinet at the expense of its own MPs. Shaw made a hash of Statistics NZ and the census. Genter is too doctrinaire. Ardern needs to steer her own course with her own people. The extreme doctrinaire demands of the Greens would be a distraction

by iconoclast | 18th Oct 20, 7:18pm 1603001934

I'm not a Wellingtonian
I don't live in Wellington
I've never lived in Wellington
But, please, please, please
Give Wellington its duplicate Mt Victoria tunnel
Pronto

by lowercase capitalist | 18th Oct 20, 7:38pm 1603003132

Why though? the tunnel only gets jammed at peak hours.

by pankers | 18th Oct 20, 8:49pm 1603007365

Labour has been given a mandate to govern this was given by national party voters to stop the greens ,
Cindy you are are notice leave greens out of cabinet or you will like NZ first PUNISHED in next election.

by sharetrader | 18th Oct 20, 9:45pm 1603010742

1.6 million votes early and only 700k voted on election day.
two points . why was the count so slow, they were supposed to count the early votes from 9am saturday
and what is the point of no election day news until 7pm when now most people have already voted

by Dave Moderato | 18th Oct 20, 10:15pm 1603012529

If Labour wants a further boost in popularity. No Greens. Labour won a landslide courtesy of the centre. Best they get off to a good start.

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 11:08pm 1603015709

It's funny reading the outrage of the whiny old men desperately concocting reasons to bash Ardern and Labour. For instance, how many years now have they been shrieking about "bloody immigrants ruining the country"? They were the worst thing ever, apparently. "There are too many of them! Close the borders! Put them on the next flight out! NZ for Kiwis! No more [racial slur]! Unless they're rich and buying houses. Those [racial slur] are all right I suppose, but not the [racial slur] and the [racial slur] and the [racial slur]! Filthy swine, don't know our ways, refuse to assimilate!"
Then Ardern closes the border due to the pandemic and, "IT'S AN OUTRAGE! WORST PM EVER! WORST GUBMINT IN HISTORY! The next election's going to be a bloodbath for Labour, mark my words! Kiwis won't stand for this economic terrorism!"
lol

by GV 27 | 19th Oct 20, 6:49am 1603043340

You probably picked a bad example given Labour wanted a "breather" on immigration and went actively trying to win that vote in 2017.

by jackmarrow | 19th Oct 20, 2:41am 1603028510

*Ardern said she had a “very brief” conversation with Greens co-leader, James Shaw, to acknowledge the party's election "success"*

That quotations on the word success though.

by Whatwillhappen | 19th Oct 20, 2:27pm 1603070859

Yep. If there was a massive Green mandate it would look a lot higher than 7% plus change. The mandate is to Labour, not the Left

by bw | 19th Oct 20, 8:00am 1603047649

For Labour, this was a victory most resembled 1987, when David Lange and Roger Douglas .....

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/123126801/election-2020-natio…

Let's hope something similar happens this time - to the sector of our economy that can 'afford' to pay - The Urban dwellers. Because the Rural Sector did its bit for the country last time.

by GV 27 | 19th Oct 20, 8:06am 1603048003

I don't know if you've missed the memo m8 but in the big smoke we're all either pouring money into the profit & loss statements of Australian banks or stuck in congestion. This one is going to have to be a team effort I'm afraid.

by Hook | 19th Oct 20, 1:55pm 1603068923

Yeah, hopefully the part of the team that's been doing all the finger pointing actually starts taking some responsibility for it's fumbling and fuming and quits moaning about the defence and starts pulling it's weight.

by delboy | 19th Oct 20, 11:19am 1603059568

I know of many National voter friends who gave their party vote to Labour to keep the Greens out of power.

Labour are not great at governing and I fully expect homelessness, poverty, crime and hospital waiting lists to continue to increase over the next 3 years but a Green party holding the balance of power would have been a disaster.

by Advisor | 19th Oct 20, 11:40am 1603060847

I know of many National voter friends who gave their party vote to Labour to keep the Greens out of power

That may have been the case for a small percentage of party votes but the party also lost key seats to Labour and one to the Greens (ouch!).

The Greens still did much better than opinion polls said it would.
Shaw and team will undoubtedly get a seat at the table on the environment and climate change, maybe not on taxes and welfare increases, for the sake of previous support and chance of future collaboration with Labour.

by Chairman Moa | 19th Oct 20, 11:21am 1603059715

ACT got 10 seats, that's incredible result. But I guess with Labour and Greens combined of 74 seats, Act's 10 seats is as useful as an used piece of tissue!

by OreoContrarian | 19th Oct 20, 11:28am 1603060091

Are Labour and the Greens one party?

by Chairman Moa | 19th Oct 20, 11:39am 1603060775

Yep, Greens and Labour is known as Zaphod Beeblebrox

by sharetrader | 19th Oct 20, 1:28pm 1603067322

are national and act one party,?
since MMP the two main parties have split with the right (ACT) and left (greens) from each creating a new party and the two main parties moving to the center,
if you look at a lot of things that get passed in parliament it is normally labour and national voting to pass and one of the minor parties opposing

by Whatwillhappen | 19th Oct 20, 2:29pm 1603070948

Not quite right. Prebble and Douglas were from Labour. National split and got NZ First. ACT is all Labour's fault ^^

by karl seastrand | 19th Oct 20, 1:51pm 1603068693

Any chance Labour invite the Maori Party in but leave the Greens out? Good long shot bet?