Meka’s defection is a shockwave inside Māori politics and national politics.
Her decision to walk seems driven by personal ambition rather than political difference and the Māori Caucus are clearly surprised and saddened by that decision.
However.
The issues confronting NZ right now demand solidarity on the Left.
The management of this is a political test to the electorate over how Labour and the Māori Party can work together.
If it descends into recriminations and factional fighting we are seeing in the Greens, it will be the kiss of death at the election.
It is vital that dignity and mana dictate the response or else the media will seize on any shade throwing as the end of NZ democracy.
Solidarity and the ability to work together is where it matters now because a National/ACT Government intend to make enormous cuts in essential community infrastructure that will damage all the values both Labour and the Māori Party stand for.
This is a political test, managed correctly it will show the electorate there is nothing to fear from a Labour led Government with supply and confidence from the Māori Party.
Managed poorly and we hand ammunition to the Right.
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“Rurawhe also said he could not release the communication he received from Whaitiri. He said it would break confidentiality MPs expected the Speaker to uphold, but he added nothing was stopping Whaitiri from releasing the messages.”
So, a significant constitutional issue (imagine if there was a 1 vote majority) & the Speaker chooses to hide behind his “relationship” with our elected representatives.
Boot these hooligans out.
ACT won’t cut essential community infrastructure. They wouldn’t dare. They will be like a playful kitten. That just need the occasional perk and Pat.
Managed poorly? How much worse can it get?
The Minister (now ex) of the Hawkes Bay Disaster Recovery who did a deal with Te Pati Maori hasn’t even told the Prime Minister yet, it’s that badly managed.
The suffering people of Hawkes Bay have received the”fuck you” wave from Meka. That is not well managed.
Honest to God, there is no way ever doing a deal with TPM is going to ever benefit anyone but the very few hangers on in the Maori Party. Certainly not “U” or I!
I can’t see it working. The left like to see the Maori Party as being socialists because of their community values, but in practice they seem to be more focused on thumbing their collective noses at parliamentary democracy and procedures and sticking it to the cracker than trying to achieve anything for the nation as a whole.
They seem to be telling us that the Maori Party is for Maori only. We can only judge them by their actions.
To quote Jenna Lynch from Newshub…
“This week co-leaders and Whaitiri have not done the jobs they are paid a lot of taxpayer money to do. They are already perceived to have a shoddy attendance record and this week they have not attended a single day of Parliament”.
Yep, Labour voters really want Labour to “work” with people like that who appear to not know the meaning of the word! Not.
Ardern cried online abuse and “shocked” her colleagues with a resignation it turns out was pre arranged with Hipkins to boost Labours polling.
As it turns out, this latest “shock” defection strengthens the Maori party and increases the chances of Labour reforming government.
It’s all just an incredible coincidence from the most transparent government ever! 3 waters will be voluntary! He pua pua is not government policy! Democracy has changed!
Trust them! They wouldn’t be doing this for political gain!
Willie and JT strike again.
Very intelligent thing to do if this is the case. It’s the exact same reason National pulled Goldsmith out of the Epsom running, to gain enough votes to win an election, no different.
Career politicians look after themselves before anyone else.
The only party entirely made up of people that had a career before politics and one to return to afterwards is ACT
Labour and the Greens are basically a sheltered workshop for the unemployable
Pretty useless that the government couldn’t bother to get the law tighter for the waka jumping law!
Another mockery of law and government in NZ, where the point of the law is lost, and thus becomes another sign of dysfunction of NZ government law makers and government – full of loop holes.
MP’s can announce to the press they are leaving but not actionable if they don’t let the speaker know, then somehow they get around the law!
Tired of voting for parties with people who have no principles being supported by NZ political parties that are too weak to even get a law for democracy right!
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