Transtasman Political Letter – 3 Nov. Digest
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3rd November 2005
It’s pretty quiet around the capital as politicians and pundits await next week’s storm of the new Parliamentary term
... National has reason to smile, because it looks set to dominate the Committee rooms
... Helen Clark and Michael Cullen will need all their deal making skills to make things work this time round
... Winston Peters passes a Foreign Policy test, but NZ First looks set for a mauling in the House.
National Pushes For Inquiry Into TVNZ
A Parliamentary inquiry into TVNZ is a real possibility. National isn’t satisfied with explanations about why CEO Ian
Fraser resigned, and suspects the network’s Govt appointed Board has interfered in its day-to-day running.
Government Could Lose Its Grip On Committee Process
TVNZ isn’t the only organisation in National’s sights. Twice this week its leaders issued an ominous warning to the Govt
and the wording was identical: “We will now be making full use of the Select Committee process to instigate a full
inquiry.”
Fonterra Gives Peters His First Problem
Playing it cool and cautious, Winston Peters gave no sign of being ruffled by potentially serious allegations
surrounding Fonterra. The dairy giant is under investigation by MFAT for possible involvement in Iraqi food-for-oil
scams, which the company strongly denies knowing anything about.
Bollard Talks The Dollar Down
The NZ dollar took a powerful jawboning on Wednesday and it seems to be responding. Finance Minister Michael Cullen has
previously commented the dollar is too high. On Wednesday Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard was even more vehement.
CAPITAL TALK
Early on Defence, Trade and Overseas Aid Minister Phil Goff’s agenda is the appointment of the next Chief of Defence Force, to succeed Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson.
Play of the week: Telly Tanties
Departing TVNZ CEO Ian Fraser, who vamooses from his job to the popping sound of dummies being hoicked, gets an exit
package of the kind which we all thought had been abolished by Labour.
Transtasman is a subscriber newsletter published weekly and read widely in New Zealand and abroad. The above is a
summary of this week's edition. To subscribe and read the full newsletter see.. http://Transtasman.co.nz