Maharey to retire
Steve Maharey has announced he will both retire from Parliament at the next election, but also step down from Cabinet at the impending reshuffle.
This is a big event. Not only is Maharey the highest ranked MP after the Leader and Deputy, he was probably the favourite to replace Clark as Leader.
He has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of Massey University, which isn’t a bad job at all to go into. Not quite as good as Prime Minister though.
This means they now need to find replacements for both Education and Social Development – two of the largest portfolios.
It also dramatically increases the chance of Phil Goff of becoming Labour Leader. If Labour do lose the next election, and Clark stands down, then there is only a year for alternatives to Goff to impress. That’s assuming Mallard isn’t a contender, but he may now be a contender again if it is him vs Goff.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Is this the first rat leaving a sinking ship?
October 19th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
That’s great news – Labour has so much depth that it’ll give chance for one or two others to shine. A selfless act for the good of his party.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Dont you think David that Labour might need to reinvent themselves more than what Goff would perhaps do. COnsidering they havent changed their front bench in a long time, maybe they would need to look beyond it if they lose next year. Or do they appoint Goff as an interim leadeR?
October 19th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
A “selfless act for the good of his party” or recognition that a Vice-Chancellorshp pays a hell of a lot more than that of an oppostion MP.
Still, makes up for dear old George Hawkins digging his toes in and refusing to go.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Good to see Labour is getting rid of the deadwood.
I feel sorry for Massey.
It will be fun to see Maharey working within a limited budget for a change.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Gotta love stuff.co’s spin:
Labour is puddle-deep with experience after nearly a decade of iron-first style leadership. How can anyone spin Maharey’s departure as a taking Labour ‘up a gear’? Hilarious!
October 19th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
um, that was, of couse, iron-fist style leadership.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
oh no …. that was of course of course… [blush]
October 19th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
I always thought that Katherine Rich got the better of Maharey anyway – she currently has him backed into a corner over decile ratings. Ministers in this government always get smarmy when they are losing an argument.
Rich 10 – Maharey 0. Who is next??????
October 19th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
KK, I think you may need a whiskey early today. Hard week huh?
October 19th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Party at Phil Goff’s place……………….I wonder if Mike Moore will turn up?
Mallard can’t seriosuly be considered a candidate – unless they want to gift the election to the Nats. Everything he has touched – rugby, stadiums, Americas Cup, Ken Laban’s Mayoral campaign – have all been greatly embarrassing to his colleagues. Goff, in contrast, has credibility and seems to have the teflon touch. Even his two faced behavior over the charter flights seems not to have stuck.
What job offshore can Phil find for Helen? Or is the Auckland VC position up sometime soon?
October 19th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
As Vice Chancellor of Massey will Maharey criticise Labour when Massey’s funding is cut??
Watch out for that picket fence Stevie baby………….
October 19th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
bevan, oh yes. i’m knackered. gonna sleep for three days.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Puddle deep? I’ve never seen such a high energy bunch of solid citizens in all my days. This can only be good for Labour!
October 19th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Krazy Kiwi, don’t feel bad. There is a typo in the first para of the Herald story too:
“Minister of Education Steve Maharey, who one said he had lived a “life of blameless excellence”, is leaving Cabinet to take up the position of Vice-Chancellor at Massey University.”
Another post child for double-dipping I see. Shades of Shane Jones!
October 19th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Hoo-fucking-ray. After having to deal with that pompous, self-important tosser a number of times in the last five years I for one will pleased to see the back of him.
I bet Janice “I Know Nothink” Shiner at the TEC is shitting herself at the thought of having to try and beat her bestest friend into shape as a Vice-Chancellor…
Fingers crossed Mallard will jump as well. There’s so much he could add to the private sector…not.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
“Labour’s drive to regenerate its ranks has gone up a gear with senior Cabinet Minister Steve Maharey announcing he is retiring from politics.”
I thought the silly caption competition was yesterday?
October 19th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Smarmy off to Palmy
October 19th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Smarmy’s from Palmy.
I cannot believe it will be Mallard. Who would vote for him?
Actually, who’s been voting for him all this time anyway?
October 19th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Depth? Depth?! There’s a bare handful of excellent people on the lower tiers of Labour. There’s also a handful on the lower tiers of National. Combined they’d barely have the numbers for a game of Charades let alone a Cabinet.
I’d like to blame MMP and list selection for this but I can’t, as I can recall the moronic drones I encountered in Cabinets of both hues well before the demise of FPP. And as for some of the slack-jawed mouth breathers on the back benches…
And those who start off showing some intelligence seem to quickly be subsumed by the place. I recall being introduced back in the early 80s to a young keen-eyed back bencher by the name of Michael Cullen, chatting to him for over an hour, and being impressed by his intelligence and willingness to think beyond narrow ideological boundaries.
Perhaps we need to check beneath those green leather seats for pods…
October 19th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
God, it must be f**n depressing being a Labour supporter right now….
October 19th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Putting my Goff-like elation to one side for a moment I am concerned that Maharey is planning to stay on in Parliament while at the same time being VC at Massey, a rather important, and certainly full time role. OK, Helen has nighmares about holding a bye-election (almost as bad as the election niight 2008 nightmare) but this is not a good reason for poor practice to be allowed. Massey Univesity should insist that its employee stand down as an MP the moment he takes up the new job.
October 19th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Seriously, I wonder if Helen had informed him that he was was looking at a demotion or move that he didn’t want, so decided to jump rather than be pushed?
He said he would be retiring ’some time next year’. That seems to accurately describe the situation.
October 19th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
OR was he offered promotion as Helen’s heir apparent and thought ‘there is no way I will preside over a sinking ship while Helen swans off into the sunset…”
October 19th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Lee C, I wonder if it was more that Maharey felt the electorate was informing him that he was looking at a demotion.
But seriously, if Labour win in 2008 then Helen will probably stay and any ambition Maharey has to be leader would be stymied for 3 more years. And if Labour lose then it seems accepted that Helen might prefer a high-profile UN position, and Maharey would be a front-runner to take over the Labour leadership – for at least 3 years in opposition.
Perhaps neither option was all that attractive to him?
October 19th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
What CharlotteM said.
Why should taxpayers pay Maharey two salaries when, presumably, each role only gets half of his attention?
October 19th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
DPF … any idea what a by-election in Palmie would cost the Government?
(setting aside the cost to political parties) (oh, and the cost to the unions) (and the cost to the EB too of course)
October 19th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Putting aside all of the “Double Dipping” stuff that will arise when he takes up his position in March, Unless he personally anoints a successor it could be said that the seat is in play. Granted it still heavily Labour leaning, but in 2005 their Party vote was only 2700 more than National, compared to the the stonking 5500 majority Maharey got.
October 19th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I doubt Maharey will have much time for his job as an MP. It’s just plain wrong that he can have 2 full time taxpayer funded jobs for 12 months.
October 19th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Maharey won’t take up his position until next year according to: http://masseynews.massey.ac.nz/2007/Press_Releases/10-19-07.html
The current VC retires in March. Does that mean we can expect a March 2008 election!! (she asks hopefully, in anticipation of getting rid of the current Government early)
October 19th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
ManukauMum: Some phrase about turkeys and an early Christmas comes to mind.
Incidentally, you mentioned on another thread your experience with the IRD? I may have some work for you, if you’d care to email me – FirstnameLastname-at-yahoo.com
October 19th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
They can avoid a by-election by Helen setting the election date within six months of the resignation.
October 19th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
DPF, how does the Electoral Finance Bill apply to a byelection?
I assume the same spending limits apply? But do they apply nationwide or just to the electorate boundaries?
And if a by-election happens in the planned controlled period of each election year then does any spending relating to the by-election come off your allowable spend for the later general election???
Am I the only one thinking the EFB is an unworkable piece of crap?
October 19th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Good luck to him. I think he’ll be a good Vice Chancellor for Massey, and is probably just what they need right now.
But I don’t think he can stay on as a backbench MP while running an organisation with $360 million in revenue. That would be a rort on the scale of the pledge card. Labour’s opponents would be thrilled to have yet another political gift of that magnitude.
Labour need to swallow hard, and have a by-election. Or call a general election for no later than June. Keeping the seat vacant, or occupied by a CEO, for 6 or 7 months is just not really supportable.
October 19th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Oh, thanks DPF. Yes, Labour can get away with being in the rules, but not with having Maharey nominally in the house while running a mega-organisation.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
DPF wrote They can avoid a by-election by Helen setting the election date within six months of the resignation.
yeah, but it makes stretching to 15 November a bit of a tall ask, I would guess odds are more favouring September/October, (unless they go early based on events)- but it would make a very brutal long campaign if they did use all 6 months.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
If Maharey resigns, and there is no replacement, what does this do to the numbers in the house? Does it change which parties that Labour needs to get onside to muster a majority?
October 19th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
He will stay on as an MP until he is within the 6 month period to avoid the by-election. I predict Mahery will be an adminstrative disaster for the University, what on earth are his man management skills anyway. If he had any he would be lined up for leader of the Labour Party starting with Deputy after getting rid of Cullen which they badly need to do.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Smarmy is just the first to acknowledge the inevitable. Their own polling will be sending a very strong message and he will not be the first to run from the thrashing they have in store. Helen won’t be there for a hiding either – she does not have the fortitude.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
From http://masseynews.massey.ac.nz/2007/Press_Releases/10-19-07.html
“As the architect of the reforms he is now taking the opportunity to be a major player in their successful implementation.”
Haha, Steve can have his cake and eat it too…
October 19th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Please tell me if I am wrong but I understood that Maharey had the greatest private business experience of anybody in Cabinet. In fact he was the business doyen of the Cabinet, apart from the Motelier who used to be in Cabinet until he mistook a carpet for a urinal.
Apparently, like Al Bundy in Married With Children, Maharey managed a shoe shop.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Maharey has a strong local following, especially amongst the university community. Palmerston North has been a pretty safe Labour seat since Joe Walding won it back from John Lithgow in 1978, but National took a number of safe Labour seats at the last election. They would need a strong candidate. I wonder if Simon Power would consider moving from Rangitikei, given that he would be assured of getting in from the list.
October 19th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Inventory2 “Maharey has a strong local following, especially amongst the university community”, just goes to show that an eduaction or a high IQ can not replace common sense. I always thought that universitys were the bastions of free thought, obviously there is not that much free thought to be had in some NZ universitys.
October 19th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
ssb – more like the last bastions of left-wing ideology!
October 19th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
I hope Mallard’s a contender. I hope he gets it too.
That would be some funny sh*t.
October 19th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
A colleague (not a labour supporter- I hate them) used to work in Ministry of Housing when Maharey was minister and was very impressed with him. Efficient, friendly, knew the employees names, and was in general a very good leader.
October 19th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Mallard?!? … so many duck jokes, so little time
October 19th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
The Government should test support for the EFB by running a By Election in Palmerston North!
October 19th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
How come no erudite insight from Sam Dixon on this thread?
October 19th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
The Slick Underachiever on Stuff.
Also, my guess is that he will stay on as an MP until mid-way through the year, and then take up the VC’s role. Massey will have an Acting-VC in the meantime, for two or three months. So I don’t thnk there need be any scare-mongering about double dipping.
I DON’T have any insider knowledge on this. It’s just fairly common to have an acting VC for a few months as one person resigns and another one takes over.
October 19th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
The election won’t be as late as mid November. 16th is canterbury anniversary weekend (yes I live in the 03s…) a whole lot of labour voters won’t be around, two weeks before that is Marlboroughs, two weeks before that is labour weekend, the week before that is the 14th October, the first weekend of daylight saving for 2008. There is my bet. Then labour can try and get a result for Labour weekend…how ironic.
October 19th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Oh and with Maharray giving 6 months notice, post 31 March this date of 14 Oct works a charm with a temp in for only a couple of weeks. So I think E day is about 358 days away.
October 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
There have been rumour’s about Maharey’s future for a while now. Now I disagree with this guy’s politics very strongly but I would hazard a guess the death of his wife a year or two back has caused him to look at his political ambitions. Anyway I wish him all the best.
October 19th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Maharey is an academic with strong anti private enterprise views. He’s been proven dogmatic and unable to grasp comercial realities (ergo, his opposition to private funding of school buildings).
I’d say: good riddance (and do not ever come back).
October 19th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
horis, it sounds to me like they have to announce the election date for that to work. And that shifts govt into caretaker mode and starts the election campaign. I’d pick a temp for 3-4 months, then a short election campaign.
October 19th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
PS: short election campaign because, irrespective of EFB and everything else, tradition is to shut-down govt advertising during the campaign proper. Any incumbent govt would be insane to do that, this govt will be relying on govt advertising more than previous ones.
October 19th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Manolo, what complete bollocks. I worked with Steve prior to him becoming Minister as well as since. He’s generally got the view that the private providers should complement public provision but that some competitive tension is beneficial (particularly in the higher education sector).
He cut UTTA on becoming Minister, but then many would argue with good cause that UTTA was actually wasting resources.
October 19th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
To Quote the Smarm himself “fuck you” and now I say “Fuck off” – I am pleased to see the arse end of this prick and look forward to many more socialists following him.
I do feel sorry for the students of my old university, but rejoice that the puddle of labour’s so called “talent has just got a little shallower.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
If we are to discuss available talent pools for cabinet between various political parties – then could someone explain Chester Burrows (National spokesperson on police) and his failure to understand that police sponsorship of a schools rugby competition (out of their recruitment/marketing budget) is not money being taken away from more “worthy” youth aid/projects etc (a separate budget actually).
And does he simply not realise the importance in promoting recruitment to maintain standards and fill available positions (policy of increasing police numbers in a tight labour market)? If not, why not?
October 19th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Nominal says:
Krazy Kiwi, don’t feel bad. There is a typo in the first para of the Herald story too…
Off thread topic but I have noticed there are often typos in the herald and stuff.co.nz. It really is pretty pathetic & makes NZ look like a bunch of half-wits. Bring back the sub-editors…
News publications are not blogs.
October 20th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
As a student at Massey and a former President of one of the student associations, this is the worse thing that the Massey Council has done. We were told that he was not even on the short list a few weeks ago. I find it interesting that this time around, the short-listed candidates were not advised to staff and student executives – no doubt the Council fear the reaction. Quite simply, Maharey’s dream job is going to be Massey’s nightmare.
Based on the criteria that was circulated, he does not even meet the basic tenets that he have a PhD and research background along with some managerial experience. I have an idea that he will prove to be a worse Vice-Chancellor than the present incumbent. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with him next year.
As others have mentioned, I remained bemused that Massey has provided a safe harbour for a smarmy rat leaving Labour’s sinking ship.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Ten to one there’s a whole lot of skeletons in closets to come out one day regarding the Clark government and people like Maharey know it.
Funny how the “protest generation” condemned “the establishment” for perceived hypocrisy in their day, but no-one does hypocrisy, corruption and cover-ups like the liberal generation once THEY become “the establishment”.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
He’s running away.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Maharey at Massey,, Bolger at Waikato
what is it with these politicians and academic institutions they have no business standing along side professors let alone being Deans.
Gross, gross, gross hypocrisy.
October 20th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Interesting quote from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10471080
This reference to a “dream job” brings to mind Phillip John/Roger Nome’s stated desire to be a “highly-paid academic”.
[Warning: those offended by Palmerston North jokes - do not read any further]
But to be fair to Maharey – what other prospects does he have outside Palmerston North? Remember the John Clease episode over the “suicide capital” – and how the local council rated Massey as one of the top tourist attractions?
October 21st, 2007 at 10:05 am
Michael Wynd, more often than not the selection process for appointments at this level involve a degree of confidentiality. It is not ideal, but to get a good short list you often have to provide some candidates with an assurance that their names won’t be public. On your other point, the traditional VC is a senior academic but more and more Universities are selecting people from outside the academy in recognition of the expertise they bring – the current Oxford VC and former Auckland VC, John Hood, is primarily known as a captain of industry not an academic (although he does have a doctorate)
Hinamanu, what’s hypocritical about the appointments? Statements are not arguments and your’s are just odd.