The manner in which the Greens select their leader is probably the most democratic of any party in NZ so who ever wins will have a real mandate, and that matters as each of the candidates will generate a very different momentum for the Party.
The Greens enter 2015 feeling the wind taken from their sails. Aiming for 15%, they fell short by 30% of that with barely 10%. It’s a decision that has the party questioning their political future, but in the Game of Thrones political environment that is NZ, the Greens must eye up the new NZ First-Labour Party love fest as a real threat to them ever having any real say at the Cabinet Table of the next Government. Add to this Labour’s new strategic position that they want to be a 40% Party, and the future direction is simply not clear.
Should the Greens tack to the left as Labour move to the right with their new relationship with NZ First or do the Greens step to the middle to see if there is a deal to be done with National?
I think the smart money would be to fight Labour from the left. There will be plenty of Left Labour voters disgruntled by the drift to the right and won’t trust NZ First, especially if Winston is dog whistling in the provinces. Moving to the centre to cut a deal with National would appease the Wellington Clique of the Green Party who via their proximity to power have become a bit mesmerised with getting into Government no matter what, but it might make the activists within the Party revolt.
With that all in mind here is the direction I think each candidate represents:
Gareth Hughes – No chance of cutting any deal with National.
Kevin Hague – Little chance of cutting any deal with National.
James Shaw – Possible chance to cut a deal with National.
Vernon Tava – Likely chance of cutting a deal with National
Based upon my observations of the last few months after the last general election, this is what The Green Party candidate needs to do .
Pour 100,000 litres of cow shit into the nearest clean creek and say that not only did they not do it but that they can’t remember doing it even if they did do it and that they’re comfortable with that . Besides, most people don’t care about fresh water anyway.
That’d grab the attention of the Cowsploiting Nat’ snuggler and v8 HSV Commodore Bogan vote mate .
The Greens should find a candidate best suited to the NZ public role . A handsome/beautiful blank canvass with big boobies/rippling pec’s . The HE/SHE clone could then engage the attention of the Middle Earthlings by mating publicly with her/his opposite while crying, raging and stalking off in a hissy fit while cooking in, then renovating the kitchen as HE/SHE watches The Block / The Bachelor over HIS/HER shoulder .
The Greens would then have the attention of the low/middle income’ers . The ones who think shopping at The Warehouse is not only a worthwhile outing for the kids but is supporting sweatshop babies in deliberately impoverished south east Asian communities when they buy plastic twinkle-sparkle to occupy their nano meter long attention spans so sweet-as aye ?
Then there’re the likes of those who come here, looking for comfort and salvation in the few minds left untainted by The Madness .
The new Green candidate should explain that it’s ok to wake up at 4.00 am crying . It’s ok to plan to go to Australia leaving behnd family and friends. It’s ok to rant, rave, swear and curse at the blindingly frustrating lunacy that is the politics of NZ / Aotearoa . It’s ok . There’s nothing we can do about it, but it’s ok.
At least that’s what the Green Candidate will be saying to the raging dissenters if they side with winston peters . Mr 1/2 % hydrocortisone . Smear liberally on the brain .
The Green Party cabbage patch clone candidate will not demand … ” To Arms ! ”
They will not ask “ Hang on a minute Mate ? If NZ is an agrarian country with a scant few of a population which enjoyed huge success until recently then where the fuck’s our money ? I demand an inquiry ! “
( BNZ ? Fay/ RIchwhite Group ? $890 million nett a piece ? Huh ? Huh ? )
The candidate will not very publicly send an envoy to Buckingham Palace to request an audience with HRH QE2 to have her force useless jerry matapari into action .
The Green Candidate will idle along, wasting our fucking time and dribble into his/her cocoa as he/she thinks of his/her six figure salary .
Unless …..
But that can wait for another time . Red Dot is back .
Martyn, I’d like to point out that in this article [https://insightnz.wordpress.com/2015/04/11/exclusive-interview-james-shaw-rules-out-deal-with-nats-2/], James Shaw actually completely rules out doing a deal with National if he is co-leader – he says his preference is to stay on the left, develop their economic and climate change policy, and, if possible, fight the election alongside Labour as a coalition government-in-waiting. Shaw was a green businessman, never a National supporter.
Once The Greens become a poll-driven party they’re finished. Just stick to sustainable values and work on clear principles. Work on better communicating those things but no compromises!
IMO the Greens should be able to work with everyone and no-one, as they have successfully done in the past.
For the Greens to have any real power, they need to be in a position where they can go with/strike a deal with whoever has the majority vote next election. Exactly how they do that is the hard bit.
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