KEY POINTS:
Monday
Funny how politicians can suddenly change their tune and come over all sweetness and light when a long-time adversary flags his or her retirement. Jeanette Fitzsimons' decision to vacate the co-leadership of the Greens and leave Parliament at the next election is acknowledged by United Future's Peter Dunne as "a loss for New Zealand as well as the Greens". Adds Dunne in his press statement: "There is no question that we have had our political differences over the years, but I have always respected her integrity and the passion she felt for the causes she espoused. Even if one didn't agree with everything she said, her voice was an important and articulate one to have in debates on the environment." Is this the same Peter Dunne who back in 2004 described the Greens as "mad" and living on another planet. "They don't understand scientific thought, so they hate and oppose it," he told his party conference that year. "They think international trade, on which New Zealand depends for its livelihood, is some sort of CIA plot so they oppose it." Well, it is the same Peter Dunne, his press statement going on to ping the two contenders for Fitzsimons' position, Sue Bradford and Metiria Turei, for being far more about "social activism" than the environment. But the last word has to go to Federated Farmers' climate-change spokesman, Frank Brenmuhl. "While Jeanette and the federation have been at different ends on many issues, we never for one moment doubted her conviction. Being a small-block holder herself, Jeanette knew the difference between a bull and a cow and that really helps with your credibility."
Wednesday
Talking of being on another planet, John Key has got about as close to space travel as he is likely to get, thanks to some schoolchildren in New South Wales. After much effort by local radio announcer Craig Huth, pupils at the state's Chatham Public School in Taree secured a scarce-as-hen's-teeth phone hook-up with the International Space Station via Florida's Goddard Space Flight Centre. Huth approached Australian Premier Kevin Rudd to take part in the "telebridge", but he was too busy. So Huth called the New Zealand Prime Minister, who didn't hesitate. Key's role was to greet space station commander Mike Fincke and ask the first question about how it felt to be weightless in space.
Thursday
He started with National, then jumped ship to NZ First before quitting that party to become an independent MP. He has since worked for Act in a research capacity. Now he has come home to National, at least in a fashion. Peter McCardle, who was a minister during the post-1996 National-New Zealand First coalition, is working in the Beehive office of Health Minister Tony Ryall, where he is "keeping a low profile". Since leaving Parliament in 1999, McCardle, best known for his promotion of work-for-the-dole policies, has immersed himself in health matters, most notably as a long-serving member of the Hutt Valley District Health Board. He resigned that post to become Ryall's political adviser after the election.
