Labour’s response
It has been one of those rare days – enjoying listening to National Radio.
It is clear that Labour is scared shitless about how to respond to the latest proposals from National. Clark refused to go on radio at all, and her only comment is that it is nothing new. This is of course wrong because there is new policy. Clark just desperately doesn’t want to be on the wrong side of public sentiment like she was after Orewa.
So instead they sent Mallard on, and you could almost hear the tears at National Radio when he agreed with much of what National proposed and said they also had concerns over some of these agencies and have been reviewing them also.
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Tags: Labour
August 30th, 2005 at 7:50 am
So, do we now get the statement of the obvious from the Maori Party: We will sit on the cross-benches, and support any government on a case by case basis. Much as I hate to say it, Winston’s coalition tease is looking increasingly clever.
(I also have to wonder how many of Labour’s Maori MP are on the campaign waka today saying, ‘Why vote for these losers when they’re going to work with Labour anyway – and I have more influence on the inside than Tariana ever will.”)
August 30th, 2005 at 7:51 am
This is Labour’s achillies heel. Trying to balance support from maori but still maintain a sizable vote from the general electorate takes some political skill. But when Labour listen to an aggressive vocal minority they run into trouble. So they send in Mallard to try and clean things up. It is also an area where Helen Clark is not sure on her feet. She understands where Brash is coming from but she cannot get a grip on how Labour can balance things overall.
August 30th, 2005 at 7:55 am
Just spent a weekend trout fishing with a mate of mine. A Maori and a black man in a white man’s boat chasing a white man’s fish… according to Labour’s ideas. According to Brash we were two Kiwis enjoying New Zealand (still pissed of that he won at rugby on Saturday night though)
Mate used to vote Labour (for 35 years) but him and whole family has changed to Nat this time round. All because like me, they are sick of being lumped in with the bludgers.
August 30th, 2005 at 10:05 am
I was most intrigued at Mallard’s attempt to rewrite history when he suggested that we should be asking why Brash is raising these issues now just before an election. Kind of odd considering Brash has consistently raised these issues since the beginning of 2004 and actually forced Labour to acknowledge that he had a good point – or why else would they make Trev the Minister for Race relations and start a review of race-based funding?
August 30th, 2005 at 12:51 pm
DFF “you could almost hear the tears at National Radio when he agreed “…
Is that tears of sadness or tears of laughter…?
August 30th, 2005 at 1:04 pm
Sir Humphreys makes a sound point this morning that seems to be ignored by almost everyone.
National is speeding up the settlement process so the claims can be settled quickly.
They have dragged on for too long and the people are waiting. The only ones wanting the process to last forever are probably just the lawyers.
Anyway, here’s what Adolf Fiinkenstein says
“All the screaming and wailing is coming from the ‘bro-racracy’ whose gravy train yesterday became a trainwreck in waiting.
This is a very clever speech (from Brash) because the ordianry Maori people are fed up with the endeless bickering and bullshit. When they get to the ballot box they will vote for Don Brash’s Fast Track Settlement policy.”
August 30th, 2005 at 2:43 pm
And that’s the point that National need to drum into every living room:
Treaty claims will be settled – honorably, and soon.
August 30th, 2005 at 3:24 pm
Here’s how Don explained it.
So how can the Left oppose it a Maori-bashing racism?
Is he because he will do certain people out of a job?
“The current process almost seems designed to slow the settlement process down.
Members of the Waitangi Tribunal are not even full time. Indeed the chairman of the Tribunal is also the Chief Judge of the Maori Land Court, and the Deputy Chair also serves on the Court. We will make full time appointments to the Tribunal and increase its capability so it can get through its work more quickly.
This will place additional work on the Office of Treaty Settlements and we will increase its capacity as required.
But that is not enough. We cannot allow the bureaucratic approach associated with the Waitangi Tribunal to delay settlements which could, given the experience we now have with previously settled claims, be completed quickly if we have the will and determination.
Previous settlements have set the parameters of future ones, and that should allow us to shorten the existing cumbersome process.
National will speed the process up by empowering suitable people to act as direct negotiators with claimant groups. We will challenge claimant groups to come directly to the table, to do the deals, and end the grievance, and allow their people to get ahead.
I consider this a vital investment in the future of race relations in this country.”
August 30th, 2005 at 3:52 pm
Clark also refused to go on Sky to go one to one with Brash with Larry Williams
August 30th, 2005 at 4:30 pm
I think it’s a great idea to speed up the Waitangi Tribunal and give departments like Te Puni Kokiri and Te Mangai Paho a ‘vigorous review’ (see ya, chumps). But Don Brash ain’t the guy to do it – the current dearth of minorities in the National Party and Brashs’ eagerness to play the race card simply to inflate his polling mean it will be impossible to seperate what’s good for the country from what’s politically convenient for Don and the National party.
Only Nixon could go to China. Brash ain’t no Nixon.
I also think it’s too soon to be talking about abolishing the Maori seats – especially without a referendum. But give us three years with the Maori party in Parliament and the whole country will be begging Parliament to scrap ‘em.