Wow – what NZ First just did to Tracey Martin was the coldest most spiteful political kneecapping in NZ history
Oh my God, NZ First just did a drive by shooting of one of their own MPs and it was brutal.
I have been incredibly critical of the Minister’s response to Orange Tamariki uplifts, but Tracey Martin deserved far better than what Winston Peters did to her over the u-turn on abortion.
Holding back tears, Tracey Martin unleashed her terrible disappointment on legislation she personally believed in during the Parliamentary first reading and it is heartbreaking…
She says she was ready to make a personal speech about why she supported the bill, but the context of this week’s news means she can’t.
Martin was the lead negotiator with Andrew Little on this bill from NZ First as the women’s spokeswoman for the party. She told the media on Tuesday morning that the party would not be seeking a referendum on the issue. But later that morning at a caucus meeting NZ First resolved to attempt to introduce a referendum at committee of the whole house.
…Jesus wept that’s cold and cruel. NZ Firsts current and sudden attempt to play to social conservatives was enough to throw their most talented MP under Shane Jones provincial values bus was it?
I don’t think i have eve been as disappointed in Winston Peters in my entire life.
How disrespectful to an MP with the mana of Tracey Martin to pull this kind of stunt on her.
What disgraceful behaviour, especially on a day when the best the House has to offer citizens was on display. Listening to such graceful, dignified and passionate debates supporting abortion change in Parliament today moved me emotionally as a human being and filled me with a deep gratitude towards our democratic process.
Watching NZ First play petty politics on that stage was beneath everyones worth.
UPDATE:
94 votes to 23 first reading of Abortion Law Reform!
Let’s get this needlessly painful wound removed from our present
Give Martin her due Martyn, she handled that deftly and with grace and dignity.
I like Tracy Martin and I was very disappointed when she was replaced as deputy , But…
” She told the media on Tuesday morning that the party would not be seeking a referendum on the issue.”
did she have the authority to make this statement? It seems Winston would have to have agreed too though he does usually says decisions of policy are collective, but surely he would have known if a collective decision had been made. Was she trying to pre-empt the party’s position?
More needs to be known before condemning Winston . I thought I read somewhere weeks ago that he reckoned a referendum was necessary to decide NZF’s position.
D J S
David Stone: “did she have the authority to make this statement?”
I heard her on RNZ. She said that the issue of a referendum hadn’t come up for discussion at all in the NZF caucus. See this: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/396048/abortion-law-reform-nz-first-has-no-plans-to-call-for-referendum
“…senior MP Tracey Martin said nobody in the caucus has asked for a referendum and there are no plans to table any amendments to Justice Minister Andrew Little’s bill.”
“Ms Martin can’t explain why this bill is different or what way her colleagues will vote.
“Because we haven’t had any discussion around it I can’t explain it because we haven’t discussed it. It isn’t something that has come up in our caucus at all on this legislation,” she said.
Ms Martin was reluctant to comment on whether a referendum was off the table because MPs had stronger personal views on abortion.
“I would be reaching and trying to put myself in the mind of my colleagues and I try not to do that.”
Ms Martin was tasked to work with Mr Little to get the bill to a point that best met NZ First’s principles of “safe, legal and rare” abortions.”
It sounds to me as if she did have the authority.
So: it looks as if Winston – according to some abstruse political calculation of his own devising – threw her under a bus.
Martyn says: “Jesus wept that’s cold and cruel.” It’s difficult to disagree with that, and on such a sensitive issue, too. I’d thought Winston above that sort of abominable behaviour; but obviously not.
“Ms Martin was tasked to work with Mr Little to get the bill to a point that best met NZ First’s principles of “safe, legal and rare” abortions.””
I guess it all comes down to the process by which she was so “tasked ” D’Esterre. If Winston was involved in this tasking then he has indeed thrown her under a bus, but if he was not then who did the tasking? One would expect Winston to at least know about what she was tasked to do.
There’s more explanation needed but thanks for the link.
D J S
David Stone: “If Winston was involved in this tasking then he has indeed thrown her under a bus…”
Knowing Winston’s modus operandi, as we older people do from long years of watching him work, it is inconceivable that he was NOT involved in said tasking. Also in the decisions reached. Martin is a NZF MP: she’d know full well what she was and wasn’t able to say. What Winston says, goes, in that party.
So. Bus: meet Tracy Martin.
Three percent in latest polls, it sends the shivers down some MPs spine that is within NZ First, e.g. Derek Ball.
They need to regain traction, Tracey is too warm hearted and too close to Labour for them, she is paying the price now.
So they sacrifice her, who cares, females are a minority in NZ First, take a look.
Yep. This is a sign NZ First know their base has evaporated.
This current stunt is just virtue signaling Peters style, no chance of stopping the bill but might shore up the last 2 elderly people still voting for them who still remember something from church about sacred human life.
Won’t make a bit of difference other than being yet another (seemingly)
erratic uttering in the last week. Definitely a pattern developing.
updated after I updated in a comment, yah, nah.
with friends like these who needs enemies. I hope Bridges goes the same way as John Key and refuses to give this sad excuse of a politician any air time.
If any female members vote for Winston after this they have betrayed the 1 in 3 NZ women who have had abortions.
Criminalising someone in emotional and physical distress is not justifiable.
OH SHIT! Winston wants a referendum!
Problem solved for whom? At what cost?
Winston. Not Women.
To hell with the cost.
Winning winsome Winstone is what matters.