Gutting the middle order

This is how Labour MP's get into Parliament and get portfolios.

A list is made. If you win your seat, you`re safe. If you are not a first termer or a minister, you may get some select committee responsibility. If you do not win a seat, but you are high on the list you get into Parliament. Furthermore, if you are in the top 20, have not lost your seat or are not disgraced, you`re a Cabinet Minister.

If you are elected back through the list outside the top 20, or lose your seat but get back on the list, you are a target for deadwood. If you are a deadwood target and hold a position (such as chief whip), you have that taken from you. Once the deadwood is purged, this gives way for fresh blood in the form of gays and unionists.

This is the Labour-style of Mixed Member Proportional representation. With the emphasis on mixed member, not proportional. The representation is representing Labour, not voters.

Some of the old Labour MP's such as Georgina Beyer, Mita Ririnui, Jill Pettis, Ann Hartley, Jim Sutton, Dover Samuels, Russell Fairbrother and Dianne Yates have been told that it's OK if they were to dust off their CVs and look for another job. All are on the list, and some lost their seats and made it back on that list. The electorate doesn’t want them any more, and it appears now the leader isn't too keen on them staying around for much longer either. Quite convenient actually, as any removal of a list MP does not create a by-election. George Hawkins is lucky he won his seat or he`ll be top of that list.

But it begs the question: why were they placed so high up the list? One would have to ask why Charles Chauvel, Lesley Soper, Louisa Wall, and Sua Sio were not placed higher.

It appears the only list MPs that were reelected on the list that are not targeted are Moana Mackey, Ashraf Choudhary and Margaret Wilson, and any list MPs in the top 20 save Jim Sutton, who would probably have got a decent ministerial post had he won his seat. Mackey is set for bigger things in select committee, Wilson is set to be Speaker and Choudhary, well, he`s a Labour list lapdog. Tim Barnett and Steve Chadwick will be disappointed they were not promoted. Both won their seats. Perhaps they`ll get select committee chairs.

Perhaps Helen Clark wants a few more unionists and gay MPs in her caucus. As no electorate is going to elect them, the only way for them is on the list. That’s how Shane Jones and Maryann Street got in. So because not enough of them got in, all it takes is Sutton, Samuels, and two others to go or be offered diplomatic posts that will be accepted and then you have two more gay MPs and an additional two unionists in the Labour Caucus.

UPDATE It appears that I'm not entirely correct - but not entirely surprised either.You have to be heterosexual to be on the "death with dignity list". Georgina Beyer lost her seat made it back on the list in a reasonably high place. She has been personally assured by our Glorious Leader that she can stay as long as she wants.