More results from New Zealand election

[Bill Rosenberg <w.rosenberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For those interested in the recent New Zealand election...

Special votes have now been counted, bringing significant changes.
The Greens won an electoral seat, and also broke the 5% boundary,
both events entitling them to proportional representation in
Parliament. They therefore have 7 out of the 120 seats; Labour and
the Alliance (who have formally formed a coalition government) have
been reduced to 59 seats (Labour 49, Alliance 10). However the
Greens have promised at least initial support on confidence and
supply, so effectively the centre-left has a 66 seat majority in
Parliament, with the left (Alliance and Greens) 17 seats. This
constitutes a significant shift to the left. The Greens were part of
the Alliance in the outgoing Parliament, and split because they felt
the Green "message" was being lost in the Alliance, and because of
some friction with the Alliance leadership. Against most predictions
(and with the help of vitriolic attacks from the outgoing right-wing
National Party) they succeeded in building their position. The Green
policy platform is very similar to the Alliances, but with greater
emphasis on (wait for it) environmentalissues  - genetic engineering,
organic farming, and so on. They have a stronger line against free
trade: a strong strand of self-reliance, down to the local level.
Their new Members of Parliament include a line-up of well-known,
battle-hardened activists on social, environmental and international
issues.

There are 26 ministers in the new government - including 4
Alliance, 11 women (including the Prime Minister), 4 Maori.

The new govt has rejected Alliance and Green calls for a rise in
benefit levels (severely cut in the last decade) by $20/week before
Christmas. A rise in the minimum wage seems likely however.
Income-related state house rents are part of the new government's
policies. Both are already being attacked by employer and landlord
groups.

The populist/centrist New Zealand First has kept its 5
election-night seats (down from 13 in the previous election) - but by
only 68 votes, which will doubtless be the subject of legal
challenges.

Bill