Reading Between the Lines - part 5
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| 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.
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.
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