Kerre Woodham: Key takes initiative to make election First Past the Post

Prime Minister John Key. Photo / Greg Bowker

John Key's powerful piece of gazumping this week hasn't pleased everybody.

His refusal to entertain forming a coalition with New Zealand First has ruffled the feathers of a few Winston fans - incredibly, there are still some out there.

Key should take heed of the electorate, they spluttered. Arrogant, others claimed, especially in light of his indication he is not interested in leading the National Party should it finish in opposition.

But by crikey, he's laid down the gauntlet. In effect, we're being asked to vote in a first past the post fashion. Act is looking a dead duck - Rodney might win Epsom again but as he's discovered, maintaining an electorate is easier than hanging on to a party. And just as Rick and Ilsa will always have Paris, National will always have Peter Dunne - a political klingon if ever there was one.

The Maori Party needs to sort out its own house and once the dust settles, who knows which way they'll swing. They may be more Labour aligned as Hone Harawira claimed in the article that's caused so much trouble, but a lot of Labour's social policies don't sit comfortably with conservative old kuia. In effect John Key has asked voters to choose between National and a Labour/Green/New Zealand First hybrid beast. Winston Peters has gone for that "we'll sit on the crossbenches and keep them honest" line which appeals to some heartland voters but when it comes to successful gamblers, the money trader would take down the wily old politician any day, surely.