With Goff & Shearer Showing Their True Colours, The Number Of Parties You Can Trust To Protect NZ Sovereignty Shrinks

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There’s something sadly inevitable about Labour self-sabotaging on issues of genuine and serious national importance. We saw it several times over the last two electoral cycles with a succession of frankly bizarre policy decisions on the campaign-trail that helped to keep Labour (and, for that matter, a presumably Labour-led left-wing coalition government) out of office.

It should therefore come as little surprise that the two men who presided over these defeats, former Labour leaders Phil Goff and David Shearer – men who, if we’d listened to Labour may very well have been Prime Minister – have come out and done exactly the same thing on the TPPA.

And yet somehow, it still rankles.

Labour activists can take to social media to claim (with some legitimacy) that these two men’s personal stances do not represent the Labour Party as a whole; and Bomber can mount a valiant rearguard action for Phil Goff’s Mayoralty campaign by pointing out Goff remains the presumptive left-wing option for Auckland’s top job.

But any way you choose to slice it, the fairly public spiking of the Party Line by these two former leaders represents fairly incontrovertible evidence that there remains a prominent and powerfully represented Neoliberal wing to the Labour Party.

Matters grow somewhat worse when we consider Andrew Little’s defence/contextualization for his renegade MP’s remarks.

The justification for Phil Goff being able to take an overtly pro-TPPA and anti-sovereignty stance, according to Andrew Little, is that it’s allowable on the basis of Goff’s previous involvement in kicking off the TPPA in the first place. As you may recall, he was the Labour Party Trade Minister under whose watch this whole abomination got off the ground in the first place.

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Goff himself goes further. He’s explicitly fine with a loss of sovereignty for New Zealand as part of this trade deal, and points out that Labour’s record includes other instances of sacrificing our sovereignty for somewhat nominal trade-deal gain.

So why’s Little allowing this? It’s not just because Goff is not long for Parliament due to his local body career ambitions. It’s because Goff is free-and-frankly stating and defending Labour’s record when it comes to endorsing pernicious trade deals.

I also have little doubt that there are other not-so-closet neoliberals in Labour’s upper echelons who are having their views on this matter represented by Goff and Shearer. By allowing one MP the freedom to speak his mind on the issue, Little is therefore creating a ‘safety-valve’ for any more-than-residual neoliberal opinion still hankering around his Caucus.

In any case, even though I’ve been quite hard on Labour both in the past and in this post, I should like to warmly congratulate a large chunk of the Labour Party – including its *present* leader, if not two of his immediate predecessors – for taking a stand against the loss of sovereignty represented by the TPPA.

It may have taken them quite some time to decide what on earth they were actually going to do, and which side of the fence they’d line up on … but they have, eventually and for the most part, made the right decision.

But with highly public outbursts from prominent and high-powered MPs undermining and undercutting Labour’s announced stance on this issue, it’s not hard to see why many voters are asking questions about whether they can actually trust Labour to genuinely represent their views and play a vital role in stopping the loss of our sovereignty – as well as other neoliberal shenanigans – dead in their tracks.

There’s only two parties in Parliament which have been dead set against this kind of thing right fro the beginning: New Zealand First and The Greens.

#BlackGreen2017.

48 COMMENTS

  1. More like the shrinking of politicians that stand with political parties.

    Goff and Shearer are simply nothing but traitors to their Party nothing more.

    National is so successful because they savagely command their MP’s stay in line no matter what so these opposition parties need to wake up and get in line too.

  2. Labour MPs crossing the floor to support NatzKEY proves it’s neo libs are hell bent on destroying the party from inside out! I’d say there are even more Labour MPs wanting to follow Goff across the floor, just as I don’t doubt there are also NatzKEY MPs against the TPPA, but feel they have to play the game, for fear of repercussions from FJK, who would condemn them to hell if they dared challenge him!

    Little is being severely undermined here. He needs to step up and demonstrate some loyalty to the party and its members and penalize the likes of Goff/Shearer and possibly Nash, Cosgrove and a few others! This would show supporters Labour is standing firm against the TPPA in every respect.

    2017 – NZFirst/NZGreens/Mana Internet coalition. That will be a good start getting NZ back on track again, working for Kiwis instead of foreign based investors and corporates.

    • Spot On Mary

      Goff & Shearer need to be severely reprimanded for their stance on undermining the Labour Caucus. Goff may have set this trade deal rolling in the past, but he needs to show his loyalty to the The Labour Party now that the dangerous clauses have been revealed.

      There is a place for those who are willing to split and destroy the present Labour Party – it is called the Act Party, the party set up by the other famous Labour traitors.

      Andrew Little needs to weed out all these Neo Liberal Traitors NOW.

    • A pity about National MPs who never seem to have a voice,they should resign enmass and create an election,they would have out undying gratitude.

      • I agree Elle. However FJK seems to have his MPs over a barrel I think.

        They know how he operates and how he also has msm sewn up in his favour, to the extent I’d say, if they dared challenge him, he’d smear them through the dirt from here to Kingdom come! He’d do that through msm, so any dissenting NatzKEY MP will be virtually black listed in NZ and I’d say also overseas as well!

        With the exception of a few, it seems most NatzKEY MPs fear retaliation and the damage FJK could inflict on them, not only professionally, but also personally, should they dare cross him! He’s a monster!

        Look at how David Cunliffe was crucified by msm prior to the last election, to enable FJK to hang on to power. Cunliffe and Kim Dotcom are only two examples of how vicious and scurrilous FJK can be!

        All part of FJK’s dirty politics modus operandi. His MPs are well aware of it too!

  3. Roger Douglas, Mike Moore, Trevor de Cleene and other since have all shown that Labour is heavily infiltrated with neo liberals supporting fascist shift of wealth to the elite.

    Labour has to renounce not only this legacy but any policies that allow incremental compliance with elite interests, both overt and hidden.

    Helen Clark is not squeaky clean nor is Phil Goff. They have soaked in the pool of slush used to massage opinion supporting the finance sectors grip and destruction of any semblance of egalitarianism in NZ

  4. Now I am doubtful about my intention to vote for Goff as Auckland Mayor.\
    I am ashamed that Shearer represents Labour in my electorate.

  5. Goff blithely and in a cavalier attitude plays down ‘ a certain loss of sovereignty ‘ with every FTD…

    It is amazing .

    I notice also Mathew Hooton parroting Goff’s stance in recent posts ,… to these neo liberals and their mouthpieces they have no problem at all with the concept of loss of sovereignty. Indeed the whole neo liberal premise is built upon ‘Globalization ‘ .

    And to weaken sovereignty in order to make way for the Globalization process one has to weaken the nation state. And there are many ways this is achieved. Usually in small increments.

    Usually.

    This TTPA is perhaps the showpiece of all that the neo liberal aspires to.

    The globalization process complete . Whereby all and sundry are united under one large economic umbrella and are presided over not by any one such sovereign state and its government but by an economic counsel comprised of corporate’s who effectively dictate the law making process in any one country by installing by proxy an upper house .

    And thereby usurping that former nations sovereignty and its peoples right to self govern.

    I have said in many posts before that the central core of the ideology of neo liberalism is at once anti democratic , subversive , and because of the former two , inherently treasonous.

    As this showcase of that ideology – the TTPA – has amply shown.

  6. “There’s only two parties in Parliament which have been dead set against this kind of thing right fro the beginning: New Zealand First and The Greens.”

    Although they are not currently in parliament – for the sake of accuracy – you should acknowledge Mana. Who have been at every rally that I have attended in Auckland, and have been steadfastly present and in opposition all the way through.

    Not so the case with NZ First, though I am glad they are against it as part of their policy.

  7. This will be a permanent problem for the left until the political wing of the party realise the only way forward is to split with the centre left as a block and the union left as a block. Labour is now looking in complete disarray over the TPPA, something the Nats will be only to happy to exploit. So much for Andrew Little unifying the Party. It won’t work unless everyone is of the same viewpoint.

    • @JC – I tend to agree with you, if Little can’t get rid of the neoliberals in Labour like Shearer, Nash and Goff (one down at least) they need to split.

      At least voters can choose which Labour they want to vote for!

      In my view the election was not won by the Natz, but lost by the opposition in particular Labour for their inconsistent policies. Cunliffe was on the right track but failed to rein in the Neo libs while advocating putting up taxes for the middle classes to support big business and immigration. In short a complete mess of policies that appealed to nobody but die hard Labour fans who just vote labour no matter what their policies are.

      I don’t think Cunliffe was responsible for the election loss, I blame the entire party for their constant attacks, lack of understanding of voters and their self centred and stupid attacks on themselves and parties they should be co operating with! In fact it is telling that the Natz are the most scared of Cunliffe and smear him the most.

      Little has a hard road ahead because his own party are full of National supporters!! They are not even in the closet about it!

      A position than renders Labour unelectable for a 4th term if they can’t sort it out and fast!

  8. This will be a permanent problem for the left until the political wing of the party realise the only way forward is to split with the centre left as a block and the union left as a block. Labour is now looking in complete disarray over the TPPA, something the Nats will be only to happy to exploit. So much for Andrew Little unifying the Party. It won’t work unless everyone is of the same viewpoint.

  9. I find it more than a little strange that the people who wanted us to sign up to a UNO administered carbon tax are the very same people who now think our sovereignty is threatened by a trade deal.

  10. The problem here is that there are two factions within the Labour Party and this is proving to be an unsolvable problem for whoever is the leader. To say the Party is unified is simply not the case. The only answer is for the two factions to go their own way. The voters will then decide which faction they wish to support.

  11. Phil Goff did not have to do this, he could have fallen into line quite conveniently, stating that he cannot support the TPPA in its present form, as it undermines the sovereignty of New Zealand.

    But he has chosen otherwise, out of arrogance and because he does actually himself believe in neo-liberalism.

    He loves big business, and believes in public private partnerships and other kinds of “deals”. He embraced the large scale investment of a private retirement home business into the Ranfurly Veteran’s Home in his own electorate 4 years ago. The place has now been built up into apartment block style units, which are offered on the market for big money. The character of the old, historic village has been destroyed, forever. It needed improvement, but not what we got:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/central-leader/6580614/Big-plans-for-vets-home

    “The project is a partnership between Retirement Assets Ltd, which will operate the village and the Ranfurly War Veterans Trust, which will receive a share of the business income enabling it to become financially independent.”

    http://www.retirementassets.co.nz/

    http://www.ranfurlyvillage.co.nz/

    So much for affordable retirement homes for all. Goff believes in working and saving, investing and buying your own retirement nest egg, in serviced villages.

    No wonder Labour did not do much in regards to state and social housing when last in government. They may condemn National for their shitty treatment of the poor, including many poor elderly that have to rot away in cheaply run (down) private rest homes. Labour did stuff all when they were in charge, and Goff was one of their leading Ministers.

    When Helen was PM, Labour did not reverse many former policies, by Labour and/or National led governments, they simply continued government in usual fashion, and only brought in moderate improvements for workers, so as to not upset the employers and business operators.

    With Goff showing his true colours yet again, I appeal to truly progressives in Auckland to present a truly progressive candidate for the Auckland Mayoral elections, as Goff will just mean more of the same. I am not inclined to vote for the man, and I am sick of choices between a worse and a lesser evil.

    And Shearer, he deserves to be kicked out, take him out, and get another person stand in Mt Albert in 2017, please.

    Showing a firm line will send a signal to others that dare cling to neo-liberal fantasies. I don’t want a National Light government, that throws this lot out, I want a truly alternative government that has the interests of all New Zealanders, especially the worst off, on its mind. This year Andrew has to clean out some stuffy old trouble makers, whose days should be numbered.

    Goff lives on a lifestyle block south of Auckland, and thinks he deserves to be Mayor. What a sick joke, a tragedy that is unfolding.

  12. Big Business runs the Auckland city council. Big Business likes the TPPA (God knows why?). Big Business elite will bankroll a specific type of high profile mayoral candidate. Phil Goff understands this. Phil Goff supports TPPA. Phil Goff has always been a fervent Rogernomics/neoliberal supporter. Labour, post 1984, has been full of neoliberal adherents. The party’s name has become a sick joke!

  13. I hold the view that all governments, present and past, carry out the policies demanded by the Khazarian Zionist Banking/Corporate Cabal. No more. We will watch a charade being played out by actors on all sides who have been bribed, threatened, intimidated, or converted. Whatever… doesn’t matter … the days of the Khazarian Bankster/corporate rule are over. They are bankrupt. The question is not what those in so-called power are going to do, but what we, united as a Nation, wish to do.

    • Oh, Helena. While your hands are busy holding that view they’re too busy to lift the veil of illusion, which would help you see so much deeper into the abyss.

  14. Is the photo of Winnie there because we also can’t trust him?
    Can’t even rule out going into coalition with National.

    • you are scared of Winston Peters?!…he has been staunch on opposing the TPPA!…and also been consistently for New Zealand for New Zealanders, not selling State Assets ( unlike Phil Goff) and no selling out New Zealand scarce resource housing to overseas speculators

      ….so where do you stand exactly?….you dont believe New Zealanders should aspire to own their own houses for a start!

      • “you are scared of Winston Peters?!”

        Yeah, I know my history. I know NZ First couldn’t rule out teaming up with John Key at the last election. I’m comfortable being scared of Winnie. I wish others were too.

        “unlike Phil Goff”

        What’s Goff and Labour got to do with my comment? I’m no supporter of Goff or Labour since ’84.

        “you dont believe New Zealanders should aspire to own their own houses for a start!”

        A reductive simplification of comments on another post. I clearly stated that I thought our ‘Kiwi dream’ was to blame for our current housing problems. Private property zombies belong on the right.

        “so where do you stand exactly?”

        Go back to that conversation to see where I stand. I laid some points out clearly and you never replied.

        Some policies I propose for housing include a strong UBI, a massive state housing scheme, strict rent controls, strong renters rights and limiting the amount of property people can buy. (https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/08/exclusive-chinese-billionaire-lines-up-to-buy-state-houses/#comment-320137).

        Put simply, I stand on the left. Where do you stand?

  15. Goff wants the Auckland mayoralty. Now that the LP membership has reined in the arrogant caucus cabal (somewhat) there is no room for operators like Goff.

    Goff may well be endeared to the TPPA because it was his intiative. If so he is blinded by his own egotism. He lost control of the agenda once the yanks muscled in.

    The USA was not originally in the group. The USA got involved because of international political power plays involving Russia, China, and Asian ans arabian power plays.

    Free trade has nothing to do with the TPPA.

    It is all about hegemony over th Pacific.

    The TPPA is trojan horse promoted by our american pm. Wall Street, Washington and Goff. NZ is to become a colony of the USA.

    Thanks Phil.

  16. Goff had a Good Chance of Becoming Mayor of Auckland but has Blown it with this Call..Meaning we will Get a National/act Mayor ..JK will potentially win again as the Minor Parties Scrap it out ..The Blue/Greens like their Guy who is Co Leader will go Closer to Business leaders than old Russell did.in his Failed Attempt to be part of the National Coalition after labour rejected his offer to be co leader and finance spokesman if they won.

    • We need a NEW PARTY, I realise, all this is heading into a mess, we will in 2016 only get another repeat of what happened the last few years, unless something resolute happens within Labour, and unless such MPs and members like Goff and Shearer get sent into retirement very soon.

      And a new party and their members and leaders should simply not bend down over backwards when facing the MSM, it is time to tell them bluntly, you may not like it, dear “jonolist”, but this is the TRUTH of the matter, so report the truth, thank you.

  17. I certainly agree with your claim that these two men contributed to Labour’s last two electoral defeats.
    It has always been my contention, since 2014 that they, among with a few others, were concerned solely with holding their own electorate seats and they weren’t interested in promoting the Labour PARTY.
    Why? because Cunliffe was too left for them and they would rather sit on the opposition benches than be part of a government led by Cunliffe.
    It was noted by observers that Goff’s billboards featured only a very small Labour Party logo, so small as to be almost unreadable.
    And now he expects the Labour Party organisation to help him win the Auckland mayoralty!!! What a b….. nerve!

  18. now that this issue/platform has been whipped away from peters by little..

    ..will peters now revert to his 20yr old riff of immigrant-bashing/’separatist’ race-bashing..?

    ..(oh..!..hang on..!..he already has..)

    • yes you believe New Zealand should increase its population hugely to cover all dairy land don’t you?

      …a bit like New York?

      • not really..but we are hardly ‘full’..we do have some

        ..the japanese call nz ‘the empty islands’…

        ..but would i like to see the animal concentration camps closed down and used for something better..?

        ..yes..yes i would..

  19. Hang on there Curwen, while I agree with what you have written about Labour I cannot agree with your headline.

    Specifically, this bit: “The Number Of Parties You Can Trust To Protect NZ Sovereignty Shrinks” with the conclusion that there are only two parties, Greens and NZ First.

    No.

    There are two parties.

    NZ First is not one of them.

    Winston Peters chose to support a National Government. And he refuses to rule out doing it again.

    Which means that a vote for NZ First may well be a vote for another National led government.

    Which means we can NOT trust NZ First. And I really do wish you would address this problem and stop pretending that voting NZ First is a vote against National, or a vote left, or a vote for change, or any of the sort.

    Because it is NOT!

    The other party we can trust is Mana.

    • …wrong!!! …watch the Helen Clark documentary!…Winston Peters could not have formed a government with her….they did not have the numbers for a coalition ( Jim Anderton would not join them)….it was either call a new election or try and have a coalition with National and get as many NZF policies through , with the bottom line being no further sales of state assets….as soon as National tried to do this ….Winston Peters brought that Nactional government down

      Winston Peters has never been forgiven by the right wing or the National Party

      He worked well with Helen Clark in subsequent Labour /NZF coalition

      • Thank you Chooky.

        That explanation makes sense.

        Now why did Curwen not answer this question, which I have asked more than once?

        I get it now. But could have understood this a long time ago.

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