The Welsh Labour Executive, at its regular quarterly meeting,Saturday welcomed The Honourable Pete Hodgson, Health Minister in the New Zealand Labour-led government.
Mr Hodgson is visiting Wales as part of a wider set of engagements in the United Kingdom. He will discuss the practical experience of governing in a system which, since 1996, has been based on the same form of proportional representation list as we now have in Wales. Mr Hodgson said:
"Our experience is that there are a number of different ways in which stable government can be achieved, even when no single party has a majority. Formal coalition is only one of a number of options in which stability and partnership can he achieved. There are ways in which parties outside the government can play a constructive part in pursuing their own policy aims, and which help guarantee reliable and responsive administration.
"Over the last eight years, we in the Labour party of New Zealand have been able to form a number of different alliances with other parties in order to put an agreed programme of policy and legislation through our Parliament. We have learned that different arrangements have to be made to suit different circumstances, and that there are many different ways in which parties can work together effectively. I am very pleased to have had this chance to meet up with Rhodri Morgan and to share our very positive experience from New Zealand with Labour Party colleagues here in Wales."
First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: "Pete has been on a whistle-stop tour of the UK. I was very pleased to have been able to take him to see Cardiff Blues play rugby last evening. His experiences at the top of New Zealand politics clearly demonstrate that stable and successful government can be achieved in a system like ours - but that this outcome depends on progressive parties being willing to work together in arrangements which are more flexible than those produced by conventional first-past-the-post politics. We are having to learn those lessons very fast in Wales, and I am working hard to make sure that Wales has a government at the Assembly which takes us forward over the next four years."
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6 comments:
This comment is not strictly connected to the article posted by Martin but it would be good to start this one up as a debate on your website blog.
I have just read the Caernarfon Herald and see that none other than Dafydd Iwan is heading Gwynedd Council's Gwobrau Gwynedd / Gwynedd Business awards for 2007.
My question is simple, how can he be the front man in their publicity campaign and still have his own business (Sain) entered and apparently being short listed to the final?
All this smells of a rat and makes you think how legitimate this and the competition in general is.
Surely people inovled in this competiton (which is advertised as being a prestegious event) can also put his own company in the hat.
Usually, when companies such as Cadbury's or Rowntree's run competitions, everyone involved (including family members are excluded) Dafydd Iwan and his company SAIN, should be ashamed of themselves.
But then again should we be surprised about Plaid and Gwynedd Council's actions?
My statement is simple, Sain should be removed from the competiton forthwith and Dafydd removed from Gwynedd - No not Gwynedd Council, but Gwynedd in General.
Concerned Resident of Gwynedd
Good to know that Labour is still in fantasy land! ;-)
Or rather...good to see another exposure of Plaid abusing their positions to "keep it in the family".
And oh how the very Plaid members who would be outraged if Labour did this always rally to defend potentially corrupt practises when its one of their own involved.
Disgraceful Cymro - put party politics to one side for once and agree that if Sain win the award it has to be open to question...
And for some reason, I get the feeling that the funny guy is none other than our very own illogical Aled in an ingenious disguise.
Cymro - you really are deluded (amongst many other things)
This may come as news to you yet again but I am not the only person to be sick to death of Plaid running Arfon into the ground.
How sad that you continue to maintain this silly little claim.
Now getting back to this story of possible Plaid corruption I state again...
put party politics to one side for once and agree that if Sain win the award it has to be open to question...
Amongst other things? What other things? I'd like to know, please. Given that funny guy was created hours after you went on the record saying you might try something different, I'm sure it gives food for thought.
As for Sain, as I've explained in the post above this one, Dafydd Iwan is involved in the political side of things - not on an operational basis. Given that being a councillor is not a full-time job for anyone, and Dafydd Iwan runs a successful business then he is entitled to enter, unless he is involved in administering the contest. Which he is not - not an officer, if you follow.
So, can you tell me what is so disgraceful?
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