Kiri Allan and the mutilation of her political corpse by the Right dominated the political headlines, but the true bombshell was David Parker standing down.
David is the last great hope for the Egalitarian Left. He is the smartest guy in the room, with the legal, economic and accounting background to do the heavy policy lifting to match the oratory and political left values.
There are very few Labour Ministers who can marry the rhetoric with the legislation and he is essential if we on the Left want to see structural change to the neoliberal economic hegemony.
He has the best relationship with Winston and he has more in common with the Green and Māori Party Tax Policy than the current Labour tax policy (whatever that is).
Chippy made a Captain’s Call to ban a wealth tax that would properly fund our social infrastructure from Lithuania while under pressure, a combined front with David Parker, Chloe and the Māori Party Tax Policy will force a change on that Captain’s Call.
There is revolution in the air this election and Captain’s Calls will mean little.
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“Captains Calls” are undemocratic at the best of times. A strong election turnout of new Gens could indeed change Mr Hipkins mind soon after the Election.
Natzos and Act have the money, and the media in their pocket, but the new voters have the numbers, so it will be a frustrating campaign as right wing parties will control the public narrative to a large extent–but social media does get the message (keep the Natzos and Seymour away from office) out there.
Two things to remember, young people, especially disenfranchised young people often don’t vote and many “new” voters are immigrants, who often have conservative values. Time to face facts, you’ll be looking at a new Government in October and hopefully ACT will be over 15%. The country needs a new direction, not Labour et al’s constant spiral in to chaos.
I so hope you are correct in your premonition. Also it is worth noting many of these new voters only know the absolute mess that the country is in under Labour and would know little of the mistakes made by National when in power . The Greens may appeal to them but young people today like winners and Greens are such a bunch of losers it will put them off . If the young people have dreams of doing well then they will vote National as it is the party for successful people to support .
One must remember at all times never to overlook the fact that NZ’s “news media” is nothing more than the propaganda arm of the colonial power structure…. So to be swallowing their “news” like it is accurate, relevant to the big picture, or presented in good faith is to be willingly swallowing rotten fruit….
To be totally “unaware” that the runup period to any general election is when the rat pack masquerading as a “fourth estate” go on full attack mode on behalf of the current colonial representatives… This year, it is actually worse than most election years I have been in NZ for… This shows just how desperate the tories are to get back to exploiting New Zealanders wealth and sovereignty…
Surely, NZ has started to learn these basic realities? Or am I speaking to a vacant space?
Surely it is time for kiwis to realise what was lost to them, and what was stolen by the tory traitors that work in the interests of people/corporations that don’t give a flying dust mote what happens to NZers as long as they get what they want…
Nz was already the most expensive place in the world for practically anything one names,, The most expensive real estate, and had it’s ability to produce most, if not all of what it needed itself destroyed deliberately, for the benefit of those foreign interests… And you morons have got to blame the labour party because it couldn’t wave a magic wand and instantly fix things… So yet again New Zealand makes a pivotal play in the “thickest race on the planet” stakes, and once more pushes the Irish into second place.. The stupidity, and immaturity of political discourse in this country should be scaring the shit out of anyone with an IQ over 80… And there’s pride in that stupidity!! Sad…. very sad..
Various people and academics have debated for years–usually in FPP voting system countries–about whether younger voters will be like their parents politically or do their own thing.
There are so many variables, it is hard to be definite. In NZ with the rise of single parent and blended families, Māori and PI having a birthrate at replacement (2.2%) and a growing population, while Pākehā are below at 1.6%.
New gens have only known a digital world, while boomers have had to adapt to it. Many young people despair of owning their own homes, or having stable careers, while thousands of boomers sit on multiple properties. The bottom 50% own just 5% or so of the wealth. Inequality will become a biggie when there is a class left approach from a political party, which TPM has just demonstrated it is willing to take.
There will be ample opportunities for a more left trend, which may or may not happen as Act youth and Young Nats show, there are conservative and reactionary young people.
So yes, turnout is the biggie, but there are signs that Māori are getting organised, they have built capacity as demonstrated during COVID and the recent flooding. Leaders encouraged vaccination, and filling out the Census which was largely ignored previously. So obviously Māori are not going to win general seats yet, but if they turn enough Māori seats and increase party vote, NZ Labour are going to be all ears after Oct.14.
No decent person wants pedophiles in power. There are evil people out there, but Act won’t get anywhere 15%
Nats and ACT have the media in their pocket? Nice try Tiger – have you forgotten Jacinda’s “Public Interest Journalism Fund” already?
heh, not much sneaks past Pope…however…would add that RNZ local democracy reporting and shows like “The Detail” pick up stories and journalism that the likes of Stuff and NZME abandoned way back when they shut down suburban and small town Provincial newspaper titles. You can read or hear reporting on your local Council affairs and Courts for example.
More facts, less click bait than the likes of the NZ Herald. ZB and other for profits, are attack machines for NZ’s moneyed up class and they have very large listenerships. So potentially more influence than a tin pot blog or show you have to listen to as pod cast.
Such public broadcasting is more about serving people than promoting the Labour Govt.
Pope, open both eyes for a change, you’d have to be brain dead not to believe NACT have the media in their back pocket. Just read the National party NZ Herald daily for confirmation.
Unfortunately, the days when Labour attracted or even wanted switched-on intelligent thinking people appear to have vanished into the abyss normally occupied by the National Party. Parker also has the disadvantage of not being Maori, Lesbian, or even gay, to be a significant influencer within the Labour Party, but here’s hoping.
Although I never found Parker to be particularly impressive on the campaign trail, and too weak of a personality to really be the ideal leader, surely he would be a better front-man than whiny old Chippy?
Chippy is looking less credible as a Prime Minister every day.
What does he stand for?
Hipkins is the Ed Miliband to Ardern’s Tony Blair.
It’s always a good look to have a ministerial resignation less than 70 days from an election. Especially after the arrest of their Justice Minister. Last hope? More like last nail!
More money spent on consultants, without consulting the Leader first.
Speaking of bombshells, and I realise slightly off topic, but in a week where weird and bombshells are the one in the same, what has become of Luxon? Nicola Willis is the person fronting everything National. It’s her voice heard in parliament, her exposure of Labour’s leaks. Is he getting a reboot or…the boot?
Have National finally finally realised they’re cemented in the low to mid 30’s forever with Luxon?
Is Willis been focus grouped in real time and are they real time polling her to see what she does for National? Is this a Jacinda 2017 moment or just an apparition or pure coincidence?
He was in a hall in Rolleston last night along with 500 plus fans .Most left very happy to put their faith in his hands .
If Parker is the last great hope for the Egalitarian Left, the Egalitarian Left are buggered.
Peters took the nations pulse and knows what to say. Wonder if Labour ever take the nations pulse or just their own?
There isn’t anything said by Labour that appeals,no one knows what they stand for anymore.
Luxon had to bring in PR facilitator Mary Lambie to make Lex Luther seem credible. My God National have reached the bottom of the barrel.
I think Chris H has had a good chance to live up to some positive groundswell building here but has muffed it. Not politically wise enough, he needs Winston’s old charisma and nous. He hasn’t got it and Winston has lost the magic. Politics looks like a field sprayed with Round-Up; dessicated and slumped. If David P. can gather some smarts and sing along with The Gambler – knowing when to count the votes and when to come or walk away etc – we all might be winners. Pass the bottle fellers.
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