AUGUST 3 2019 LISTENER 13
C
H
R
IS(^) S
LA
N
E
old-fashioned policy shorthand, Muller is a wet and
Bridges is a dry, but mainly because, in increasingly
bold type, Muller is looking like Bridges’ most seri-
ous leadership rival. The Bay of Plenty MP hasn’t
spoken a syllable out of place to this effect, but has
gained much admiration in the caucus and party
for his policy work and courteously forceful com-
munications style.
Bridges and his lieutenants, Paula Bennett and
Todd McClay, have the bodgie-ish air of a market-
ing department on an Away Day, whereas Muller’s
cohort has more of a sleeves-rolled-up-around-
the-board-table demeanour. Many of National’s
newer, younger MPs want their party to reach
cross-party consensus on the Zero Carbon Bill, or
at least to cease cavilling at green policies quite so
automatically, because that can look petrolhead-
Neanderthal. They also see the advent of Jacinda
Ardern as a game-changer for the tone of politics,
which they believe Muller is equal to, but that the
more belligerent Bridges, Bennett and other poten-
tial contender Judith Collins are not.
Let’s just pause here to note that cross-party
accord on climate change is probably a chimera.
The last thing Labour wants is to share credit with
National for this or anything else. It would be poor
form to admit it, but suffice it to say that when
New Zealand First banned Muller
from the discussions that devised
the bill, the Ninth Floor did not
leap to reinstate his invitation. This
appalled Shaw, who publicly apolo-
gised to Muller – in a parliamentary
speech, to be sure no one could stop
him.
BUSTED A GUT
Zero Carbon’s political journey is a
cotillion of disingenuity, approach-
ing another triangulation of
jeopardy now that it’s before the
select committee. Muller has vowed
to fight for farmers by trying to get
the methane regime softened, but
that leads him smack into NZ First’s
hunting ground, the rural/provincial
vote, where it wants to be the one
who gets a better deal on methane.
According to NZ First, even the exist-
ing deal would be much tougher but
for its intercession. This makes it less
likely Labour and the Greens will give
further ground, especially if it obliges
the Nats in the process.
In short, this is a contest to estab-
lish which party can be made to
look most responsible for there not
being an accord. With the exception
of the Greens, who would like a full
accord, the parties will be striving to
ensure they agree not to agree, while
making it look as though they’ve
busted a gut, but – smite of brow –
cynical Party X put its own selfish
short-term interests ahead of the
nation’s.
To paraphrase Mr Toad’s car gloat,
what dust clouds they’ll raise up
behind them, and what worthy sup-
plementary order papers will crash
into ditches as they speed on their
reckless way. l
The policy is designed
to herd people away
from high-emission
vehicles, of which vans
and utes tend to be
the apex offenders.