citymedia.co.nz

The reappearance of New Zealand First could basically have been the difference between winning and losing and the parlous state of National's minor party allies, ACT, United Future and the Maori Party, will be causing calm angst in National Party circles.

Neither looks like being a force in the 2014 election and there's surely serious questions being asked within National about whether either of them will make it past the ballot box next time around. If NZ First is still a force to be reckoned with in 2014 National's chances of a third term look grim. NZ First looked like dog tucker in 1999 after its disastrous coalition with National but scraped back in, while the funding scandal that knocked it out of Parliament 2008 would have been the death of any other party. If NZ First and Mr Peters have lovely years in Parliament, Mr Key would be able to point to their rehabilitation as a reason to give NZ First a chance. By extension, that also gives National a chance of forming a government with a centrist ally. The choice is to make use of the next years to finally deliver the knockout blow.

There are already whispers about the crop of new NZ First MPs poised to take their seats in Parliament. They are a different caucus to the group of elderly faithful - respected MPs like Doug Woolerton, Ron Mark and Peter Brown - who stuck with Mr Peters through thick and narrow in NZ First's earlier incarnation.