Key, Goff refuse debate with minor parties

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:13a.m.

John Key and Phil Goff will not be risking a debate with the minor party leaders

By Duncan Garner

The public will once again be denied the opportunity to see John Key and Phil Goff debate all the minor party leaders during the election campaign.

Key and Goff have teamed up to turn down TV3's approach and desire for a 90 minute prime time television debate featuring all the party leaders.

Key says the election is about "who is Prime Minister", not about who can work together.

And because Key won't do it, Goff has fallen in behind saying he will debate Key anywhere Key wants to front. That means Goff won't do it either.

This is the same cosy backroom deal Helen Clark and John Key did in 2008 - ignore the minor party leaders on the big stage - and debate amongst themselves.

But Goff could and should have taken a different approach. He could have accepted our offer and forced the Prime Minister's hand. Key would have been the only leader not there. He would have been forced to the table. He would have been subject to taunts of "chicken" had he not fronted. Goff has lost a prime opportunity. He should have taken the risk.

Goff and Key's senior men behind the scenes have been involved in a stitch up.

Why shouldn't they all front? We only ask for this once every three years. MMP is a system based on sharing power - it's called Coalition Government. Of course we accept only two people can be Prime Minister. Of course we accept there are two major parties. And that's why Key and Goff will debate each other during the election campaign, on TV3, in primetime - head to head.

But we also hold the view that MMP is a power sharing system, where the major party teams up with parties it can work with to govern for three years.

The public deserve to see the parties and the leaders square off. They deserve to see the dynamic between Key and Don Brash and the Maori Party. The public deserves to see Goff beside Russel Norman and Hone Harawira. That's our system, that's what you voted for.

It's arrogant to not give the public this opportunity, once every three years. Voters deserve better. It's about democracy. It makes we wonder - what are they scared of?

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12 Aug 2011 10:56p.m.

M. wrote:

Ask Goff and the Greens to have tea/coffee and talk with you person to person and they would - gladly and respectfully. Ask Key and English the same and they would not have the time or desire. Watch Key/English in Parliament and see the insults and disrespect they show. Vote them out because not only are they "out of touch" elitists, they are afraid to debate with the third and fourth parties that need to be heard and we need to listen to them. Don't listen to or put any stock in the polls. National does not deserve another term. Our country will go downhill is so many ways if they get back in.

06 Aug 2011 06:10p.m.

Margaret Quin wrote:

Let's teach Key and Goff a lesson. Let's all party vote for NZ First or the Greens to piss them off. That will teach them to deny voters their right to see what the choices are. This is no longer a democracy, thanks to National. Chuck them out!

05 Aug 2011 10:02p.m.

lance wrote:

if i met key on the street id smack his head in for what hes done to this country .

05 Aug 2011 10:00p.m.

mary wrote:

lets put labours last record up against nationals 1st 3 years duncan , what a joke the national party is they have destroyed this countrys economy . employment stick your low wage low growth economy key .

05 Aug 2011 12:49a.m.

smith wrote:

mate we might as well not have an election the media has the country so brainwashed one way there is just no point . why have an election? its a waste of time .

04 Aug 2011 11:34p.m.

Laurie wrote:

Maybe tv3 should say to Key and Goff you either do a debate with the minor partie's or we won't allow you to have a televised debate at all. They might have a sudden change of heart then.

04 Aug 2011 07:10p.m.

Wolfman wrote:

Hahahaha Katrina, they wouldn't want to hear the truth, and I mean both the Politicians and the reporters.

04 Aug 2011 05:46p.m.

Peter wrote:

We live in a democracy. Thats just plain wrong and should not be allowed.

All leaders should be involved in debate to allow the public make an informed decission.

Minor parties have very little funding and need as much exposure as they can. By denying them this opportunity is morally wrong.

04 Aug 2011 09:01a.m.

Michael wrote:

Key again shows his absolute arrogance. Voters elect governments, not prime ministers. Furthermore governments almost inevitably comprise more than one party and so voters are entitled not only to see all parties that might be elected, not just the big ones, but also to see how all those parties interact. Goff's position is slightly different. Key has insisted he won't debate if any party other than Labour is present. Goff has said he would be willing to debate if other parties were present but he hasn't taken the appropriate stand of saying he won't debate if other parties are not present.

04 Aug 2011 08:33a.m.

Laura wrote:

John Key is an ELITIST. He is undemocratic. But then we have seen his government push through plenty of policies in the last three years in very questionable and fundamentally undemocratic ways. This latest refusal to appear with all the parties is just more of the same elitist politics he engages in.