Catherine Delahunty and Stefan Browning stepping down from the Greens at the next election is a mixed blessing and speaks to the new shifting power blocs in the Green Party conclave.
Stefan is a lovely chap, but the anti-GE, Monsanto is Satan, anti-vaxxer environmental activists who he represented are increasingly isolated and alienated by things like facts and science and have lost a lot of say inside the Party.
That said, Monsanto is still satan.
Delahunty leaving is a far more sadder event. She is easily one of the Greens best MPs whose sense of social justice and basic fairness has gone into much of their policy.
Delahunty is also one of their best communicators, and when actually given a platform has some beautifully insightful critiques of what’s going on in NZ. I hope that she has time to blog and become a regular commentator in NZ Politics once she leaves because her voice and wisdom would be a huge loss to progressives if she had no platform post Parliament.
These two stepping down frees up space on the all important Party list. With some of the best next generation political voices lining up for selection, the membership has a real obligation to push many of these new millennials up the ranks into a position that is winnable so as to offer millennial voters a real reason to give the Greens their party vote on election day.
If Hayley Holt and Chloe Swarbrick aren’t 12th and 13th on the Party list, then the Greens will have missed an opportunity and are only paying lip service to their largest voting bloc.
… the anti-GE, Monsanto is Satan, anti-vaxxer environmental activists who he represented are increasingly isolated and alienated by things like facts and science and have lost a lot of say inside the Party.
Well put, but of those examples I fail to see how most environmental activists and concerns are isolated or repudiated by science or facts.
Catherine Delahunty was a real asset to the Green Party. But one can understand her feelings that Parliament’s atmosphere is toxic – probably more so than that on Mars.
At least with the martian atmosphere you know not to remove your helmet to “sniff the air”.(There ain’t any. )
But try sniffing what passes for air in Parliament. At first it seems perfectly fine; but the toxicity is there nevertheless and in the end it will “get” you…
Best wishes to her and Stefan Browning.
Steffan Browning was one of the most effective of the old school Greens imo… his priorities:
… environmentalism, organics , soil health, food health , pesticides , bee deaths, bio-security and big corporate business profit control of the health of the planet and humans
… Monsanto multi-billion dollar industry corporate control over pesticides and genetic engineering is something to be sceptical and concerned about
…Big Pharma corporate monopoly control on human medicine… validity of safety research, reporting of side effects, efficacy of health products, increasing multiple child vaccinations safety and an epidemic of addictive painkillers… (this is something to be very sceptical and concerned about if you are not naive and ignorant of the realities!)
Steffan Browning was very hard working , intelligent , well researched Green MP…. concerned about the BIG ISSUES of the GREEN environmental movement. His leaving will be a loss to the Green Party
( forget about recent Greens idiots advocating ridiculous Red Peak NZ flag change and political correctness over not naming those overseas investors in Auckland and NZ housing)
…Browning saw the BIG PICTURE for the Greens !
My concern is the core membership of the Green Party tends to vote for the more dreary if worthy list candidates. Hayley Holt would be great for getting the Greens out of the stereotype box they are lumped in but being quite glamorous may work against her. Every member of the party having a vote is great for democracy but tends to stop the party from expanding its range of MP types.
I am saddened by Catherine’s departure, she did some great work as MP for the Greens, her knowledge, experience, insight and determination will be missed.
But perhaps some fresh blood can offer similar or new skills, I wait to be surprised.
Than you Catherine, you did a great job, as for Stefan, I was not quite as enthused about his work, at times seeming a bit unprofessional.
I’m sorry, Anti-GE is repudiated by facts?
Do some research.
Humans are generally toxic to other living systems and each other
Some are more toxic than others.
Some try to deal with their toxicity while others revel in it.
Ignorance is no excuse or license Andrew.
The Earth is finite and we have over shot.
I think you’ve been a bit unfairly hard on Stefan. Food issues, food security, corporate control on farming especially in 3rd world countries, industrial agriculture’s effect on climate are still issues that should be of concern.
Also, you should have pointed out that Stefan has always gone to the Waihopai protests. He is a good man who looks at the big issues even when they aren’t flavour of the month.
+1 Lois – did some research and Stefan seems to be a great Green MP – pity that the MSM only bothered to talk about him over the homeopathic scandal. Typical!
Thank you ! ! Catherine and Stefan for your wonderful contributions to our country. You will be missed and nothing but the best and most joyful wishes we send to you both.
Parliament and NZ Dirty Politics have become so toxic that it is a wonder the good and ethical and intelligent folks stay as long as they do.
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