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### Viewing cable 05WELLINGTON821, EXPLAINING NEW ZEALAND'S PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNANCE

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
05WELLINGTON821 | 2005-10-20 06:06 | 2011-04-28 00:12 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Wellington

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000821

    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/ANP, EAP/EP, EAP/RSP, INR/EAP
    NSC FOR VICTOR CHA AND MICHAEL GREEN
    SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LIZ PHU
    PACOM FOR J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PGOV PREL NZ
    SUBJECT: EXPLAINING NEW ZEALAND'S PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNANCE

    REF: A. WELLINGTON 816
         ¶B. WELLINGTON 806

    ¶1. New Zealand,s new government, announced October 17, was
    formed through an awkward arrangement that includes a
    coalition between the leading Labour Party and the
    Progressive Party and the &confidence and supply8 support
    of New Zealand First and United Future.  In addition, the
    Green Party has agreed to abstain on votes of confidence and
    supply (ref B).  The government also took the unprecedented
    step of naming a foreign minister ) New Zealand First,s
    leader ) who is to serve outside of Cabinet (ref A).  These
    arrangements raise questions regarding parliamentary
    governance, several of which are answered below.

    ¶2. What is "confidence and supply"?

    It is, essentially, a commitment to a &yes8 response on a
    parliamentary vote of confidence in the government.  The term
    &supply8 applies to votes on budget measures that provide
    the government its supply of money.

    ¶3. How can the government lose confidence and supply?

    If a party either in the governing coalition or providing
    confidence and supply withdraws its support from the
    government, the government could lose the ability to pass
    legislation.  In such circumstances, the government could
    seek a parliamentary vote of confidence.  However, a
    government would not seek such a vote if it expected defeat.
    Instead, it could try to form a new coalition or call a
    general election.  The opposition also could make a motion of
    no-confidence in the government.  In 1996, Prime Minister
    Jenny Shipley called for a confidence vote in Parliament
    after New Zealand First opted out of the coalition government
    with the National Party.  National won the vote, 62-58, and
    continued to govern.

    ¶3. Can the government also lose confidence and supply via
    legislation?

    Yes.  If the government fails to pass a piece of legislation
    that is sufficiently broad-ranging or weighty enough to
    either affect its performance or hinder its ability to
    govern, then a motion of no-confidence can be moved and voted
    on by Parliament. This motion takes the form of an amendment
    to the original troublesome legislation. Any party in
    Parliament can move to attach such an amendment. The budget
    is one sufficiently broad-ranging item whose non-passage
    could precipitate a government,s fall. It is possible -- but
    unlikely -- to have a situation like the one recently in
    Japan, where the rejection of far-reaching bills by the Upper
    House in August 2005 triggered a general election.

    Two other principal litmus tests of a government's
    "confidence and supply" are the non-legislative procedures of
    "Address and Reply" (a broad-ranging policy statement at the
    opening of a term of Parliament) and "the Prime Minister's
    Statement" (given annually on the first sitting day of
    Parliament).  Though neither the "Address and Reply" nor the
    "Prime Minister's Statement" are legislative, they can be
    followed by a motion of no-confidence.

    ¶5. What is required for a motion to carry?

    A motion must secure a majority of votes to carry.  Members
    who do not vote or who abstain are not considered in
    determining the majority.  As part of the support agreement
    with Labour, the Green Party has agreed to abstain on votes
    of confidence.  Because the Greens hold six seats in the
    121-seat Parliament, Labour needs to secure a maximum of 58
    votes to survive a test of confidence.

    ¶6. Does Parliament require a quorum to meet?

    Yes.  At least one Minister and 20 members must be present
    for the House to meet, according to the current "Standing
    Orders of Parliament."  However, there are no requirements
    regarding the attendance of any particular party.

    ¶7. Can a member vote by proxy?

    Yes, but with various restrictions, including the type of
    vote (party or personal) and the size of the party.  In any
    event, no party may cast more than 25 percent of its party
    vote by proxy, rounded up.  In the current Parliament, Labour
    must have 37 members present to cast a party vote on behalf
    of its full 50 seats, and National must have 36 members to
    vote on behalf of its 48 seats.

    ¶8. What happens if the government loses confidence and supply?

    Parliamentary convention would call for the government to
    resign or call for a new general election, unless it is able
    to form an alternative governing majority.

    If the government did not take action, the Governor General,
    as the Head of State, could choose from several options:

    -- She could confirm whether the Prime Minister can produce
    enough votes from elsewhere to restore the government's
    parliamentary majority.
    -- She could ask whether the Leader of the Opposition, for
    example the National Party's Don Brash, can secure enough
    votes to form a parliamentary majority and thus an alternate
    government.

    -- She could dissolve Parliament with the aim of having
    another general election.

    ¶8. What is "Cabinet"?

    This a political arrangement used by government to establish
    and coordinate government policy.  Though Cabinet has no
    constitutional or legal authority, by convention it serves as
    the final arbiter of government policy.  Nonetheless, the
    legal authority to govern is vested in the Ministers of the
    Crown, who are appointed by the Governor-General with
    consideration for the Prime Minister's portfolio
    recommendations.

    ¶8. What does it mean for a Minister to be "outside of
    Cabinet"?

    Ministers, legal authority is identical whether they sit
    inside or outside of Cabinet.  It is common in New Zealand to
    have several ministers and associate ministers who sit
    outside of government.  However, the political reality is
    that ministers who sit outside of Cabinet generally have less
    influence.  Moreover, they usually are junior ministers or
    are ministers with portfolios of lesser priority.  The
    current situation of Foreign Minister Winston Peters sitting
    outside Cabinet is unprecedented and potentially awkward, but
    it is not illegal.

    ¶9. What is "collective responsibility"?

    Collective responsibility is a convention of government
    whereby members in government are expected to publicly
    support government policy, whether or not they agree with the
    policy. Under the current governing arrangement, Labour has
    agreed to revise the Cabinet manual to limit the "collective
    responsibility" of two ministers who sit outside Cabinet --
    Foreign Minister Peters and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne,
    leader of United Future.  This is a governing innovation that
    allows Peters and Dunne the ability to criticize aspects of
    government policy that fall outside of their portfolios.
    Burnett

`