Former National Party president Michelle Boag. Photo / FileThe establishment also worries that restoring party democracy might allow a mere handful of locals to choose a rogue National candidate in a safe Labour seat. It hardly matters if, say, the tiny Manurewa National Party selects an unsuitable person to be their candidate since they are not going to win the seat anyway. National MPs have at least got through a caucus meeting without undue drama. - Matthew Hooton is an Auckland-based PR consultant whose clients have included the National and Act parties.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 22, 2020 16:28 UTC