The agreement between Labour and New Zealand First has been announced and it is full of lollies. From a manned re-entry to Pike River, to the foreign ownership, all the way to a Winston Peters classic, a SuperGold card.
The agreement between Labour and New Zealand First has been made and what an agreement it is. A $1b per annum Regional Development (Provincial Growth) Fund, including:
Re-establish the Mental Health Commission. Pilot counsellors in primary schools. Offer free driver training to all secondary students.
Progressively increase the minimum wage to $20-per-hour with the final increase to take effect in April 2021.
Undertake a comprehensive register of foreign-owned land and housing.
Winston Peters' commitment to re-entry to Pike River. And introduce a new generation SuperGold smartcard containing entitlements and concessions.
Winston Peters could take the position of Deputy Prime Minister. This would be his second time in the role. It comes at the expense of fellow northern Māori MP Kelvin Davis.
Ron Mark is expected to become Minister of Defence with Shane Jones likely to have a role in Economic Development and Tracey Martin in Education.
So the agreement to work together in government has officially been signed. The question becomes, how long will they stay intertwined together.