THIS is the big political story right now…
Labour’s Māori caucus stoush with Housing Minister Megan Woods over Budget 2021
Newshub understands there have been major ructions behind the scenes in the Labour Party over housing for Māori.
A stoush broke out between Labour’s Māori caucus and Housing Minister Megan Woods over how much of the money set aside in this year’s Budget should go to Māori.
It’s extremely rare for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s fortified caucus to leak but the fact it has speaks to how dire the situation had become.
…it is unheard of for disagreements to ever leak out of Labour since entering Government, the anger of the Māori Caucus at Woods total lack of detail on housing has been brewing for a long time.
Her bewildering optimism at building 12 houses was universally greeted in Caucus with disbelief. There is a fear that Woods is doing a Phil Twyford, ridiculously over-enthusiastic with no clear goal other than feel good feelings.
Woods has not spelled out how Māori housing is even being considered let alone specifically funded despite assurances to the Māori Caucus that such info was forthcoming.
This is the first true political test of the factions inside Labour and who wins will define the political balance within the Government.
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Woods’ halo has dipped. Traditionally Health is the graveyard for ministers. Housing is quickly replacing this. Willis is making mincemeat of Woods in question time and it is clearly evident now that Woods’ approach has mirrored Twyford’s lazy, sloppy self congratulatory strategy.
Fear not though the sleepy hobbits of (little) Aotearoa are still in their covid, housing inflation stupor therefore ineptitude is not a fatal blow for a minister at present. If Woods gets ‘moved on’ do they risk replacing with a heavy hitter such as Little or do they give the poisoned chalice to a loyal storm trooper like Wood or the Kris the cuddly teddy bear. If I was a betting man I’d pick the latter.
Frank, the ever culpable National Party have got nothing. Less than nothing.
Its like the Captain of the Titanic giving lectures on health and safety to his passengers as the last lifeboat drifts out of sight.
Funny, the gnats were saying the same thing about Labour during the Sir John Key years. It all swings in roundabouts. National will be back in sooner or later. You need to appreciate that fact before dismissing what they say.
Hi is not a ” sir ” only a parasite and a perfect example of the Ron Brierly type of sleaze.
He got knighted for doing absolutely nothing worthwhile except enriching himself and his traitorous supporters.
You have a point.
Still I’d argue it would be humiliating to be handed your arse day after day in the house to Nicola Willis whose general performance on balance is mediocre at best. Doubly so when you reflect it’s your hubris, arrogance and lack of detail that is contributing to this drubbing.
Good. Christ sake, Labour are proving totally useless with housing so much so I was kind of hoping Jacinda might wake up and realise Woods was failing badly, months ago. But no, our PM is oblivious.
I have also been hoping almost beyond hope that someone inside caucus would be our PM’s brain and do something so is this that moment?
Maybe, just maybe Labour will take the housing crisis seriously because as each week passes it becomes a bigger infected mess.
Ditching Woods would be a good start. Having a robust plan actioned quickly another.
…”Her bewildering optimism at building 12 houses was universally greeted in Caucus with disbelief”….
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Indeed,… that was the last straw for me regards the do – nothing govt of Jacinda Adern. And yet I voted for the Greens and electorate voted Adern.
Adern to me is nothing but a Blairite third way politician peddling her neo liberal ( read ‘greedies’ ) ideology. She and National have much in common. This is NOT what New Zealand and its people deserve. We deserve much , much better.
I will vote Social Credit next election or if Matt McCarten and the UTU Workers United Union go political, or if MANA reconstruct , I will vote for them. It is time to turf these do nothing, worthless, parasitic greedy leechers ( read National, Labour and even the Greens ) out of our parliament buildings and start afresh with people who actually give a damn.
+1000
The Labour Māori Caucus–and Pacifica members–have a lot of potential power if they would only realise it and unite in action with the Greens and Māori Party on vital issues like housing.
Kainga Ora Minister Woods job in a neo liberal state, is actually to not build too many state houses and apartments! The reality of that statement is both weird and a tragedy for thousands of low income New Zealanders, you know, the 50% that own just 2% of the wealth.
Would it make any difference if a more competent Minister replaced Woods? Would a state house mega build start? No, because until there is a Caucus revolt, and widespread direct action such as homeless occupying empty houses and rent strikes nothing will change.
Woods never had a halo – made things worse when in charge of power.
Way to be cleared for big electricity players to prey on low-income households
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/102708888/way-to-be-cleared-for-big-electricity-players-to-prey-on-lowincome-households
NZ Power Companies are not even Compliant under EU and US Laws!
https://ecotricity.co.nz/nz-powercos-noncompliant-under-eu-us-rules/?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=Non+Compliant+Blog+Release&utm_medium=paid&hsa_cam=6116002037136&hsa_src=%5BSITE_SOURCE_NAME%5D&hsa_acc=10152756314334928&hsa_ver=3&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_grp=6116002037536&hsa_ad=6116002037936&fbclid=IwAR0PwZmsmg8Q1b-aevcUijRowgavgNNT36_46yPRedul03imfWS6dSHLapc
Rio Tinto waste – just throw your hazardous waste in the local towns – years of meetings, no action.
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/mataura-asks-govt-act
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI_LjMsr8gU
Woods appears to me to be typical of most Labour ministers full of good intentions but no idea how to deliver.
Just look at what they promised and what they’ve delivered?
So the baton was passed from one set of management drones, to another on, with at least a more humanistic element… The point has already been made regarding the lack of traditional “labour”(from the trades/artisan) people in the current caucus.. This is just the next time it will show out…
Whoever has the experience, or connections to the right people, should have the job of building the houses, whether they come from the Labour party, or the Maori party, or the green party, or all three…
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