The first strategic blunder by Labour for 2019?

By
Martyn Bradbury
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8
11

Labour endorses Phil Goff for 2019 Auckland mayoralty
The Labour Party is formally endorsing Auckland mayor Phil Goff for a second term, should he decide to run again.

The party’s council backed the former Labour MP in the race, but will leave it up to the candidate to decide whether to run as a Labour candidate or an Independent.

“The council in its entirety will endorse him should he stand,” party president Nigel Haworth told Stuff.

What happens if another Labour Party member decides to throw their hat in the ring for the Mayoralty?

What happens if John Tamihere decides to run?

Would Labour block Auckland’s chance of electing its first Māori Mayor?

Would Labour risk a schism inside its Māori Caucus?

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A schism a year out from the 2020 election with an electorate that was instrumental in lifting Labour’s Party vote?

It seems like a short sighted decision to back Goff so early without knowing who else is running.

8 COMMENTS

  1. Does anyone care apart from media loudmouths, business lobby groups and moaning ratepayers, who seem to wait till AFTER the election to bellyache?

    the sad fact is turnout topped out at 38% last election by postal ballot, and while there is transience, homelessness and people that have never mailed anything in their lives, contributing to that, it is mainly just voter non participation–i.e. apathy and alienation

    you might think the torys would care about one of theirs being “SuperMayor”–but no, they put up multiple candidates each time, so the people get stuck with ACT’s corporatist structures like the undemocratic CCOs, but with a Labour aligned Mayor and sprinkling of Councillors overseeing the mess

  2. “It seems like a short sighted decision to back Goff so early without knowing who else is running.”

    Is there a chance that Labour already do know who is running?

  3. True, many Labour Party supporters would prefer John Tamihere as one with a more solid left-wing “people’s” aspect to him as well as broader appeal culturally. I don’t know if they’ve been tweaked that John isn’t running, but it will be a major Party gaffe if he does run.

  4. I wouldn’t vote for Phil Goff even if no-one else threw their hat into the ring. The man’s a total disaster IMO.

  5. Why don’t we just be totally upfront and ask the U.N. who it wants to select this time.
    Not sure what the guy’s name is who calls the shots here in N.Z. but they’ll know in the bee’s hive.

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