Political punch-ups

There have been plenty of fisticuffs in the last week. Literally, the Minister for Rugby World Cup (amongst other things) punched a member of the opposition outside Parliament because he was taunted for allegedly having an affair. There's been plenty of comment on whether this was an appropriate thing to do (which it wasn't) and what punishment he will receive (I will deal with him in my own time and my own way – quote Helen Clarke).

I'm pretty sure that the political in-fighting is going to escalate further in the coming week and there is a cabinet reshuffle as the first step to preparing for the election next year. We're all wondering who will be the Minister of Social Development at work – money's on Minister Ruth Dyson. This would not be good news for the public servants who work closely with the Minister's Office. Her reputation for rage, critique and tenuous standards of reasonableness are legendary.

Aside from petty politics there has been a huge storm brewing over the arrest of 17 people under the Firearms Act and the Terrorism Suppression Act on October 15. People were arrested on the grounds that they have been running weapons training camps in the Urewera Country. These are not the sort of terrorists that take headlines daily across the globe but Maori resistance fighters who argue they were getting ready for the pig hunting season.

People have taken to the streets in protest over renewal of colonising powers against Maori in New Zealand. You can't help but think that there is no smoke without fire. People are claiming it's an abuse of power to use the Terrorism Act to arrest and charge people. Who knows where it's going to end but what's clear is that this is going to run and run. It will also a focus of Maori politics as we head into the election.