The Left wing Auckland Mayoralty meltdown looks to be the most destabilising political misjudgment going into the 2023 National election.
Losing the Auckland Mayoralty would be an appalling home goal for the Left that would automatically put Labour on the back foot going into the 2023 election.
It is jaw dropping incompetence that has led us here.
With Goff leaving (although he’s now being begged to stay), it was a no brainier that Efeso Collins was the heir apparent. Clever, smart, articulate and with an enormous history of working at the coal face of the South Auckland community, Efeso has the mana to run and with the incredible job he’s done over Covid, his case for the Auckland Establishment Left to back his candidacy seemed a forgone conclusion.
Except that it wasn’t.
Efeso has that thing that terrifies the establishment Left, an independent vision. He’s no one’s stooge and unfortunately being a puppet is a pre-requisite for the Establishment Left.
Rather than back Efeso, the establishment Left chose the woke pronoun word salad that is Richard Hills.
He’s a Goff acolyte and his candidacy has come about because Shearer bailed out when he got cold feet and rather than back Efeso as the first Pacific Island Mayor, the Establishment Left have settled on the glass jawed Richard Hills.
Unfortunately it gets worse.
TDB can exclusively reveal that Labour reached out to Hills and asked him to run. 3 separate sources have confirmed Hills is telling others this is why he’s running, because Labour asked him.
It feels like Labour have fallen into the trap all 5 year Government’s fall into and that is promoting people based on loyalty rather than talent.
Intense pressure and threats will now be placed upon Efeso to pull out so Hills can run without any challenge from the Pacific working class, but if the establishment Left lose the Auckland Mayoralty they will only have their own cowardice and Labour’s poor strategic decisions to blame.
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I am aware Hills will fall victim to the tinfoil hat Greater Auckland types, fanatically anti car, whose mushroom induced fantasy is reducing speeds of motor vehicles by having a little man walking in front of traffic with a red flag, so fuckwits on bicycles can ride like fuckwits on bicycles do, not giving a flying shit about any other creature. Add to that free E bikes, on the ratepayers! I mean can you just imagine those whining pricks that want “their” bicycle fucking lanes everywhere having a non thinking stooge like Hills at their beck and call?
And furthering their insatiable lust to ban cars from life, setting up kindergartens on Fanshawe St, Queen St, Tamaki Drive, etc, etc, that is actually ON the road itself, whilst simultaneously ensuring every other road is permanently shut as “play streets” for Marcel Marseau revivals and poetry slams and their absolute favourites, People Fountains!
And although that privileged Pt Chev dwelling fuckwittery concerns me, a lot, what truly concerns me is Hills is a protégé carbon copy of the current Labour Party cabinet, a student politician who only knows politics. Having just spent the past 4 years watching those examples achieve nothing, we sure as shit don’t need another iteration of this kind of politics to set the rot into all of Auckland, like we’ve seen in the CBD.
The left of course is never on the same page, nor is the right, but Hills and Collins, both quite different are sure to cannibalise the greater lefts vote and someone else will win. On this occasion that is no bad thing!
That’s an impressive spew xray.
You got up at 540am to pen that diatribe, nice start to the day for you…
Appreciated Ma.
Man you’re on form! That pretty much nails it.
Hills is effectively still a child. He has no work history outside of being a ‘youth worker’ for a couple years until he was suddenly and magically elevated to a job on the local board by Anne Hartley. His online CV is suspiciously silent about his family background. All of which leads me to suspect he’s related to someone well connected to the Party. (Just like Metiria Turei’s rise in politics had a lot to do with being married into the Hartley family.)
More generally we don’t need party ideologues of any flavour in local government. We need experienced leaders and managers with roots in the community with a track record of getting practical things done. We also need people who can push back against Wellington diktats when necessary, and not slavish ideologues like this.
I take it your one of the fuckwits in cars that want their car fucking lanes everywhere.
It’s been about 2 years since I was in Auckers, but if it’s anything like Wellington – put the cars aside for one moment. A single lycra clad cyclist seems to think they have a better right to a bus that’s carrying 50 or 60 people. Purely on the basis that they think they’re being virtuous and saving the planet, or even that they think they look gorgeous.
Many don’t even think road rules apply to them (such as undertaking on the left), or obeying red lights. SQUSISH – that must be the non-pedal powered driver’s fault delivered really EASY or even UBERed.
(I occasionally ride a bike btw – and that’s not a euphemism for entertaining Karen, or even Leslie, both of whom are angling for jobs as Labour Party advisors. Karen’s sure its got her shit together by the way, but Leslie is still struggling with its pronouns while still living with mumsy and dadsy who are just looking for a fucking break).
There’s arseholes in every group – don’t tar the whole group.
Considering global warming and the massive increase in obesity we really should be getting rid of cars and replacing them with bike lanes and decent public transport.
Never mind the fuckwits on bikes ride their bikes as badly as they drive their SUV’s. Its the entitlement that makes them bad drivers/riders.
Interesting point Sabine. I have noticed how careless about other users bike riders are, both on roads and footpaths, and the impression is they just want right of way over everybody, and am noticing its mainly males.
“I have noticed how…”
Really? You surprise me and you ought to understand that your perception may not reflect reality.
I’m haven’t seriously ridden a bike for decades but I’m quite astounded at the level of irrational visceral hatred directed at cyclists expressed regularly on this site. Xray (above) is a good example, never misses an opportunity to take a swing.
I wonder if its pent up rage at seeing cyclists safely taking left hand turns and making judgement calls on obeying otherwise pointless conventions designed to control tonnes of motorised metal. Maybe its revulsion at the sight of lycra or a projection of guilt at their own inability to get physical exercise or reduce their carbon footprint.
Whatever it is, it’s pathetic.
Looks like Labour has a different opinion of Efeso. He does need to represent more than the 15% of Aucklanders who are pacific Islander.
It looks like a racist has hit his/her straps pretty early. It is plain to see that Collins appeals to more than one demographic.
Yes, he has cross sector appeal for those tired of “coots in suits”, and for those with even some awareness that Auckland is the unofficial largest Polynesian city–which are many decades deserves recognition, and for working class people of all stripes.
Low voter turnout is Auckland’s shame and a community organising campaign rather than sedate gatherings might further Efeso’s chances.
Why should a candidate have to tick every issue box if they are solid on the basics? Be real and let the people choose–Banksie appearing at Big Gay Out was a real travesty when everyone knew he was really anti gay. If Efeso is honest about his conservative take on some issues it would be better than pretending.
Oh the R word. How do you know I’m not Samoan.
Esefo needs to leave Labour and should have done so a long time ago. He should start a new party, one that is left, rather then these centre to right highly paid ‘do nothing’ empty suits that pretend to be ‘labour’.
It is Labour who only represents 15 – 20 % of Auckland. The rest is not represented at all. That would be the highly populated working class areas of West Auckland/South Auckland.
Sabine, wie geht’s?
I suggested the other day he quit Labour and stand independently. I was told off on this forum! “He needs to stand as a Labour man, it’s very important!!!!” Yeah? Really, is it? I think that about the worst thing he can do if he wants all of Auckland on board. I will vote for him, but only if I am re-assured we won’t get another Goff. Phew, imagine another Goff!
They may also need to match a candidate to the people who tend to actually vote in local body elections. South Auckland has an lower voter turnout than the already low average. Trends point to less voter engagement from Maori, the young and poorer neighbourhoods.
I’m pale ,stale and male. I’m also a Boomer. I’m also 100% behind Efeso. He is the only way forward when you look at the other sadsacks.
I’d drop the ‘stale’ if I were you.
And if (and more likely when) they come crawling. tell ’em you don’t have enough emotional capital to deal with them). Refer them to their church or even the Rotary Club – that’s still going isn’t it?. Or even Destiny
Unisex open public urinals! Unicorns for all to ride!
Parade Day every week!
By laws for all the sea mammals in the Hauraki Gulf to be able to declare their privileged chosen preferred pronouns and sex!
Non sexed seating on public transport and also, AT to take the ‘T’ out of AT because it’s a homophobic trope!!
And instead of Mayoral Chains to worn. Can they be melted down and a tiara be made from them?
Denny
You forgot…
Expensive multi-lingual educational videos telling how to budget and how to avoid injuries while walking your licensed dog.
Well, no K. it is a ‘Public Service’ and some Germans don’t speak English or Maori. 🙂
Personally I’m against party politics in local body elections. To me a mayor’s primary focus (and that of Councillors) should be on the community they are elected to represent rather than advancing a political party agenda. I’d like to see all political party representation in local body elections banned. It seems in this spat the focus has become on trying to get a particular political agenda in place rather than look at the real needs of Auckland. This is always going to be a problem when you have a mayor beholden to a party – regardless of what hue it is.
Efeso should take it head on with a community organising and voter enrolment based campaign.
Mr Collins is more class left based and that must also drive the identarians spare.
A big turnout could see him win in a multiple candidate race. Events could be run to fill out forms and bulk mail. Got to be worth a try with recent postal ballot turnout of sub 40%! Even the Auck middle class can barely be arsed voting.
Labour has some explaining to do? Really? Is that so? And you expect such explanation to be forthcoming? Since when does this particular Labour Party explain things? Of course being the most transparent govt in history, you’d expect an explanation soon.
Before we luxuriate in the minute`of funny little Aucklands irrelevant politics and dilemmas we must first have a cold shower then ponder that roger douglas has gone nowhere. ACT’s david seymour is rogers blood boy and that mutual infection has become pan-political. We must not forget that. The above should be at the forefront of our focus. Not for us to become lost in the racket the monkeys are making while watching yet another snake climb up through the branches of our economy and our politic.
While roger remains at large it indicates we’re still as ignorant as we’d been rendered since 1984. So how can we have a measured and informed opinion on what best we might expect of our politic and our economy if roger the rat is still scuttling about in the kitchen cupboards shitting and pissing on everything while wasting resources and contaminating everything he drags his little balls over?
goff’s a cunt. Let me be clear on that. He’s the prick who gave the working poor GST. He’s a warbling tooth whistler con man and I use the word ‘man’ advisedly. He’s a nothing. A nobody. So he was perfect for Auckland. Auckland is where hard earned money goes to disappear. It’s soon to become a zombie town and when it gets caught in the glare of the sunshine that’s a sure to come judicious and impartial inquiry then it’ll go up in a flash of smoke and mirrors and all that’ll be left of The City of Sales will be a little sparkle/glitter gurgling down the drains.
We should be far more concerned about who becomes the new Mayor of Invercargill.
Roger’s later acolytes designed the whole Supercity corporatist model of undemocratic and unaccountable CCOs (Council Controlled Organisations)–over which Council effectively has no control–a real thigh slapper.
It is the erosion of participation in public affairs that concerns me–less than 40% of dorklanders for years could be arsed to fill out a postal ballot, and it got down to 32% one year. So if the actual people that fucking live there, are alienated or switched off the rest of us are spectators indeed.
So maybe the Mayoral race is symbolic perhaps for our esteemed Editor. Rooting Rights or something. Because unless Efeso, if he did become Mayor, had a majority of Councillors and Community people supporting his modest plans it would be business as usual. Collins should stand on a “drive out the Rats” platform of reclaiming public control of all Council activity.
Scum bag Labour strikes again
Lucky Labour has been in power over last last 4 years especially during the greatest world/global crisis since WWII and major Pandemic for 100 years. Lucky also that Bridges/Muller/Bishop/Collins/Seymour never had an opportunity to kill us grumpy old men. 2 years ago who would have thought that airlines over the world would be grounded and an enemy would breech our borders. Aotearoa is the only country to have protected and saved its vulnerable citizens. MIQ & RATS were only irrelevant dirty politics topics pushed by granny herald and natz. Thank you Jacinda, Ashley and your scientific advisers.
If anything were to justify the use of deliberative mini-publics to find out what the public would think if they were thinking, the huge range of comments typical on blogs like this, from top of the head spews to genuinely thoughtful, surely speaks.