Cosgrove Clayton: General Debates 
Cosgrove Clayton: General Debates 
[Volume:619;Page:14818] 
CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour—Waimakariri) 
: 
 The only comment I will make on that speech is that I am reminded about people in glass houses—but I will not go any further than that. People have talked about the great National Party reshuffle. I have to put it on the record today that John Key—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: It is OK Mr Speaker let them go because every time they open their traps people see what they are. John Key is the big winner in National’s reshuffle for three reasons: firstly he jumped 10 places and secondly he has a top portfolio: finance. But the biggest reason John Key is a winner today is that Don Brash keeps praising John Key’s chief competitor Simon Power and naming him as the next or a future leader of the National Party. Firstly that is the kiss of death and secondly the old brat-pack boys are not particularly happy so the knives are starting to come out. John Key is moving down the runway and is not making any enemies in the National Party. He is ready to roll so that when National members put the knife into Simon Power “Johnny” will be the man. That is what it is about today. 
Some nice things have been said about Simon Power and we ought to be fair. Here is what a guy called Dr Jon Johansson stated in the  
New Zealand Herald 
 today about Mr Power; let us be fair and a bit nice. He stated: “It is also recognition of Mr Power’s interpersonal skills and the need to bring him more usefully into the nexus of decision-making within National.” given his promotion. 
Hon Member 
: What? 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: No the article gets better because Dr Johansson goes on to state: “Although little reported Mr Power has also made a series of positive forward-looking speeches during the past six months.” 
Government Member 
: Without reservation. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: No it gets even better. I quote: “He seems to understand in a way that Bill Clinton intuitively grasped that we are going through a historic period of technological change. Continually learning new skills embracing change and demanding choice have been his messages. … Finally Mr Power can undoubtedly help National to increase its vote if given the opportunities to do so. Dr Brash should give him the freedom to roam.” 
Now that comment was written by Dr Jon Johansson who is listed as a teacher of New Zealand politics and political leadership at Victoria University. After reading that I am glad I did my political science degree at Canterbury University because there is one problem with Dr Johansson’s opinion. I am advised that until very very recently it was Dr Johansson who was ghostwriting many of the foreign affairs and defence speeches for—who else—National’s new chief whip Simon Power. So he has his own spin doctor but that will not be much help to him. The  
New Zealand Herald 
 has contradicted itself today because the editorial also stated—this is not a comment from Mr Johansson—“Quite why Mr Power may be leadership material is not yet apparent to the public.” I think that is reasonably accurate. 
But what a mess and what a motley crew there are in the National Party. We now have “Bubble and Squeak”—Gerry Brownlee and Simon Power—or is it “Gerry and the Pacemaker” with Don Brash? I do not know which it is. But they did not have the courage of their convictions—the party that is. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Hey hey! 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No order! 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: I withdraw. The National Party was chicken because what it did not do in the reshuffle was to demote the only person in its caucus to be convicted in a New Zealand High Court Nick Smith. Of course those members would not demote the only other person in their caucus to be civilly prosecuted for assault—one Gerry Brownlee—and one has to wonder what will happen to David Carter after Winston Peters puts the sword into him and strips his chequebook three or four times over. So I just say that the bubble for National’s team has burst. One or two bad polls and it loses its bottle. One or two bad polls and the National members are all running around with their heads cast down not knowing quite what to do. What a display it was in question time! 
I am told that the only time one sees Don Brash around Parliament is at 9.30 on a Friday night when the mannequin comes out on that programme called  
Facelift 
. I am told that is his new highest-profile role. Of course Gerry Brownlee is there too but the programme has not quite got the dimensions right on Gerry Brownlee yet. But that is the only time one sees Dr Brash. The people know that if he cannot match it here in the House there is a real question mark as to whether he can match it anywhere outside this place.