Dear NZ – Labour understand power hegemony within society prevents women from getting ahead – pro-actively rectifying that isn’t man-hating.
Yawn.
Has Shearer gone from beneficiaries on the roof to women back in the kitchen? I hope not.
The furore that seems to have erupted from the insistence by grassroots Labour Party supporters that the modern Labour Party actively seeks diversity is another symptom of how out of touch the Leadership is with how left wing the party supporters want the Party to be.
We saw it with the supporters and affiliates desire to democratize the Party at their last conference and force through new rules to elect the leader. The mainstream pundits were so caught by surprise at this, that rather than acknowledge they were snoozing at the journalistic wheel, they manufactured a leadership coup and crucified Cunliffe.
The Party wants a left wing political vehicle, however the old guard faction that put Shearer in power don’t want to go left. Sure they’ll float a few big ideas that sound progressive, but watch how quick Grant Robertson flees from the field of combat when those ideas are called ‘socialist’.
This latest squabble is a further sign of how centrist as opposed to left wing much of the Party leadership really are, and how sensitive they still are to the ‘PC’ tag. That a Fox News Democrat like Josie Pagani is allowed to openly bag the direction the grassroot supporters want to take says all you need to know on how the leadership are thinking.
Labour shouldn’t want to be as limited as the National Party, they should want to actively promote a diverse range of MPs who reflect those voting for them. The old guard prefer the status quo. I’m afraid it won’t be until many of that old guard are removed by death that the Labour Party can begin to rejuvenate.
Auckland will get a functioning rail link before Labour manages to replace all its dead wood.
If labour party members want to enact these policies that’s their business. I’m not one so its not really my call. However…I’d suggest that increasing diversity is best done through the party list. Excluding half the population from the opportunity to stand for election (for labour) in their home electorate is, at the very least, divisive. At least in my view.
I’ve always been electorate-labour party-green but if labour enact the gender limited electorate part…I’ll hope for a strong green choice in Wellington central. How can I vote for Robertson if I’m worried that a better woman might have been barred from selection due to her gender?
Indeed – I’d rather see the Labour party prioritise trying to figure out how to make sure they get left wing electoral candidates instead of beige careerist electoral candidates.
As with so many other things right now, if Labour wants to find a way to strike this balance, they should look to the Greens for their example.
Agreed – perhaps making the top 10 MPs a 5/5 split? But one has to wonder how this policy can improve Labour. The upside is that some of the useless men will disappear, but they will just be replaced with useless women.
Is Jacinda Ardern the best female Labour has? She can’t land anything on Paula Burden, which should be as easy as shooting piglets in a pen.
And yes, the Greens do it well. However, the Greens co-leadership does appear to perpetuate gender essentialism:
Norman is the rational thinker who controls the money.
Turei speaks about the social issues such as education and poverty.
Then of course there is the issue of people who don’t fit into this binary assumption of gender…
“Is Jacinda Ardern the best female Labour has? She can’t land anything on Paula Burden, which should be as easy as shooting piglets in a pen.”
Fatty, while this may sound a bit “brutal”, I have actually asked myself the same question.
As of recently it appears that “Jacinda Dear” is rather asking questions during question time on various other matters, than welfare. She has asked questions on housing, on financial matters of concern for poor and beneficiaries, generally more on poverty in a wider sense, not so much that of people on benefits.
Also has she been speaking on wider issues during readings of various bills before the House. I would not be surprised if the is being “trained” by the more senior MPs and ministers, to perform “larger tasks” in perhaps another role?
Last weekend there was a story in the ‘Herald on Sunday’ about WINZ going to outsource the job referral tasks for getting even “mentally ill” into employment! It sounded extreme and highly worrying what they are planning to do, while putting on the pressure – by giving financial incentives to service providers – to get such clients into whatever kinds of “suitable” jobs. That means dealing with vulnerable people in ways that could cause serious harm.
Now when such news comes out, this is a topic delivered on a silver platter. There was though nothing that did come from her re that! I was flabber-ghasted, as one would at least have expected a press-release. Hence my suspicion is that Labour was planning something similar all along themselves!
That would indeed be scandalous. Beneficiaries must be very worried about what is going to hit them.
As for what we get from Labour at present, I am dismayed. One needs to be very mindful of voting in 2014. Vote wisely and smartly, that is all I can say.
So right- WINZ computer terminals are STILL not functional, squillions of dollars hit the drain that is their IT system, jobs in essential places like hospitals and the post offices get routinely canned, not to mention schools shuttering all except the top 5% decile or the vast array of poverty, suicide and homelessness that now decorates the nact xmas tree.
No surprises from Shearer then, but you know, I groaned when I heard about this. Not because it’s a bad idea, no, no, no, but because right now we have the main opposition party doing anything but being the main opposition party. They need to single mindedly and collectively focus on booting Key and co off their pedestals, and making sure they land in a big pile of poo. For the sake of the country! For gawd sakes!
‘Opposition party?’
Just what is Labour opposed to?
Money-printing and devaluation of money in the system?
No, Labour isn’t opposed to that.
Housing bubbles?
No, Labour isn’t opposed to those.
The looting and polluting of the nation and the world by corporations? No, Labour isn’t opposed to that.
Consumerism and the dumbing-down of society by the mass media? No, Labour isn’t opposed to that.
Phoney political parties full of scientifically and financially illiterate fools?
No, Labour isn’t opposed to that.
Is Labour opposed to a well-educated, well-informed general populace that can think?
Ah, now we might be getting somewhere.
Ok, AFKTT, I get what you’re saying. Maybe I should have put the word opposition in brackets. We’re on the same side and I am tired of division between those who want change.
Brothers and sisters, what is all this hatey, hate down voting about? Did I upset National voters by saying Key and co needed to be kicked in to a big pile of poo or am I upsetting Labour Voters by saying that Labour is ignoring the big challenge they face right now and what’s ahead of them?
I’m going to leave the upset ones with a lovely track the Upsetters with 10 cent skank to level those blues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVoJZq30148
Honestly, this has all been blown out of proportions by the mainstream media. This “man ban” term, who invented it, and how did it become the hitting news item of the day, besides of the very sombre court decision on the Pike River Mine reparations and so forth?
I tuned into some talk back radio again over recent weeks, and I have witnessed yet again, how a few personalities sitting behind microphones, and also in newsrooms of print and broadcasting media, actually make the news we get.
This is all a bizarre escalation of some policy proposal that is an internal matter for Labour Party members to work out. It is not even a matter that has been voted on. A conference is months away, and debate has just started on this.
But we had right winger, red-neck moderator Sean Plunket make it news by teasing his silly listeners, and they self select, as the ones turned off just turn off the station. It is like selected evolution.
The same is done on ZB and other stations, it feeds then into the television media. And print media also swiftly take up new terms, new one liner news and whip it up.
I bet that most the people up in arms about it do not even know what the detailed proposal looks like. We are seeing the mainstream media, now staffed mostly by government friendly consorts, working for corporate media companies living off advertising and none else, largely being fans of commerce, of what Key and Nats actually stand for, progressively dismantle Labour, Greens and others.
They turn side issues into main headline news, and they ridicule more serious and important policies. They create spin for Key and his NatACT brigades, and they do not even report much of what opposition members and spokespersons have to say.
Remember the drama created about the ABCers and Cunliffe?
Yet Labour themselves have to take blame also. The leader is NOT up to it, needs a challenge and replacing. New candidates need to be attracted as members, supported and recruited, and voted in. The old dinosaurs have to make room.
Many out here ask desperately, WHERE is your economic plan for New Zealand, apart from capital gains tax and the likes? Where are the further details for a solid, well calculated and possible Kiwi Build policy? Where is the improved policy plan for NZ Power? Where is your clear new plan for social security? Where is your policy on the environment? Where is your health and housing policy, and what else needs refreshing and updating?
The programs or agendas from 2011 are out of date, and voters want to get some policy, not some focus on discussions on candidacy rules. You will not win an election based on endless attempts to personally discredit Key, to play games during question time in Parliament, trying to outsmart Key and his ministers. That may be important, but it is not what most Kiwis are worried about now.
That is where the shit is hitting the fan now. It is time for an internal revolt of the membership, to put the pressure on, to send emails, make phone calls, to send the messages to MPs, so they do spend time and efforts on what is really more important.
In 10 days the most draconian, severe, harsh and unfair welfare regime that this country has seen for decades comes into force, and we get this utter shit!
It will be a start of what has been done in the UK, and what led to many deaths by suicide, by those, classed as “fit to work”, while they were too sick or disabled to do so. Some lying in hospital beds there were forced to go to work assessments or job interviews, others were stuck at home, unable to get out of the door, due to being bedridden or otherwise severely incapacitated. This is what may be facing New Zealanders. Where is Labour on this?
Get your crap sorted out, please, dear Labourites, enough is enough.
Howdy Dear Eager Lefties,
First off, we all know, despite the ideological pretences, eventually a political party’s purpose is to get power and share the spoils with loyalists.
But Labour’s recent political bribes are pathetic. Why do they keep throwing the crazy policy dice? Because they see the polls and they know they’re bleeding to a political death. So, out come the crazy cards to appease this section or that.
First, as Colin Espiner (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/bull-dust/8882889/Labours-barmy-man-ban) points out, Labour caucus already has 41 per cent women. So why all the fuss?
Second, deserving women politicians and candidates do not need these Quota crutches. They are perfectly capable of getting elected and making the difference.
Although I support National, I think it is in the best interests of New Zealand democracy that there is a strong and viable opposition. But Labour Party, in its desperation to grab power, is becoming insaner every day.
Here’s my honest advice to aspiring Labour friends– behave like a responsible opposition for at least another term, prove your mettle, wait for National’s support to wither (if it does indeed)…. and only then you can seriously think about forming the government.
You need patience and integrity, my Red friends, not desperation and disingenuousness.
And, for the love of God, get your head out of the dopey clouds and smell the coffee! 😉
Your post doesn’t make sense.
But Labour’s recent political bribes are pathetic. Why do they keep throwing the crazy policy dice?
What policies are you talking about? Labour have been producing middle of the road policies for years. The electricity policy is a good first step, but their housing policy is for the middle class and will do nothing but continue the housing bubble.
Here’s my honest advice to aspiring Labour friends– behave like a responsible opposition for at least another term, prove your mettle, wait for National’s support to wither (if it does indeed)…. and only then you can seriously think about forming the government
Your advice has been noted by David Shearer. That’s all he’s done since he became leader, and that’s all he’ll ever offer. That’s why he’s failing.
But Labour Party, in its desperation to grab power, is becoming insaner every day.
Ture, repeating failed centrist policies and expecting change is insane. Almost as insane as your ‘analysis’.
Dear Fatty,
I think David Shearer is a decent enough leader, he is–rightly–trying to move Labour party towards center or else the party will be reduced to a lunatic left fringe.
If Labour strategists were smart enough, they would leave the far Left policies to their Green alies and work with the mainstream.
All said, how do you justify Labour’s alliance with racist New Zealand First? Please read this blog post and comment there:
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2013/07/email-from-a-reader-on-nz-first-racism/
Years ago, I was a Labour supporter. But it didn’t take me long to notice the countless hypocrisies, corruption and become disillusioned.
It is time to identify the dark spots and fix Labour Party, David Shearer.
Interesting you didn’t respond to the very valid first point made that Labour already has a high female participation at MP level, (more than any other political party), so why the fuss?
Perhaps because, as Tony Ryall, Minister of Health (as of recent, after being exposed for health policies failing) has so many times answered in the House of Parliament: “There is always room to improve!”
Or… to rephrase… There is always room to become INSANER…..
Interesting you didn’t respond to the very valid first point made that Labour already has a high female participation at MP level, (more than any other political party), so why the fuss?
Sorry Gosman if I didn’t respond to every single idiotic point that Rajiv made, but I only have so much time and energy. However, since you are unable to think with your own brain (again), then here’s the answer to your question – so why the fuss?.
Rajiv regurgitated Colin Espiners simplistic point that Labour’s MPs are 41%, and somehow that is OK, since Labour is not as sexist as the Tories etc.
WTF? Trust you to not be able to think critically about Rajiv’s downward comparison. Downward comparisons are almost always used as a justification for oppression.
You might think women are only 82% as capable as men, but most humans don’t. That is why there is a fuss. That is why each party needs to systematically change the way their MP lists are formed – so that they account for historical (and contemporary) sexism.
I don’t agree with the policy. I think its the wrong way to fix the problem, but if you can’t see what the fuss is about, then you are the problem.
I gave my thoughts on this here:
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/07/05/the-high-peaks-of-principle-thoughts-on-labours-man-ban/
I agree that this whole thing is a side-show constructed by Hollow Men, and the sooner we forget about it and go back to looking at real policy, particularly that which the current government is imposing, the better.
Danyl – yep, it is a media whip up, by the MSM bigots and opportunist hypocrites, who are lackeys to the government, and they just swooped on it with desperation to get more ammo to hit out at their enemies, the opposition, who would possibly re-invigorate public broadcasting, and cause the demise of their employers and themselves!
okay…. correct me if I am wrong… aren’t Majority of the Bloggers on THE DAILY BLOG, Males?
Maybe….. if you guys are really serious about the man ban thing, you should delete some Man-Bloggers on here and let more Red Sheilas type their posts.
Because frankly, I’m getting sick of the Red male domination on this website… Tsk Tsk….
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