Cabinet ruffles Hobbs' feathers

Marian Hobbs

Labour's Wellington Central MP, Marian Hobbs, threatened to resign from Parliament after a local bird reserve missed out on funding she had been confident it would get.

She expressed bitter disappointment last week at the decision but it emerged only yesterday that she was so upset she had threatened to quit.

The revelation about Ms Hobbs, in the Independent Financial Review and confirmed by party sources, did not surprise colleagues yesterday but was considered to have been an emotional response to an issue rather than a real intention to quit.

The cause of the row was the Cabinet's decision to reject a bid by the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary for $6 million for a visitor's centre in its inaugural grants from the $32 million Significant Community Based Projects Fund.

"You can't imagine how hurt I feel having fought this through," she told the Dominion Post. "It's embarrassing. It's bloody hurtful."

Marian Hobbs promoted the fund, which was launched last year by Prime Minister Helen Clark at the sanctuary, where she said the reserve was the sort of project the fund was aimed at.

If Ms Hobbs had resigned from her constituency seat, it would have forced an unwanted byelection. If Labour had lost the seat passing legislation would have become harder because the Government would need the support of more than just New Zealand First and United Future.

And it would add to the image of a third-term Government that appeared to have more difficulties within its own ranks than among those of its disparate friends and supporters.

Ms Hobbs did not seek re-election to the Cabinet after last year's election and is considered unlikely to seek Labour's nomination in 2008.