We have Lift-Off: Some thoughts on Labour’s campaign launch.

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image001IT IS EASY to forget, sometimes, just how big the Labour Party truly is. When the party’s rank-and-file, their friends and families and the generally supportive turn out for Labour’s triennial campaign launch the numbers can be impressive. To fill the Viaduct Events Centre – a huge space – is no small achievement. It’s roughly the same as filling the Auckland Town Hall right up to the Gods – a common occurrence back in the days before television but a much rarer accomplishment in this grossly over-mediated era.

But gathering large numbers of people in a single venue remains a vital part of political campaigning – even in the age of Twitter and Facebook. Nothing else comes close to providing the party faithful with the excitement, the buzz, the magic that transforms mere information into conviction. And when you throw in the superlative skills of Don McGlashan and his friends, slashing out the chords of “Nature” in a hall pulsing with socialist crimson, and the whole audience is up on its feet and swaying to the beat, well, magic is what you get.

McGlashan and friends’ rendition of the Split Enz classic “Time For A Change” – channelling the Spirit of ’72 when Norm Kirk rode to a stunning victory on that simplest of slogans – also had the hairs standing up on the back of more than a few old-timer’s necks. And then the master of ceremonies, Oscar Kightley, was introducing “the next Prime Minister of New Zealand” and the place just went nuts.

It was Radio New Zealand’s Brent Edwards who best summed up the effect of Cunliffe’s near flawless delivery by observing that all those Labour Party members who had voted for him in last year’s leadership contest would have heard the speech and been reassured that they’d made the right choice. Yes, their loyalty has been tested of late, that is undeniable, but so, too, is the fact that when David Cunliffe is on form he is a very, very good performer. Yes, even better than John Key.

Who, if he’s not seriously worried already, must surely be getting that way. Because something strange is happening out there in the place Don Brash called “Punterland”. National’s spells are no longer producing the desired effects, and what’s worse: much, much worse; John Key’s vital political magic is also beginning to fade.

Darren Watson’s and Jeremy Jones’ extraordinary music video, “Planet Key”  , in recapitulating all of the Prime Minister’s most inglorious moments, deconstructs the National Party leader’s hitherto indestructible persona with hilarious (but deadly) aplomb. Daily Blog Editor, Martyn Bradbury, insists that the animators at Propeller Motion set out to create the 2014 equivalent of Rob Muldoon’s infamous “Dancing Cossacks” cartoons of 1975. If that’s true, then I can only say they have succeeded magnificently!

But “Planet Key” was only the first straw in a rising wind of discontent. The rhythmic chanting of “Fuck John Key!” by Canterbury students was another. Now we are told that young people are burning the Prime Minister in effigy. It’s as if a dangerously large percentage of the electorate has suddenly noticed that the towering Tory idol which has loomed over them these past six years has feet of clay, and are all, simultaneously, reaching for their hammers.

Because why shouldn’t the elderly, pregnant women, children under 13 and the chronically ill have free access to their GPs? Why is that a bad idea? And why shouldn’t the wealthy pay more tax – just the way they did 35 short years ago? Who says New Zealand won’t be better off for paying its workers a living wage and making sure their families have warm and affordable houses to live in? Why have all these things been taken off the agenda? Who did that? And isn’t it time we put them back on New Zealand’s “to do” list?

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As the final chords of “Time For A Change” reverberated around the Viaduct Events Centre, a beaming David Cunliffe looked out over a red sea of followers, almost in disbelief. He has been told that he is failing so loudly and so often that he’s had to fight very hard against the temptation to believe it. But yesterday, as he received the raucous approbation of his enraptured party, you could see it in his face; the realisation: I can do this.

30 COMMENTS

  1. “But “Planet Key” was only the first straw in a rising wind of discontent. The rhythmic chanting of “Fuck John Key!” by Canterbury students was another. Now we are told that young people are burning the Prime Minister in effigy. It’s as if a dangerously large percentage of the electorate has suddenly noticed that the towering Tory idol which has loomed over them these past six years has feet of clay, and are all, simultaneously, reaching for their hammers. “

    More than that, Chris, the simmering undercurrent of discontent that has been percolating throughout society has finally erupted to the surface.

    And guess what? As I told Rawdon Christie this morning on Twitter;

    TVNZ’s Breakfast ‏@BreakfastonOne 3h

    .@lailaharre says the Prime Minister needs to ask why there is “this feeling of anger against his Government”

    fmacskasy ‏@fmacskasy

    @BreakfastonOne @lailaharre It staggers me is that the media is only now starting to pick up on this?!Really?Out of touch much?Unbelievable

    https://twitter.com/fmacskasy/status/498942675131719680

    That explains the media’s hostility to Mana-Internet; it has caught them by surprise; they cannot get “across it”; so hence it is something to be dismissed with derision as “fringe lunacy”.

    The only thing is; it’s neither “fringe” nor “lunacy”.

    The question now is; who will be the first media commentator/journo to “get this”?!

    Once the *light* comes on in the first commentator, the pack will follow…

    That, my friends, will be the curtain call for this government and Key’s career.

    It’s been a long six years, but Karma/utu has finally arrived…

    • I went to an Internet/Mana public meeting in Dunedin last night; about 200 people on a bitterly cold night; slick, professional presentation; KimDotcom worked the enthusiastic crowd like a pro. So what?
      Dene Mackenzie, ultra right supporter of John Key was there. I’ve never seen him say one good word about the Left and I expected him to rubbish the meeting in today’s ODT. He couldn’t fault it; National is in deep trouble.

    • Indeed, Lionel. The tide has turned.

      Cunliffe must do three things;

      1. Go on the offensive – the media will be more keen to listen to him now.

      2. Ensure that no more errant Labour candidatates f**k up or attack Mana-Internet – that party has done more to turn the tidfe than any other group during this election!

      3. Take no more bullshit from the likes of Gower or Garner.

    • Yes…but hells bells I cant beleive the arse licking quotant displayed by so many amongst our media….

      What the bloody hells wrong with them???!!!

      Were they all in nappies when McPhail and Gadsby were on our screens???…

      What the hell is their PROBLEM??!!……They havent got a sense of humour?…or are they just so much up the National parties backside they cant see the light for the shit anymore?…

      And whats this garbage about the Electoral Commission suddenly getting all sanctamonious about censorship so they can filter what and what we cant see?

      What the fuck are we?…little children?

      What sort of Mickey Mouse outfit is running this country these days?

      Ill tell you what and who….

      A goddamned pack of FASCISTS by stealth who susbstitute apartment block sized posters of thier leader on tall buildings – for media bias and censorship that constitutes wall to wall apartment block sized propaganda that favours only the neo liberals.

      What the hell was FJK doing on a photo op for the All Blacks – if that dont constitute part of the equivalent of using office block posters as a breach of the Electoral Commissions standards- then Id say the Electoral Commission needs looking into as well!

      No bloody wonder theres being effigies burnt, students chanting FUCK JOHN KEY ! and film clips being circulated that people see through it all and have had enough.

      And while were at it….

      FUCK JOHN KEY !!! FUCK JOHN KEY !!! FUCK JOHN KEY!!

  2. You asked:

    1/Because why shouldn’t the elderly, pregnant women, children under 13 and the chronically ill have free access to their GPs? Why is that a bad idea?

    Because it is a very expensive and poorly targetted charity. According to current research those over 65 are those best able to afford a doctor’s visit. In a recent survey only a tiny fraction said they didn’t have the money to pay for a visit to their GP. Do you think it fair that Don Brash and Winston Peters should get free doctors visits? Because that’s what this dumb policy is proposing.

    2/ And why shouldn’t the wealthy pay more tax – just the way they did 35 short years ago?

    And just how well did that work out? By 1984 NZ was on near bankrupt. If it hadn’t been for the Lange government and successive years of tax liberalisation by both Labour and National, NZ would now be the Albania of the South Pacific.

    • @Andrew – you need to realize a healthy citizenry, makes for a healthy, productive and progressive nation!

      Labour has got this fact in one.

    • On the Left, we believe in non-targeted services, because they are the rights and privileges of citizenship. They are not charity. The option remains for the better off not to accept a free service, just as a retiree can either accept or reject Superannuation. Perhaps more might consider this option, but it is part of a universalised system to allow people to make choices without a back-seat driver.

      The slash and burn policy of the Lange regime made changes to some unnecessarily advantaged groups, and some doctrinaire changes that were made in pursuit of a neo-liberal philosophy which caused much irreparable damage to New Zealand’s infrastructure as well as greatly harming the country in many unforeseen ways. If those changes which were needed , such as the end to SMPs, had been attacked in a more incremental way, we would have ended up more like Australia, which didn’t adopt the Douglas methods, than Albania.

    • I agree with the above on the point of who is really struggling financially. I think you will find single people, especially on low incomes, actually find it the hardest to get by, and a surprisingly high number of single males. Absolutely no political party acknowledges this situation. It is virtually impossible for single people to buy a home unless they are on some extraordinarily high income. If they live on their own they have to pay for all power themselves. As single people get older they find it increasingly difficult to live in shared accommodation satisfactorily.That bank advert parody isn’t totally far from the truth except when it comes to suggesting there is some sort of opportunity out there for them to buy a house. I overheard one single male beneficiary give a stream of consciousness description of the difficulties he was having in finding suitable accommodation and I could only feel deeply sorry for him, and knew what he was facing is very common.

      I think any government that is planning to build new state houses needs to recognise this group in society and build houses suitable for single tennants as well as families.

    • “Do you think it fair that Don Brash and Winston Peters should get free doctors visits? ”

      Why pick those two as examples? They are just two out of 4.4 million. Why not be more honest and pick two retirees who are living just above the poverty line and cannot afford doctor’s visits?

      Ironically, Andrew, you enjoy all the services and infra-structure which taxation has built up in this country…

      Ponder that. Because it sure as hell weren’t little Free Market Faeries that built this country.

    • Too many men believe that we are the equals of women. We are not and have never been. Men are the Cannon Fodder of the human race. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a courageous position, and one to be proud of.

      These health care initiatives benefit women more than men, hence the followers of the Man-Child party crying so much about them.

      Under 13’s – there will definitely be a mother involved in the savings.

      Pregnant – As above

      Elderly – Women live longer.

      All these whinging little boys need to harden up. Stop demanding the same rights as women.

      Be a man about it.

  3. Excellent take Chris thanks,

    As we have repeatedly said Labour needs to return us to the 1999 campaign that won us back the Aunty Helen era of a “Kinder gentler caring, responsive, Government that respect all people and listens to them.

    And not be like this current National mob that have even surpassed Rob Muldoon as the most loathsome uncaring of the people.
    Key has debased even the meaning of National, which in dictionary terms means (Collins) “characteristic of a nation”

    We are not financial powerhouses or hedge fund currency traders!.

    “why shouldn’t the elderly, pregnant women, children under 13 and the chronically ill have free access to their GPs? Why is that a bad idea? And why shouldn’t the wealthy pay more tax – just the way they did 35 short years ago? Who says New Zealand won’t be better off for paying its workers a living wage and making sure their families have warm and affordable houses to live in?”

    Return Labour policies to “working with and for the people” not foreign speculators.

  4. The event itself was extremely well done and the policy is excellent. David did pretty good with the speech, although it didn’t quite generate the enthusiasm that the “Time for a Change” moment promised. I think it would be better if he planned where he would crescendo in advance rather stay at the same level of intensity for most of the speech.

  5. I went to the Labour launch to see if I could be convinced that Labour were actually going to reflect socially conscious, working class values. They did. The music was choice. And I think David Cunliffe’s wife’s choice of colour combination was a signal to the Green Party, that red and green do actually work together.

    • Thats lovely to hear..but do not forget the party who chooses black and white for their colours that is causing the Right to start to bluster and stagger like an out of control drunken and decrepid past- its use- by- date ringfighter.

      FJK !!! FJK !!! FJK !!!

  6. Just remember , you political sycophants .
    Our Government is only a focusing mechanism . We are the muscle that tweaks the nobs . If the Government is getting out of focus , it’s up to us to say ” fuck this for a joke . ” and bring things back into focus . And I hope we’re about to do just that .
    However , the deeper , darker issues haven’t gone away for us yet . Not even with a change of government , I suspect .
    We need a leader to show us how to become involved and stay involved in our political affairs . A great Leader should ask ” Tell me what you want ? ” Not ” This is what you’ll be getting . Like it or lump it ” . That’s what National have always told us . ” This is how it is . If you don’t like it , up root your family and fuck off to Australia . ”
    Lest we forget aye ?

    • So true…. Australia being the useful pressure release valve if you will for sucessive NZ neo liberal govts. …One could say,…600,000 New Zealanders living over there isnt because they find NZ so amazingly lucrative that they wish to stay in NZ….

      What their really saying is they just wish these neo liberals in NZ politics would just FUCK OFF!!

  7. Oh Chris, you can do such a positive piece like this and then do a complete turnaround and damn Labour in your Press article today on sales of land to overseas interests. Why?

  8. That’s what we have been saying for quite a while Chris, that David has got what it takes to be a great leader and you saw and recognised that in the weekend. Thank you for your excellent column.

  9. OK. But just don’t describe the 65+ as ‘elderly’. 65+ is the front end of the baby-boomers. Baby boomers rock! Lots of practice!

  10. Still believe people will be voting a government out, due to being constantly trampled over, not listened to, and lied to. But good to see there are plenty of ‘better’ options to choose from as a replacement.

    • ANDY: Indeed they do and the proportion of tax that the top 1% pays has actually increased under National.

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