Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

Political commentators like Bill Ralston believe the Labour Party now realises its days are numbered. While it would be foolish to write off the possibility of a Labour/Maori/Greens coalition, the ruling party needs a decent boost in its poll fortunes to make that happen.

Both Homepaddock and Kiwiblog have picked up on the recent "rash of Government appointments" made by Labour Party ministers, obviously keen to secure jobs for good Labour boys and girls before the election has a chance to interrupt the gravy train.

Kiwiblog notes that cronyism is alive and well in New Zealand... "In the last few months almost every Labour Party activist in the country seems to be picking up taxpayer funded board jobs."

A recent media release by Gerry Brownlee revealed the Labour-led Government has made a whopping 96 political appointments in the last month alone, and that number is growing substantially by the day. Lianne Dalziel, Annette King, and Steve Chadwick are amongst the ministers busy handing out jobs to loyal workers.
Sitting Dunedin South MP David Benson-Pope must be getting worried about the rumoured "job for the boy" he was promised, if he agreed to retire (somewhat) gracefully from his seat, to make way for 9th Floor appointee Clare Curran.

The Weekend Herald reported yesterday on Labour stacking the new New Zealand Transport Agency with party stooges... including Labour Party president Mike Williams, failed Labour candidate Alick Shaw, former Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore, and former Auckland City councillor Christine Caughey.
An incoming administration will find it has inherited quite a lot of political baggage and dead weight, to go with the country's over-blown accounts, thanks to a last-minute spendup on a national train set and billions in wasteful welfare handouts.

* Stuff: Nats claim Yates' job choice cronyism
* NZ Herald: Nats slam transport 'stooges'