Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Big Green Party
It's very exciting to see how well the Greens did at this election - 13 MPs in the House and plenty of energised fresh blood - green blood that is! Both Metiria and Russel looked buoyant and re-energised from the experience of the campaign and election night and handled their interviews with aplomb. The 10%+ they earned is a significant score and one that won't be fallen below, in my opinion, ever again. In fact, I believe that whatever the reason for the success of the Greens at this election, it signals a swift rise to significance and influence for the Green Party. Most important will be their greater voice in Parliament, albiet from the Opposition benches and the greater number of people who invested their vote in the Green team and will be watching and listening to them over the next three years. That focus will, I believe, serve to consolidate and grow the green vote, rather than erode it, as was the case with the Maori and Act Parties. Potential cooperation between the Green, Mana and Labour parties and, dare I say it, New Zealand First, at least where it comes to crying down issues like asset sales, will mean the Left will serve as a potent force this time around and will go into the next election rampant and spoiling for a fight.
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9 comments:
I hope you are correcct, and the Green party continue to gain the votes of more than 10% of voters. There are circumstances where this may not happen, the most immediate of which is how heavily the Greens are involved in the new government.
Carefull what you wish for and don't forget that you are looking at the results through green glasses (recycled)
And if you don't believe that look how the Standard is proclaiming an almost victory (red glasses)
That aside, good on the Greens, as long as they stay centered they should retain that support. Drift back into hippyness or show their watermellon side and out the door they will go
The real worry should be the drop in support they lose when people actually get into the booth
That can not be blamed on the pollsters and needs some research
The other problem for you is if Labour become more creditable votes could drift back to them
Its no fun being a wall flower, all you get to do is watch everybody else have fun. The Greens need to realise that they will always be the bridesmaid so need to cut a decent deal to get some traction.
AC - the arrangenments through which the Greens negotiate the passage of the next three years will be critical to their/our future. I reckon well shine.
we'll
Ray - again, I believe the exposure to those who voted Green, of the party and it's management and objectives, will secure and grow the Green vote come the next election. The turning point for the Greens has been passed.
Opposition ain't so bad, Animal. A lot can be achieved when your ideas are good and constantly being taken up and implemented by the others. In any case, it's a safer place to be, for a small party, than welded to a brutish big Government that crushes its remora eventually. Once we are big enough, we'll take some small fish with us and be the Government.
Nice sentiments RG, however with an obvious Labour rebuild the good ole swinging voter will once again be just that.
NZ is just too small and conservative for that. Unless the Greens tie in with one of the big brutish remora crushing Governments, they will be only known for a bit of insulation that the local Bluff Maori groups had been doing for years anyway.
"Unless the Greens tie in with one of the big brutish remora crushing Governments, they will be only known for.."
To be crushed, or only known for...
That's the question.
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