Politician gets personal

Party Hopper

By Peter McCardle, self published, $35

You might not remember Peter McCardle too well, and you'd be hard pushed to say what party he was MP for — he changed them as often as he changed his socks.

McCardle was a National MP for Heretaunga from 1990 to 1996 and a NZ First list MP from 1996 to 1999. He was the protagonist in those very long coalition negotiations in 1996, and was Minister of Employment. But when Jenny Shipley broke up the coalition in 1998, McCardle left NZ First, stayed a minister and retired in 1999.

But he stuck around the Beehive as adviser to the Act team until 2005, and then with National until 2017. He just hangs about while political disruption swirls around him and then carries on with whatever party will have him.

In his years around Parliament he's worked with 12 political party leaders and seven prime ministers. His biggest claim to fame is creating Winz. He also instituted the work for the dole scheme.

This is very much a personal memoir. His Catholic faith is a constant throughout, so you won't find he's got much dirt on anyone, but the backroom machinations make interesting reading.