Well this election just keeps giving doesn’t it?
Green MPs quit in protest over Metiria Turei
Two Green Party MPs have quit politics in protest at co-leader Metiria Turei’s decision not to step down.
Kennedy Graham and David Clendon have removed themselves from the party list and from their electorates, effectively meaning they will not make it back into Parliament.
Here’s the inside word about what has actually happened here.
Both Graham and Clendon were involved in Metriria’s speech and were well aware of what she was going to admit publicly and they said nothing at the time the Caucus was involved.
They have now today come out with this absurd statement as if their conscience has had some sort of month long delay and while claiming they’ve ‘resigned’ from the Party list, get this, they still intend to remain in Caucus and wish to draw down a salary from now until the election!
The fucking cheek of these buggers!
Knife Metiria and the Greens after they’ve been involved in the decision, make a big empty gesture about standing down and still demanding to be paid until the election???
Look, I had a lot of respect for Graham and Clendon, but this is such a dick move! It is disloyal, it is beneath their mana and it is egregious to the Green membership.
To pull a selfish stunt like this 7 weeks out from the election must be punished by James Shaw. His choice is clear, when they try and claim they want to stay in the caucus, he should sack them both for they’re betrayal.
Let’s remind ourselves who Kennedy Graham’s brother is again…
…oh that’s right, his brother pulls a stunt like that but Kennedy’s conscience is moved by Metiria taking for her child.
Charming.
The Greens are reaching out to the weakest and poorest amongst us with a $180 per week increase in benefits, while I’m sure Jacinda will take back what the Greens recently gained, Metiria’s story resonated with many who have been cruelly treated by our neoliberal welfare state who don’t vote and may be motivated to vote.
Losing two grumpy old white men won’t hurt Green hopes of igniting that electorate.
Are you sorry for being a non maori and a man Martyn? Sounds like it day after day…must be soul destroying for you not to be a minority which you so obviously crave!
Have you been drinking, Imright. That made no sense at all.
That’s how you see it don’t you Eddie? You would only step up for other people’s rights if you are their group, as if justice was a purely subjective thing that is only worth standing for when it is directed at a group you identify with. I write for what is just and fair Eddie, I don’t wait for white men to be treated badly before I speak up.
I think you have probably revealed more about yourself than successfully insult me Eddie. Better luck next time champ.
Why then call them ‘white men’?, virtue signalling much?….or is it that you see the green party as female and non white to be effective MP’s?
One word, Imright: privilege. Heterosexual white men have it in abundance.
Before you reply, remember that males are still paid more in this country than women. White men have it easier than brown men, when dealing with police and the justice system. (Please don’t make me reference all this…)
Self hatred. You clearly have it in abundance. As does Martin. Or is it Martyn? The electoral role seems unclear.
I have chest hairs in abundance.
Not so much “self hatred”. (But thanks for your concern, Bob.)
It’s called self awareness, learn the difference.
Clendon seems to have Māori heritage. I say “seems” merely because the source was Wiki.
I agree it’s an unnecessary distinction that would have been called out as racism if you replace “white” with maori, black, polynesian, jewish etc…
Ah politics, the gentleman’s game played by thugs while war is the thug’s game played by gentlemen.
How many years was Meteria forced to “lie” for her thousands, yet this thief justified stealing said dollars in just one day…
It’s not the first time ministers have wasted money on taxis and limousines, Bert – https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/ministerial-waste-hypocrisy/
Thank’s Frank. Parata’s gone but certainly won’t be forgot!
Good one Bert.
Thieving, lies and deceit is what Natz do best, then have the gall to criticise Metiria for daring to do what she considered her best to keep her daughter and herself alive!
I hope Herr Joyce is held accountable by msm for having a cab running its meter, clocking up taxpayers $$$, while he attended meetings!
Cheers Mary. I doubt, as Frank highlighted, this is an isolated case, so the bastards have been stealing for some time. Metiria, as you correctly state, was for self preservation, Joyce and co, for self interest or just sheer arrogance.
Well put Bert
Yeah fair comment IMO. I can criticise people without any white self hatred or self-emasculation. Bradbury should realise by now from his interactions with intersectionalists of Wellington’s twitterati that they made their mind up about him long ago. They’ll never give him a chance no matter how many of their bogus, pseudo-intellectual talking points and clichés he salts his posts with, so may as well drop it. Their lame claims of “Toxic Masculinity” is the cultural equivalent of Bush’s “Weapons of Mass Destruction”.
Oh dear Martyn it seems you have a few troll followers and clearly they are doing what trolls do, come out from under the bridge when they feel that their muddy septic patch has been threatened. Stick to the real politics guys.
The two MPs are barely known and will not be missed in any sense. THe Greens need to hold staunch and fight the good fight for the sake of the children. If this carries on then maybe the greens are going to be at serious risk. Or will their support hold at the levels of the last poll. Will the Labour Party or Winston pick up the disaffected Green Party support?
Not often we agree, Peter, but on that point I think you’re on the nail. No doubt their demotion on the Green Party Lists, from 2014 to this year, was influenced by their non-performance.
As much as I disagree with Greens 99% of the time, and for all my views they would disagree with me, I struggle to see how anyone can survive on a benefit. But I hate to see kids suffer and be marginalised and grow up without hope. I want NZ ato be a prosperous country, but we also need politicians to be representative of all society, and the greens do have a place in that sense.
*thumbs up*
That must be a first, thanks
Had to happen eventually, Peter… LOL!
Maybe I am coming over to the dark side
You will learn the power of youth who salute you.
Well said, Peter. I know you’re on the “other side of the political spectrum”, but for you to add your voice to an issue that is not popular with the reactionary media, conservative NZers, and certain pious commentators, shows you in good light.
James Shaw stated that he will miss Kennedy Graham greatly.
Even Bullshit Bill didn’t say that about Key, Gosman.
There may well be an element of regret, Gosman. After all, these are human beings with intense emotions at play. Once the adrenalin washes away and the anger fades, in the cool light of day, things look different.
I’m sure there was an element of regret when Rodney Hide forced out Heather Roy?
ref: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4046038/Toxic-sacking-leaves-ACT-in-a-mess
Graham was sitting at 8. That’s a show in.
I’ve been saying for a while that this election is going to have a few more surprises yet. There seems to be a lot perculating under the surface of all the parties that we aren’t seeing. I don’t expect things to calm down at all till election day.
Wait until Winston will launch a few torpedoes and other missiles in the coming weeks.
GO WINSTON!
Graham was never really a Green. He was a diplomat and believes in the environmental side of the party but is definitely to the right of every other Green MP. I heard him debate the issues of Palestine and Israel, he definitely wants a bob each way, wouldn’t criticise Israel. David Clendon was elected as an Auckland MP and then pretty promptly moved to keri Keri. The Greens wanted more Auckland MPs and more people on the ground in Auckland but………
Wait, so you say he wasn’t really a Green because he was only into the party for environmental issues? And his stance on Israel is of equal significance to his stance on the environment? Why call themselves the Green Party then? Why not the Social Justice Party or similar? I can’t see how your view on any issue could be as important as your view on the environment if you’re in that party. It’s allegedly their primary identifier.
They should have to get out now, immediately, they should be expelled from the party right now. They should not be able to continue getting the salary.
Indeed, Michal. Precisely the same demand made of Todd Barclay.
I am Ok, that metiria lied about her benefit conditions in order to support her child, the welfare system creates a need to decieve and punishes those trying hard to get themselves ahead. I am not Ok though with being dishonest about where you live in order to vote for a friend in another electorate, that need not happen, and shows real dishonesty to me. I am NOT ok with that.
Hmmmm, and yet, Gervase, thousands of New Zealanders live overseas and still vote in their “home” electorate where they no longer reside. Quite legal.
Remember also that she still only voted once. If she’d voted twice, that would be harder to defend…
Yeah . What you said. I mentioned that a few times as well, as in , ‘how does that work ?’… but as for these jolly Green chappies, geez,… cant they see Metiria challenged the disgusting neo liberal narrative from 24 years ago ?
Ruth Richardson’s ‘ Mother of all Budgets’ ?… I find it ironic that the ‘ Mother of all Budgets’ has affected so many actual mothers – 24 years after the fact.
What ails these guys ?!!?,… are they really that supportive of a destructive 24 year old legacy that should have been repealed and thrown out decades ago ?!!?.
Well , good diddly diddly riddance as Ned Flanders would say !
Power.
Oh come on even John Key did that.
Fair enough David but a knighthood?
What the fuck for?
I’m almost getting used to all this craziness. Let’s be honest, none of us on the sidelines has any power over what is going on out on the field right now. All we can do is watch it pan out and hope for the best.
And throw a couple of pineapples!!
This type of action is inevitable when everyone but the leaders know what the correct course of action is.
After that, Mr Shaw should check out whether this character, [redacted], ever donated to the National Party:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/336663/educators-cut-ties-with-indian-student-recruitment-trio
Some of the long term players probably even have jobs at MPI going by this government’s record.
I hope MT hangs in there. Time will relegate her past mistakes(?) to a reasonable size, and she will be recognised for the work she does now and in the future by most. If she folds now and does step down as leader she will be loosing the support she has generated among the non voting dispossessed . Polls will not show up what support she has drawn from the missing million, only the election day results will. I hope she has a future.
I’m not so sure that Jacinda will take back much of the support MT has gained. By needlessly ruling out hMT gaining a cabinet post because of her stand ,J A alienates those people that stand drew.
D J S
Will this not then refresh the ranks of candidates on the list, as I heard on the late news just now, that James Shaw will seek that both get removed from caucus and the party tomorrow morning, during caucus meeting?
This means young new candidates already chosen will move up in rankings, rejuvenating the Greens.
Only one worry may be, are there some others within, who have not spoken out, who are also not that happy with Metiria’s handling of all this?
I think Shaw will resign with MT before the election.
This will only be good for the Greens and help unify and solid them in their vision to stop the war on the poor. I will help them and support them now.
Democracy is coming to Kennedy Graham
Given the extent to which the unions and the left have been infiltrated, it’s delightful for me to see Graham go: Fuck off, goodbye.
For a year or so, I was a spook. I know how and why they operate. They are scum, let me tell you. It’s nothing to do with Islamic terrorism, it’s all about the economic protectionism of companies owned by the likes of Peter Goodfellow.
Be very wary, friends.
Can pensioners go on the unemployment then.. It will probably be a wage increase!
Hush, Gail! They’re ALL Baby Boomers from the good old free everything days who’ve had years of economic turmoil and redundancies galore to both cream it and stash zillions for their comfortable retirements. They own all of the rich suburbs and pay property managers to manage their ill-gotten gains. Parasites, etc.
There were no truckies, or labourers in those days, no housewives and one income families in State houses. They wuz RICH, we’re told… and other fables.
‘People can’t live on $500 a week!’ Single pensioners do. Way away below the poverty line. Ask for anything as basic as a medic alert supplement and you’re back under the social warfare tentacles.
And they don’t all vote National. True!
And most of them have at least another five rounds of the electoral cycle to remind people of that.
But don’t frighten the kids. They’ll get there themselves, one day at a time :-))
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/spycatcher-sequel-gillard-is-doing-a-thatcher-on-wikileaks-says-turnbull-20110404-1cyod.html
Mr Turnbull,
Your options are this.
1) Free Julian, without any threat of arrest, or;
2) have a database of all 5-eyes agents since 2013 leaked, in 3 days time.
David Clendon has a a Maori whakapapa therefore is Maori and race baiting by Martyn will not change this fact. He has been part of the Greens Roopu Pounamu from the beginning. Such is the racism Maori have to face every day. In general I support the Greens benefits policy (but would rather WINZ was deleted and a universal basic income applied instead like TOP have as policy). Metiria drives around in a BMW and talks of concern for the poor – Rod & Jeannette would never have done that. I suspect her making the policy personal was a desperate attempt for her to become deputy Prime Minister and had more to do with ego and ministerial salary than anything else.
Hard for James Shaw to take the high road when for the first time in years I was phoned by a party activist canvassing my opinion on the matter last night. If it is a matter of principle why do the numbers first?
In my opinion trying to make Green policy into a personality cult in order to further ones career ambitions is the greatest sin here in my opinion. It just aint the Green way.
Furthermore kicking up a ruckus and causing trouble for the powers that be no matter who they are – that is the Green way e.g. destroying GE potatoes, occupying Timberlands forests, Greenpeace activists chaining themselves to pipes to protest an irrigation project etc. Collective Group Think is the problem not individuals who stand up for their consciences.
When we voted to leave the Alliance on the way back from that meeting some of us delegates were in the Picton Ferry Terminal watching the 6pm news declare that the Greens had just decided to wander off into the wilderness – But exclaimed one sharp fellow the wilderness is where Greens belong!
Moa, you’re complaining that the rank and file were consulted?! Isn’t that democracy?
Both Graham and Clendon broke from the internal (very) democratic processes of the Greens. Why? Hard to tell just now. I’m sure all sorts of pressures are being applied.
+100 THE MASKED MOA…well said
…I think the problem with Metiria is that real beneficiaries and others, who take pains not to break the law, do not see her as have ever been in real need as they are…certainly she was well supported by family and her child was never starving
The Greens should just point to far greater transgressions of the law by Nactional MPs and PMs ….double dipping, Trusts etc…and stop tearing themselves apart
…those Greens who disagree with Metiria should not be expelled
…nor should Metiria be censured…if anything it is Jacinda who should get a smack across the knuckles for her treatment of her coalition partner…I agree with Sue Bradford on this
Masked Moa, it’s hard to see how you “support Green policies” when you’ve published a venomous diatribe against them and shown your utter disregard for those trapped in poverty in this country.
You talk about “kicking up a rumpus” on Green issues? Well, poverty and social inequalities are very much Green kaupapa. There’s no point in having clean rivers if a quarter of the country are living in misery and poverty. That is a very middle class view of what you think Green politics should be.
I also don’t understand how you can be upset because you were ” phoned by a party activist canvassing my opinion on the matter last night”? Pardon?? You’re complaining that the membership was consulted? You’re complaining about democracy in the Green Party and that all members have a voice?
If you want a one-man-band, try NZ First. They should be closer to your liking.
Me, I’m joining the Greens today.
When Jacinda has a child ….. perhaps she will reflect. It is hard to imagine that depth of love ’till it is experienced.
These two guys have been influenced by their peers perhaps?
Metiria, stay strong. Kia kaha. You have much to offer, and the cruelty you are experiencing comes from fear of change.
Change will come. Just as it did for the gay community.
You are a flag bearer.
That depth of love means that when food is short the mother goes hungry… not the child. Of course if Me Tu had claimed she went hungry everybody would have fallen around laughing. Fake news for political gain.
“Give me more money or the kid get’s it!”
re “When Jacinda has a child …”…she sure as hell won’t be a stay at home Mother …or a beneficiary …or a solo parent…her kid wont sleep in a car and won’t starve…it will have a house in a nice neighbourhood
…she will probably have several nannies, Parliament creche and a stay at home father for her child
spot the difference… for NZ’s poorest
The Greens need to take a lesson from the rogues and fraudsters Party
Nactional here ( Bill English double dipping….and touchy feely Jonkey Trusts)
…absolutely no one in the Greens should resign!
….absolutely no one should be expelled!
…it is not a criminal matter
everyone is entitled to their opinion…
why rip yourselves up over a NOTHING !?
Green Voter
The Greens are more interested in playing politics than ‘saving the planet’ or preparing NZ for the collapse that is underway (and which will accelerate quite soon); that has been the case since the early 2000s, when they ceased mentioning Peak Oil and became a business-as-usual party that promotes egregious consumption.
By abandoning everything they should have stood for, ‘the Greens’ lost their very purpose for existing and became just another bunch of ‘snouts in the trough’ that assisted in making everything that matters worse.
https://scripps.ucsd.edu/programs/keelingcurve/wp-content/plugins/sio-bluemoon/graphs/mlo_two_years.png
Anyone who thinks ‘the Greens’ will have any impact whatsoever on the ‘triple tsunami’ -peak oil, abrupt climate change and unravelling of Ponzi finance- which is now ‘thundering up the beach’ and which will demolish current social-economic-political arrangements long before 2030 is severely deluded. They have been totally ineffective in the entire time they have been in parliament, and will continue to be totally ineffective.
The international money-lender economic-political system demands that political parties be totally ineffective in dealing with fundamental issues, and ‘the Greens’ comply with the requirement of the international money-lender system. Therefore, voting ‘Green’ is a futile action.
Needless to say, all other political parties are just as bad or worse, and are mostly populated by self-serving liars. (Nice to see Andrew Little out of it, since he personally demonstrated his spinelessness and mendacity.) .
Sad, but true.
You’re being reasonable in the midst of fervour. Brolly up before the spray starts to settle.
(You’re not white, middle class, successful and male by any chance? That’s Bad. Very Bad. They don’t like that here…)
Moi? Freckled, fem and beneficiary and that Turei woman does not ‘speak for me’. It’s people like her that lead to more trouble for genuine assistance seekers. Greens lost my vote for sure.
yes Andrea…I have heard others say that too
why are the Greens letting the Hooton jackals rip them up?…Greens should carry on as if water off a ducks back
I said this to the Green party and I will say this again quote ‘it is no good caring about the environment if you don’t care about people. Having clean rivers, water and addressing climate change means nothing if you don’t have people to enjoy them. He aha mea to nui o te ao he tangata he tangata he tangata’
Also before I saw the two people who wanted Metiria to resign I said to my partner I bet they are two white middle class possibly rich men. Sure enough I saw I was right this morning on the news and they were exactly what I expected bloody hypocrites. Ps I’m half white my mother is Pakeha.
Ok, I’m curious; exactly what does being white have to do with it? The MPs standing by her, with the exception of Marama Davidson, are white. And her staunch defender James Shaw is …. a white …. male.
re “James Shaw is …. a white …. male.”…he could be a reincarnated Samoan
Hey look…. these white guys committed a crime….. over there…… nothing to see here….
Hell hath no fury like a born again hippie – in a suit, of course – scorned. They’re a ruthless, well-oiled machine, these Greens.
I hope the Greens delete all their texts like Bullshit Bill does, seems the correct corrupt thing to do. Metiria did not defraud the benefit in her capacity as a minister so if it’s good for Bullshit Bill it’s good for Metiria.
This may lead to more centrist, well off and well educated, professional, and therefore ‘legally mindful’ Greens supporters giving their vote to Labour and Jacinda this time, and some to TOP.
The rest of the Greens will now have to commit to leftist or progressive Greens policy, and stand for both, social justice and environmentalism, with a focus on dealing with climate change and strong protection of what is left of your environment.
With TOP there is a right of centre kind of environmental party on offer, albeit also with some radical ideas.
Voters have a clearer choice now.
Question remains: How can the so far more middle and upper middle class, urban professional and student based Greens reach out and get votes in places like South Auckland, Porirua and other areas, where the poor and beneficiaries live, and need their help?
Most of them do not follow politics that much, and to attract them, something truly enticing has to be offered, which Metiria and Greens may just have, with new benefit policy.
Now the Greens will not like to be reminded of that North and South front page photo, I guess.
If Turei’s benefit fraud was no big deal, why did she come clean? An election stunt gone sour? And shouldn’t we applaud MPs who stick to their principles, regardless of who’s brother they are Bomber? We can’t just slap Dirty Politics labels on the Tories. But these civilities are separate to the plight of the poor and neglected. Let’s not conflate the two issues.
If Turei’s alleged-fraud was no big deal, why did she come clean about it so close to an election? An election stunt gone sour, methinks. So too has Graham and Clendon’s principled divorce (regardless of who’s brother he is, Bomber). But let’s not conflate real politicking with the plight of the poor and marginalised, for whom the Greens say they stand up for. The Greens are not immune to having the torch of dirty politics shone on them.The electorate will judge who has been the more principled – or stupid – Turei and Shaw, or Graham and Clendon.
What load of rubbish Mr Row row row your boat gently down the toilet. We have had a government in power for 9 years with no principles.
Also where is the court decision about the gnats breaching copy right re- Eminen? do we have to wait for after the election funny that how convenient now whose a crook and whose a liar be careful when you throw stones they might come back to bite you in the proverbial backside.
“oh that’s right, his brother pulls a stunt like that but Kennedy’s conscience is moved by Metiria taking for her child.”
That’s beneath you, Martyn. Kennedy Graham isn’t responsible for his brother – who got his in any case, as I recall. I don’t know what Kennedy Graham thought of that, but I don’t see that it has anything to do with the current political situation.
I’ve been astonished at the vindictiveness of the Greens and their supporters, not just toward Graham and Clendon, but also toward anyone who criticises Metiria Turei. Some of what I’ve read is just vile.
I was dubious about the benefit thing: I’ve to-ed and fro-ed about it for some time (having had experience of life on a benefit in the 90s), but have finally come down on the side of the critics. Then the revelations about her living arrangements decided it for me: it’s she who ought to resign. Graham and Clendon have shown her the path that she ought to have taken. Had she done that pronto, the party wouldn’t be in the mess in which it’s currently embroiled.
In my view, it’d have been a better strategy for her to have quietly gone to WINZ, ‘fessed up to her rorting of the system, got them to figure out how much she owed them, and to have paid it back. Then she could have gone public about it. As things stand, she comes across as arrogant and – by attempting to justify what she did – lacking insight into her actions.
The same applies to her enrolling to vote in an electorate in which she wasn’t living. She was by that time involved in politics, for all that it was just the McGillicuddy lot; she must have known that what she was doing wasn’t legitimate.
The vitriolic reaction of the Greens and their supporters both to her critics and to Graham and Clendon smacks of a group of people who’d sniffed electoral victory and can see it slipping out of their grasp. Now they’re lashing out at anyone who disagrees with them. This isn’t worthy of you. Any of you.
For what it’s worth, I think that Graham and Clendon have done the right thing. They’ve acted according to their consciences and done the only thing they could do so close to an election. And they’ve been obliged to do it because Turei would not do the right thing. I do not think that this will end well for her.
Done and dusted now, more questions and more answers, but they succeeded, to destroy another opposition leader, the only one they do not manage to take down is Winston. Wait until they take Jacinda out soon, the MSM, first building her up. Soon Gower and others will take her down too, to ensure English and Nats a fourth term. This country is nothing short of a highly sophisticated dictatorship:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/336828/live-metiria-turei-resigns-as-green-party-co-leader
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/live/national
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