The Problem with Grant Robertson

What I Discovered about Grant

I thought I had the Labour Leadership candidates all figured out. Each of them sent through emails outlining why they should be the next leader: their experience; what they see as the issues facing Labour; and how they might set about addressing those issues. Although I hadn't met any of the candidates, based of the information they sent through, I thought I had come to a decision on who I would vote for. 

Grant Robertson in East Coast Bays

Then I met Grant Robertson. The problem with Grant, is that he is very personable and has good ideas. Another problem is that he articulates his ideas clearly, in a confident manner. His plan to rebuild Labour is concise and seems achievable. He plans to: 

• Listen to New Zealanders
• Stand up for Labour's core values
• Address the new generation of challenges - reducing inequalities, climate change and the effect of new technologies on work
• Support workers, entrepreneurs and small businesses
• Focus on education, health and housing

The main problem with Grant Robertson is that he plans to reconnect the Labour Party with communities again. Both Grant and Jacinda Adern have experienced success establishing informal community forums in order to connect with people. Grant intends to use a similar model to put Labour back into the heart of communities now, not in three years' time.

The problem with Grant Robertson is that he makes a great deal of sense.

#informeddecision  

   

Q and A with Jacinda Adern

Jacinda Adern

The role of Labour Leader is a high stakes position. Labour requires someone who can rebuild the Party's support base and reconnect with the voting public. Grant Robertson is the only Labour Leadership Candidate who has openly nominated the person he would like as his Deputy Leader. As a result, I asked Jacinda Adern the following questions.  

Which NZ PM living or dead would you have lunch with and why?

Norman Kirk. Have you seen his interview with Frost? He was such a powerful leader and left a massive legacy in such a short period of time. I have always been fascinated by him.

What is you favourite book of all time?

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. I have always had a strange obsession with Antarctic exploration.

What are you reading at the moment? 

It always takes me a long time to get through books outside of the summer months, so I have been making my way slowly through An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor by Michael Smith.

What motivated you to enter into politics? 

A genuine belief that if you wanted to change things for the better, politics was the best place to make that happen. I joined at 17 and I still believe you can do a huge amount of good by participating in politics.

If you were PM what is the first thing you would do? 

Set targets to reduce child poverty – and then do it.

What are the 3 key attributes politician needs to be a successful Labour Party leader? 

A love of people, of Labour, and of working long hours.

What do you think have been the most significant changes to NZ politics over the past ten years? 

I believe in legacy politics. Doing good for the long term. I think that has become harder in the fast paced environment we are now in. Decisions are made much more quickly, news cycles are faster, feedback loops are instant via social media – we have to figure out a way to make the big long term decisions (which may not have the short term gains) in spite of this new environment.

To find out more about Jacinda, visit her website

#informeddecision

What the Leaders Say - Part Five

Reading Between the Lines - part 5

Grant Robertson, Nanaia Mahuta, Andrew Little and David Parker

In recent weeks the Labour Party Leadership Candidates have sent emails to all party members, asking for their support in the leadership race. David Parker, Andrew Little, Nanaia Mahuta and Grant Robertson outlined their views on issues facing Labour and how they would address these issues if they were elected leader.

In order to make an informed decision I have looked at the information included in their emails and grouped it into five headings:

• Why are they standing for leader
• What does the Labour Party mean to them
• What experience do they have
• What are the issues facing the Labour Party 
• How would they address the issues facing the Labour Party

This is the last post in a series of five blogs presenting the information.

Here is what they had to say on how they will address the issues facing the Labour Party.

How will you address the issues facing the Labour Party?

David Parker

We must unite caucus and the party around our common goal of fair economic outcomes for everyone. We must start fresh conversations that focus on the priorities of working New Zealanders.

We must focus on answering the tough questions in a way that unites the country toward a better future. We must live up to our responsibilities so New Zealanders feel proud to vote Labour. Right now big structural problems face NZ. Our economy isn’t fair. The problems we face nationally are not going to go away. That why it’s vital we have a strong opposition over the next three years and a united Labour Party. I can stand up to John Key and I have a plan to lead Labour to win in 2017. 

Grant Robertson

To rebuild our movement we must first listen. Not just to ourselves, but also those beyond our party. I am proposing a Labour in the Community programme. An on-going engagement between our party and the people we serve. This will have succeeded when New Zealanders see us as a relevant, liked and valued part of their community, not just when we ask for their vote at election time.

Now, more than ever, we must be a party that faces the future. We cannot rely on past glories or wallow in old conflicts. We must have the confidence to lead the world in facing up to the emerging issues of our time. In reducing inequalities, addressing climate change and applying new technologies there are great challenges and huge opportunities. 

Above all, we must be on the side of our people. We need to talk less about ourselves and focus clearly on the concerns of our communities. We need to be the party for education, for health and for housing. We need to build a coalition of workers, entrepreneurs and small business people - those who work, think make and create.

Andrew Little

It's a big task but it's one we need to address one step at a time. 

First, we need a caucus that communicates effectively within itself and with focus. Getting to that point will be the first job for the new Leader. Then the Leader and caucus need to reach out to the party and ensure they work well within themselves. 

Then we need to work alongside our affiliates. We must find a common cause, within the movement, and with the many, many New Zealanders who want something better for themselves and for their families. If we don't find common cause as a movement we will never earn the trust of New Zealanders. We need to regain New Zealanders' trust. We need them to know that when we make a promise, we can deliver. We need them to know we stand for them and their ambitions. Not just against what's wrong but for what is right.As part of that we must acknowledge the trust Māori put in Labour in delivering us six of the the seven Māori seats. They are our voters and we must make good on their return to us. We must ensure that Māori are represented well within Labour and that advancing their aspirations is a cornerstone of our Party. That's what being representative is about.

Nanaia Mahuta

I am seeking your support to lead the type of change that we as Labour members and New Zealanders can be proud of. As your Leader I will:

Institute change where it is required;

Build a cohesive, unified Labour Party grounded in and led by our vision for all New Zealanders to achieve their potential; Review our policy platform so that we are all of one mind, one voice on the key issues that matter; Articulate who we are and what we stand for in the MMP environment; Lead with integrity, commitment, authenticity and fairness; and require a disciplined caucus with its sights firmly set on becoming Government.

My goal is for Labour to be Government. To achieve this we must be an aligned team that is clear about its purpose to be a strong Opposition. We have to demonstrate that we are a credible stable alternative Government. We must earn the confidence of voters. We have work to do and it starts with us.

To do this we must:

Redefine the Party in order to return to core values that our public relates to and is proud to champion; and Unify our Party; our success depends upon our ability to work as a united team.

I would expect that every caucus member would see themselves as accountable to the Party to achieve our objective to become Government. That means a disciplined approach to connecting with people in their communities, getting alongside and leading campaigns for change, building organizational capacity to strengthen our ability to campaign, and be absolutely congruent to the values of the Labour Party. As your Leader I would require greater transparency to the Party for that activity and expect to deliver the same in return. We will be returning to a back to basics approach building from the grass roots up.

Reading between the lines

Uniting the party, uniting the caucus, and listening to the community are the main issues identified by the candidates. Where they differ is how they are going to address these issues. Grant Robertson has the most concrete plan of how to reconnect with the voting public, through his 'Labour in the Community' programme. I like this idea, I think it has the potential to make Labour relevant again with the people it has lost touch with. It also provides a platform from which to build our profile. Grant pinpoints the very people whose trust we need to regain.

Andrew talks of getting along side our affiliates and acknowledging the contribution of the Maori vote. Whilst this might be important, I can't help but thinking Grant Robertson's suggestion that we "build a coalition of workers, entrepreneurs and small business people - those who work, think make and create" is where we need to focus our energies for 2017.

For whatever reason, National has convinced middle New Zealand they are the party of the people. Labour needs to win back these voters. Getting into our communities and putting our money where our mouths are, is one way we can show the public Labour is their party once again.  

#informeddecision

What the Leaders Say - Part Four

Reading Between the Lines - part 4

Grant Robertson, Nanaia Mahuta, Andrew Little and David Parker

In recent weeks the Labour Party Leadership Candidates have sent emails to all party members, asking for their support in the leadership race. David Parker, Andrew Little, Nanaia Mahuta and Grant Robertson outlined their views on issues facing Labour and how they would address these issues if they were elected leader.

In order to make an informed decision I have looked at the information included in their emails and grouped it into five headings:

• Why are they standing for leader
• What does the Labour Party mean to them
• What experience do they have
• What are the issues facing the Labour Party 
• How would they address the issues facing the Labour Party

This is the fourth post in a series of blogs presenting the information.

Here is what they had to say on the issues facing the Labour Party.

What are the issues facing the Labour Party?

Grant Robertson

Like many of you, I heard the message on the doorstep that some New Zealanders had lost their connection to us. Building on our values we have to re-assert our purpose, and be consistent, bold and clear in standing up for all New Zealanders.

David Parker

We must look outwards not inwards.

Andrew Little

We are a party of immensely talented people. But right now we're working as individuals, not as a collective movement. We must fix this. We can.

We have to get our house in order. Because if we don't then all we have is a bunch of good intentions gone to waste.We need to fix the machine. We need to bring the pieces of the Labour movement back together and focus them on winning government and making changes we need to to build a fair society.

Nanaia Mahuta

Since 2005 our Party vote has steadily declined. We are not inspiring the confidence of voters and the serious perception is that we must do more to connect with New Zealanders and the issues that are important to them.

Reading between the lines

I find it reassuring that the Leadership Candidates clearly identify the key issues facing the Labour Party. Many of the reasons New Zealand is such an amazing country to live in, is due to policies implemented by Labour Governments. Our country still needs us. There is still work to be done. Before we can work for New Zealand, we need to make sure we are working together. Each candidate makes valid points about the issues facing the Labour Party in 2014, yet more importantly, what are they are going to do to fix it?  

My next blog post will examine how the candidates will address the issues facing the Labour Party.

#informeddecision

What the Leaders Say - Part Three

Reading Between the Lines - part 3 

Grant Robertson, Nanaia Mahuta, Andrew Little and David Parker

In recent weeks the Labour Party Leadership Candidates have sent emails to all party members, asking for their support in the leadership race. David Parker, Andrew Little, Nanaia Mahuta and Grant Robertson outlined their views on issues facing Labour and how they would address these issues if they were elected leader.

In order to make an informed decision I have looked at the information included in their emails and grouped it into five headings:

• Why are they standing for leader
• What does the Labour Party mean to them
• What experience do they have
• What are the issues facing the Labour Party 
• How would they address the issues facing the Labour Party

This is the third post in a series of blogs presenting the information.

Here is what they had to say on what experience they have had and why they are qualified to lead the Labour Party.

What experience do they have?

Nanaia Mahuta

I entered Parliament as a List MP in 1996 and have spent most of my adult life in politics. I have held ministerial portfolios and served on a raft of Select committees. As an MP I have successfully won my electorate five times, including in the aftermath of the foreshore and seabed issue which caused huge electoral damage to Labour. This period required transparent and accountable leadership to my electorate and the Party in a way that preserved the integrity of the changes I affected using the process available to me.

Grant Robertson

To do all of this we need a new generation of leadership. After six years in Parliament I believe I have the experience to do this job, and the energy and fresh ideas to inspire. We have the talent in our team to take it to the government, and to re-build our movement. Together we can make a difference to the lives of New Zealanders

David Parker

My experience as a senior Minister and in law, accounting and business gives me the conviction, real life experience and steel in my backbone to do the job.

Andrew Little 

I can do this. I have done this before. When I became the leader of the EPMU, one of New Zealand's largest and most powerful unions, it was a house divided. I led the project to bring it together, to modernise it, to bring through new talent. I built a union which took our member's issues out to the public, to the media, and won the argument again and again. We covered a lot of ground and during that time I dealt with organisations from small business to New Zealand's biggest corporates on many different issues.The one unifying thing, across all of these issues, was fairness. We got fair outcomes for our members and for New Zealand workers across the board because we worked together.

Reading between the lines

What strikes me when I read through the candidates' experience is how strong the Party is and how that experience is not reflected in the election results. All of the candidates have the experience to lead the Labour Party, however we can only choose one.

On paper, Andrew Little presents the best argument of all the candidates. He combines the right mix of emotive language and practical details in an articulate manner.  

Grant Robertson says the right things and has an effective slogan to hang it on. However, on paper his message doesn't resonate in the same way.  In person, Grant delivers his message articulately, passionately and with an inspiration that is not necessarily captured on paper.    

I like what Nanaia has to say but her message doesn't have the same impact for me as either Andrew or Grant. 

Although David's argument is to the point, he doesn't inspire me to follow him as a leader.

My next blog post will examine what the candidates feel are the issues facing the Labour Party.

#informeddecision