Power tops scorecard rating NZ politicians

CRAIG SIMCOX/Dominion Post

POPULAR POWER: Justice Minister Simon Power trumps Prime Minister John Key to be crowned its politician of the year.

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Chris Carter is last, Pansy Wong's stocks have crashed and Simon Power is the new king of the castle.

The Trans Tasman political newsletter published today gives its annual scorecard on Parliament's do-gooders and do-nothings.

Justice Minister Simon Power trumps Prime Minister John Key to be crowned its politician of the year.

Both Power and Key score nine out of 10 in the annual rankings – a half-point improvement for Power on last year – but the justice minister noses out his leader by virtue of his insatiable appetite for work.

"He is the lock to Key's flashier winger's performance," Trans Tasman says in its "roll call" report.

"Power is an outstanding minister. [His] huge workload includes reforming the justice system and market regulation as well as law reform. He is looking more and more like a leader in waiting."

Power said last night that he was surprised to win top spot and regarded it as "a reflection of the exceptional people who work in my office".

"It's been a very busy year and a lot of things have fallen in to place."

Key won plaudits from the analysts as "probably New Zealand's most popular PM ever".

"He is the master of the 6pm TV soundbite and has excelled himself in the crises which have engulfed the country this year, but Key needs an agenda, not just the consensus he is building around personal trust," the newsletter says.

The top prize last year went to Speaker Lockwood Smith, who this year fell back 1.25 points to eight out of 10.

The biggest loser is former ethnic affairs and women's affairs minister Pansy Wong, who plunges from five down to two.

Also falling fast is the now-independent MP Chris Carter, who is slammed for his "egregious sense of entitlement" and handed the equal lowest score of one out of 10.

"They've always written dreadful and spiteful things about me," he said last night. "Actually, who cares what a bunch of overpaid PR consultants do anyway."

Also on one out of 10 was National list MP Paul Quinn, who was described as a "media-loathing misfit".

Quinn, who came into Parliament as a list MP at the last election, attracted criticism this year after errors were discovered in his private member's bill to stop prisoners being allowed to vote.

"Rude and arrogant. National should start wondering whether this list MP is a waste of space," the analysts said of Quinn.

There is better news for Maori Party misfit Hone Harawira, however, who at least registered some points.

Up from a zero last year, Harawira collected two points in recognition that "he believes in what he is doing and the others accept it".

On the Opposition benches, Labour leader Phil Goff, on six, scored lower than deputy Annette King, as well as David Parker and Darren Hughes, who all got 6.5.

Overall, 30 National MPs improved their scores this year, 13 stayed the same and 15 went down. For Labour, 26 improved, 10 stayed the same and 5 went down.

- © Fairfax NZ News