Political diary

MONDAY

Trans Tasman, the capital's weekly newsletter analysing domestic politics and business, releases its annual ratings of the performance of Parliament's 122 MPs over the past year. The Diary has few quibbles with the scores and brief comments made on each MP - except those accorded Labour's 13th ranked MP Nanaia Mahuta. Her rating has been chopped back from 5.5 out of 10 last year to 4 this year. Says Trans Tasman of her performance: "Should make a lot more of the environment portfolio ... isn't often heard in the House on this critical portfolio. A mediocre year ... has to improve her performance." The only problem with that is Mahuta has not been Labour's environment spokeswoman since May, when Labour leader Phil Goff reshuffled his Opposition line-up and gave the job to Shane Jones. As for her "mediocre year", there is a simple explanation for her lack of visibility. She has been on maternity leave for much of the year.

TUESDAY

The ghosts of ministers past ... For the second time in recent weeks Education Minister Anne Tolley prefaces her answer to a question in Parliament with the words, "More good news". Today she is highlighting the Government's funding of $10.8 million for a three-year programme helping teachers to use digital technology. "There is more good news; it just keeps on coming," she says. Tolley, however, is not the first minister to use this phrasing. Labour's Steve Maharey turned it into something of an art-form as a means of irritating the heck out of opponents. Maharey used it to deadly effect as Employment Minister when jobless numbers were steadily falling - as samples from Hansard show. Maharey variously talked of "good news", "it is all good news", "I have very good news", "more good news", "there is so much good news that I will restrict myself to the following ... ", "I have a spot of good news", "more good news is on the way" and "the good news just keeps rolling out".

WEDNESDAY

Failed - again. The seventh attempt over the past decade or so to relax Easter shop trading laws does not get past first base in Parliament. A private member's bill drafted by National's Rotorua MP Todd McClay is defeated 62-59 on a conscience vote on its first reading. His Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 Repeal (Easter Sunday Local Choice) Amendment Bill would have allowed local authorities to decide whether shops in their area could open on Easter Sunday. McClay says he is "shocked" that Labour MPs bloc-voted to stop the bill going to a select committee, thus denying Rotorua residents the opportunity to have their say on the measure. He singles out Steve Chadwick, now a list MP following her defeat in Rotorua at McClay's hands, for being powerless and failing to deliver sufficient backing from Labour to keep the bill alive. "Mrs Chadwick could not convince one single Labour MP to vote for Rotorua." That is true - Chadwick was the only Labour MP to vote in favour of the legislation. However, no fewer than nine of McLay's National Party colleagues entered the "noes" lobby alongside their Labour counterparts.

THURSDAY

Think carefully before messing with Peter Dunne - especially on the day his brother, longtime Christchurch broadcaster John Dunne, is made redundant by cash-strapped Newstalk ZB. Mild-mannered Green MP Kennedy Graham tries to table one of his party's policy documents in Parliament. It requires only one MP in the chamber to object and leave to table something is automatically denied. Dunne is the lone objection.

FRIDAY

We understand John Key's decision to go to Copenhagen has dashed plans for him and his wife, Bronagh, to see Fleetwood Mac in New Plymouth next weekend. Still, there's always AC/DC next month ...