MEDIA RELEASE

1 December 2008

Perspectives of an historic election

Politicians, political scientists and journalists will this month offer their perspectives on what has turned out to be an historic election.

Victoria University of Wellington’s eighth consecutive Post-Election Conference will be held on Friday 12 December 2008 at the Legislative Council Chamber at Parliament.

Previous Post-Election Conferences—which have been running since the 1987 election—have each resulted in a publication about the recent election with contributions from academics, media and politicians.

“The main idea is to bring people from three very different sectors together to analyse the election while it’s still fresh in everyone’s minds. These conferences often result in politicians giving their assessment of the campaign in a very frank and open manner,” says Professor Nigel Roberts, Victoria University political scientist who, together with Professor Stephen Levine, is organising the conference.

To encourage open discussion from political participants, the Chatham House rule applies during the seminars, unless permission is otherwise given.

Professor Roberts says the conference will be particularly interesting this year because there has been a change of government. “It’s also interesting because National won more seats than any other party has won in the MMP system to date, and for the fact that the new government was sworn in before special votes had even been counted.”

Speakers include new MPs Steven Joyce, Grant Robertson, Catherine Delahunty, Rahui Katene and John Boscawen; journalists Colin James and Guyon Espiner; as well as political scientists Therese Arseneau, Raymond Miller and Jennifer Curtin.

The full programme is attached.

What: 2008 Post-Election Conference hosted by Victoria University of Wellington

When: Friday 12 December

Where: Legislative Council Chamber Parliament Buildings

Registrations: email nicola.kean@vuw.ac.nz

Postelection_conference_programme.pdf

ENDS

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