Why did Winnie miss out?
A few people have commented that Winnie Laban was hard done by, remaining a Minister outside Cabinet while Steve Chadwick leapfrogs her to go straight into Cabinet.
Laban is a very gracious, well liked MP and Minister. Never going to be a front bencher but does her duties diligently and well.
Is it time the Pacific Island community took another look at its devotion to Labour? After last week’s Cabinet reshuffle, even the faithful are beginning to wonder whether it’s time to spread the love around.
Laban is passionate about the portfolio, but she’ll have to work hard to make an impact from outside Cabinet. And the fact that Clark promoted others over her head doesn’t bode well.
The next day another group of Pacific leaders made their displeasure known to Radio New Zealand’s Richard Pamatatau. Labour had deceived Pacific voters, the very voters whose loyalty had won them the election in 2005, said youth leader Efeso Collins. Dr Sitaleki Finau, Pasifika director at Massey University, said Labour had shown what it really thinks of Pacific people. Putting the portfolio outside Cabinet would marginalise any policy and strategy work for Pacific people, he said. Labour had forgotten that Pacific people helped them squeeze home in 2005.
The win-win would have been to put Laban into Cabinet and make Steve Chadwick a Minister outside Cabinet. Maybe Clark judged that Woman’s Affairs portfolio has to be in Cabinet but Pacific Island Affairs does not?
November 7th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Of course. If she had to choose between Finance and Womans Affairs I know which would be sidelined.
November 7th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Winnie Laban could not have been made Minister of Womens Affairs for some reason?
November 7th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Now have a rethink about the grovelling to the Muliaga family and the attendance and speech at the funeral?
November 7th, 2007 at 9:43 am
The loyalty of PI voters to Labour is hereditory and staunch. However, the new generation of PI NZers are starting to question the values of theat party and the only thing that will keep them on board is the continued devoted relationship between Labour and the PI community.
Given recent activities and the way Maori are feeling, coupled with the cynical use of publicity in South Auckland after Field was evicted and as well, given the ‘white’ complexion’ that Labour increasingly shows to the electorate, it is hardly suprizing that the penny is starting to drop. Labour is ‘movong on’ and leaving its traditional supporters behind.
Throw in the lip service the Unions give to a largely PI workforce in Auckland and how they often fail to address even basic needs, because ‘Labour says no’, then look at the way their vote is taken for granted, despite the fact that most workers with kids are obliged to have both parents working around the clock to make ends meet.
Yes, they do increasingly exhibit a neo-colonialist attitude and increasingly appear to take the trad loyalty of the PI for granted. In this light, you have to ask how thick it is to leave the PI community unrepresented one year before an elction?
November 7th, 2007 at 9:43 am
There’s definitely a bit of unease among the Pacific Sector about the portfolio being outside cabinet, but they’re hardly about to bail to the National Party. New Zealand’s PI community is overwhelmingly low income and have been huge beneficiaries of initiatives like Working for Families and the raising of the minimum wage by more than 60%. National’s policies would f*ck the PI community, and they know it.
November 7th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Throw in the lip service the Unions give to a largely PI workforce in Auckland and how they often fail to address even basic needs, because ‘Labour says no’,
Lee, do you even have one example of this happening?
given the ‘white’ complexion’ that Labour increasingly shows to the electorate, it is hardly suprizing that the penny is starting to drop
I’m guessing you’ve never been to a Labour event or seen one televised, or even had a look at the party’s MPs. Labour has a huge Pacific influence, far more than any other party.
how thick it is to leave the PI community unrepresented one year before an elction?
How many Pacific MPs does National have? How many does Labour have?
God you talk some nonsense Lee.
November 7th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Agree with Tane – identity politics shouldn’t be overrated, its incomes and services that matter.
the fact is, the centre-left governments Labour has lead have cut PI unemployment, boosted incomes, cut health costs, invested in improving lower decile schools, and made tertiary education affordable.
Winnie Laban might not be in cabinet but Pacific Islanders still know they’re better off with Labour.
[DPF: So you claim to know the PI community better than Tapu Misa?]
November 7th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Yes Tane I do. But you have to admit it at least adds a bit of balance to the one-eyed BS you spout.
November 7th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Tane, I see the birth of the Pacific Island Party, led into being by Church influences. And about time too.
November 7th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Winnie Laban Missed out on being promoted to cabinet because she actually IS a “hard working and conscientious” Minister -(out side of Cabinet).
Labour’s contempt for it’s Pacific Island constituency and the patronising way in which it has taken their support for granted despite forcing through a social engineering agenda the a great majority of them find offensive, will finally come back to bite them in the 2008 election.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:01 am
The reason Laban is outside of Cabinet is clear – she was not elected to be in Cabinet. Simple. Remember Labour elects its Cabinet whereas in National the PM selects it (this isn’t to say that HC does not have great influence of course, but the caucus can vote against her wishes still).
November 7th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Tui alert.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:04 am
OK Tane Fonterra/Mainland Cheese Glen Innes l2006 nice visit from Helen before the election, with news crew to show she ‘down with the peeps’ meanwhile they were getting sold out from under them.
The largely PI workforce innundated with Union leaflets in the smoko room about how great Labour were, how great the unions were. How nasty National would be. etc etc blah blah. But get this the union rep was close to resigning because the Union HO were doing sod all to help the workforce not getting the factory sold out from under them. Nothing in the news, no supported industrial action, no nothing. Just laid down.
Result. Closed factory, redundant workers, great profits for FOnterra last year. But those poor people in South Auckland – left out to dry. Sure they got ‘rredundancy packages – as the law prescribed, but many were on short-term contracts (something the unions sdid nothing to stop) so many got sod all. Oh apart from their benefits after a 10 week stand-down in some cases.
All under the socialist utopia of Labour/unions. Whats the point of having a minimum wage if it STILL does not support the family, STILL means both parents must work and nerver see their kids, and Still means that when ther backs are against the wall, both the government and the union movement leave you to twist in the wind?
Just one example of a business closing in NZ Like when Fischer Paykel went abroad last year – Helen’s response – and this was in the media – ‘That’s just the way of the world’. I mean for God’s sake!
But her’s the up side. Get a cushy little number in one of the unions and guess what – you can get on a ticket in the Labour Party, and be made for life.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Winnie Laban is a gracious, intelligent, thoughtful woman who seems at home in any environment.
The fact that she is a PI is of little concern to me. I think she has talents that would make her a very competent minister in any number of portfolios. Much more so than much of the dross who are simply there to be rewarded for past favours and future loyalty.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:05 am
You guys crack me up. Tapu Misa gets paid to speculate on this kind of stuff. It’d be a very boring column if she didn’t. But when you talk to actual Pacific communities you find a very different story.
Do any of you, like, actually know any low-income Pacific Islanders? (Your employees or house servants don’t count.)
November 7th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Yes and they really respect Winnie.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:09 am
tane, yes. plenty. i help run a youth group and chair a school board. lots of PI folks, and their sound work ethics and moral fibre make them largely incompatible with labour representation. perhaps that’s why helen passed them over.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:10 am
But get this the union rep was close to resigning because the Union HO were doing sod all to help the workforce not getting the factory sold out from under them. Nothing in the news, no supported industrial action, no nothing. Just laid down.
Lee, there’s nothing a union can do to stop a factory getting sold. You can’t legally strike over that under the ERA, and a union can’t do much to change the company’s economic fortunes or bad management when it’s already on the brink of collapse.
As for Fisher & Paykel, yeah, I agree the government should do more to stop manufacturing shifting overseas. A big part of that is fixing our monetary policy, which they’ve currently got an inquiry into. Don’t think for a second that it’d be any better under the Friedmanite ideologues in the National Party.
Again Lee, more nonsense.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:16 am
I don’t claim to be closely in touch with the PI community, but I’d be interested in the comments of others who are re how the PI community feel about Labour’s “social engineering”? I’d have thought that initiatives like the anti-smacking bill, civil unions & legalising prostitution would be hard lumps for the PI community to swallow and might stretch their devotion to Labour?
I can’t see a Destiny Church party getting over the 5% threshold, but I could see it swiping a critical 2-3% of predominantly PI voters and predominantly from Labour.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:17 am
I lived in Porirua for a few years and met Winnie a couple of times. She strikes me as someone who is really in touch with her electorate but maybe a little unsuited to the cut and thrust of front line politics. I think that is one of the most endearing things about her by the way. On one of those occasions she was with Clark and she certainly seemed to have her respect and her ear.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:25 am
But no, Tane, it isn’t nonsense.
“Lee, there’s nothing a union can do to stop a factory getting sold. You can’t legally strike over that under the ERA, and a union can’t do much to change the company’s economic fortunes or bad management when it’s already on the brink of collapse.”
The Europeans think differently Tane.
BUt here in NZ they might as well be in the dark ages? So the union can’t get off their little tushies and go and demonstrate and alert the media that FONTERRA (oh I know they are on the ropes) is binning an entire workforce. The Government can go and get its photo opportunity (all those brown faces look great on the 6 o’clock) but fall deathly silent as they are knifed on the QT.
Have I claimed it would be better under National?
No.
What I am saying is that after 8 years of a Labour Government, more should have been done.
Billions of surplus – yet when people go down ‘That’s just the way of the world’??
How many people ‘closely affitlliated to the Labour movement’ spend their days d**g around here and on ‘The Very Double Standard’ while theis BS goes on?
And then when it happens the mantra ‘Oh but it would be worse under National.” is trotted out. Year after year after year.
Not good enough.
And its not ‘nonsense’ – it’s reality.
Hang your head in shame.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:33 am
G said “Remember Labour elects its Cabinet whereas in National the PM selects it (this isn’t to say that HC does not have great influence of course, but the caucus can vote against her wishes still).”
You’re naive G – yes, Labour “elects” its Cabinet – after the leader lets everyone know who she wants elected. Very democratic! Do you seriously believe that ANY Labour MP would run the risk of incurring the PM’s wrath by voting against her? Thought not!
November 7th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Lee, you’re a tad hysterical. “Hang your head in shame”???
You didn’t say it was Fonterra moving its operations offshore in your original post, but again there’s not a lot a union can do to change it. I imagine the union in question is the DWU, who I understand don’t have a media department. They’re under-resourced and hardly able to mount a strong media campaign. And as much as the Europeans might think differently about industrial action, the fact is it’s illegal here to strike outside of the negotiation of your collective agreement or over health and safety. I don’t agree with that, but it’s just the way it is.
You’re right that the government should do more on manufacturing. The unions have criticised the government over its lack of action and suggested some solutions, a few of which are being implemented. There’s a new manufacturing advisory group including business and unions, the corporate tax rate has been cut by 3% and there’s currently an inquiry into monetary policy. What else do you suggest?
November 7th, 2007 at 10:38 am
“G” – the labour caucus elects the cabinet, but it was well known last week that Clark has her list and to vote against what she wanted would be seen as very unfrienfdly within the labour caucus.. Theyre not voted in – Clarks list is rubber stamped.
One of the P.I. communities big problem (and maori also) is the this cultural carry over of respect and trust in the community leaders. The field thing is a good example. Hes a rat bag if ever there was one, but they voted for him for years.
Until these groups come to understand that their leaders are not saints and as often as not they are as corrupt as any other group, then nothing will improve for them. I used to feel sorry for them – but no more. They are alsmost too stupid to deserve better.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:41 am
I used to feel sorry for them – but no more. They are alsmost too stupid to deserve better.
Barry it’s people like you who are the reason the Pacific community will never go to National. Why would they associate with people who think they’re stupid?
November 7th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Wow, so an Internet poster named “barry” represents the national party now….
Delusion, thy name is Tane.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Bevan, stop trolling. If you read my post again I said it’s “people like” barry. And after the shit that went down at Orewa don’t pretend for a second that the National Party’s core supporters are down with the browns.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Tane – last electin I voted for:
Local candidate – Bennet (the alternate was yates – that was a no brainer)
List: N.Z First (because I felt that their Health, education and Welfare policies were the best of them all. All other policies dont matter imo)
The PI community is welcome to vote for whoever they like – as i do. But until they do make that decision, then they remain too stupid to deserve any better. Just like maori who slavishly vote for labour – labour has screwed them for years and until they stop voting like they do then they are too stupid to deserve better treatment.
Its life Tane – if you vote to get your arse kicked, then what else can you expect but a swift kick.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:53 am
And Tane, you’re a tad patronising
‘Again Lee, more nonsense.’
I’m happy to talk about the good stuff. I would also, if I were in a manufacturing industry not only make myself a rep but know I would be a pain in the arse one too.
By the way Fonterra wasn’t a move overseas on that one, they relocated elsewhere in NZ to an existing plant and left the old one to rot.
“What else do you suggest?”
$15.00 minimum wage?
National Union movement which counteracts ‘under-resourced’ branches?
Develop media departments
Get out of bed with Labour, or at least threaten it?
Activate to challenge stuff you don’t agree with?
Do more to encourage people to set up manufacturing in NZ
The european models I was think ing of included getting the workforce involeved in the actual running and management of the factory offering shares to enable it to continue, get government assistance to keep it afloat. It is a post ’strike’ mentality. It has worked in several parts of the world, and held communities together. Put surplus government cash in for workers to spend so that it goes back into the econony without inflating it (Keynes, wasn’t it?)
What I am getting at is, historically the Labour Party (in the UK for example) was ‘created or allowed to happen in a deal with the liberal in 1908 to stem the rise of ‘anarcho-syndicalism’ so there is always the argument that the Union movement and Labour together interact as a safety valve against revolution.
But, I see the unions in NZ as being tragically hamstrung against being the ‘bad guy’ they need to be to really work harder for workers. And stop being patsys. Especially in an era of such high employment.
November 7th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Bevan, stop trolling. If you read my post again I said it’s “people like” barry. And after the shit that went down at Orewa don’t pretend for a second that the National Party’s core supporters are down with the browns.
Give me a break Tane. You linked Barry to the National party – your words, not mine. What was so offensive to the ‘brown’ people as you call them in the Orewa speech? Was it saying that they along with people of every other race or religion should be treated as equals? Was it one law for all that was soo offensive?
In every other country but here it seems the brown skinned folks want to be treated as equals.
November 7th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Lee, I actually agree with most of your recommendations. Good stuff. You’re not such a Tory after all.
(btw, I’ve never bought the idea that the labour movement is, in itself, purely about with heading off the revolution. But I do agree that if unions and the welfare state didn’t exist then capitalism would be unsustainable, and that libertarians and ACT Party extremists are digging their own graves. It’s an interesting topic, but I don’t think capitalism’s going anywhere in a hurry so I’d rather work to gradually reform it for the better. Drinking brandy and waiting for the revolution while the workers suffer ain’t really my style.)
November 7th, 2007 at 11:21 am
Bev mate, I can’t be bothered explaining it to you, but the Orewa speech was about dog-whistling – saying one thing to one audience and something else to another. The racists and the bigots heard ‘these Maoris are dangerous racial separatists who have it easy and take all our money’ while Brash could claim he was standing for equality. Read a book bro.
November 7th, 2007 at 11:24 am
In every other country but here it seems the brown skinned folks want to be treated as equals.
What were those examples Don Brash’s team came up with of Maori privilege? Oh, that’s right… a school debating team and pretty much zilch. You’ve been suckered mate, and you’re still recycling lines months after the National Party abandoned them for lack of evidence and media ridicule. Keep up the good work.
November 7th, 2007 at 11:27 am
pathetic wedge politics from National, the aprty that can’t get elected on its policies so has to resort to dirty tricks.
http://kiwiblogblog.wordpress.com/2007/11/07/farrar-thin-end-of-the-wedge/
[DPF: Oh yes poor little diddums Sammy. I did that nasty nasty trick of quoting a newspaper columnist. Wow that is such dirty tactics. I mean next I'll start quoting what people said on TV. That's just gutter disgusting politics isn't it.]
November 7th, 2007 at 11:28 am
The racists and the bigots heard ‘these Maoris are dangerous racial separatists who have it easy and take all our money’ while Brash could claim he was standing for equality. Read a book bro.
Just because one percent of the country have those veiws, that is enough in your eyes to label the whole speech racist? Or are you saying all National Party supporters are racist?
November 7th, 2007 at 11:32 am
That post lost any and all credibility in the first paragraph Sam – when it alluded to Labour being a party of principle.
If they were why are they proposing Tax Cuts, when Ms Clark used vitriolic statements denouncing them?
Why is it also OK for a Labour MP to punch another without recourse?
November 7th, 2007 at 11:40 am
IMHO the Nats should be sending their people on the ground to have a quiet word in the ears of the PI church leaders reminding them of the Socialist policies over the past 9 years that go against the teachings of the churches.
The PI pastors etc are very powerful people and a word to their flocks that the Socialists should not get the tick would stuff the South Auckland vote
November 7th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Bevan – Tane’s talking about dog-whistling and from the poll reaction Owera got we know it works on far to many people.
Yeah, I’m not sure I agree wtih Wat including Labour in that list – but I think he means its a party that runs on polices rather than on dog-whistling and wedge issues.
November 7th, 2007 at 11:53 am
gd – Pacific Islanders know who has their intersts at heart and its not Fay Richwaite and other rich white NAtional old boys.
November 7th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Off-topic (although there is a loose PI connection!) – was waiting for the General Debate, but this is breaking news!
Two Fijian netballers have withdrawn from the FIJI team for the World Champs due to family connections in the military – have just blogged about it here:
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2007/11/thanks-helen-and-winston.html
November 7th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Now – now – just quiten down. You dont know what you are talking about. Only I know the real reason and Im not telling………
November 7th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Bevan – Tane’s talking about dog-whistling and from the poll reaction Owera got we know it works on far to many people.
No Sam, Brash touched on a topic that resonated with a very large portion of the public, to discard it as dog whistling is very lame really. Or are you calling a vast percentage of the voting public bigotted just because they want evryone treated the same?
November 7th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
You’ve been suckered mate, and you’re still recycling lines months after the National Party abandoned them for lack of evidence and media ridicule. Keep up the good work.
Tane, is it your opinion that everyone should be treated equal regardless of race? Do you agree that there should be one law for everyone, or seperate laws based on racial discrimination?
November 7th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Sam not saying the PIs would be told vote for the Nats just that the pastors may tell them about the anti church stuff and they might then vote for El Jeffe( if hes not in jail) of the Destiny Party.
November 7th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Should be or the Destiny party
November 7th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
It was a long time ago, but why did Winnie miss out?
November 7th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I love Tapu,,
She is such a dynamic polynesian writer giving the public perspectives they would never receive from european journo’s
Her input is so needed for balance and I will even say, originality.
I am shocked at Tane’s criticism, buit still believe him to be Maori because Maori don’t care about any other input but their own.
So narrow, unimaginative and untravelled.
Unfortunately, in saying all this, Tapu is educated and on the ball.
Her political insights are far deeper than many of her fellow PI’s.
The political education of her people may be a bit slow for 2008 as a whole picture, but the question is, who can they turn to. Who really has their interests understood comprehensively; the Maori party?
I would like to see Maori and PI’s come together poltically, it would shake the beehive and could prove a huge catalyst in changing the paradigm of politics in this country. The very thing Labour is trying to subvert. They see the projections and are moving to stiffle the electorate as all cultural sectors of it are having the scales removed from their eyes.
Tapu and her educated PI colleagues know. what about the 100,000 others who don’t know who to turn to????
November 7th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Once the Maoris and the PIs wake up to the fact that the Socialists have treated them as just voting fodder for decades then they will strike back
The Maori Party is a start but its stuck in the 19th Century re writing history and trying to fight the old battles.
A new young vibrant forward thinking Maori PI movement that live in the 21st Century and ses partnership with other ethnic groups as the way to raise the living standards is whats needed.
To use that oldie A group thats wants to bake a bigger cake rather than just getting a bigger slice of a diminishing cake.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
And who says women’s affairs cannot be awarded to a pacific island woman inside the Cabinet. The issues affecting women are more important with women from pacific island and maori and asian backgrounds than well educated european women that the Labour Party only seems to care about,.
November 7th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
“To use that oldie A group thats wants to bake a bigger cake rather than just getting a bigger slice of a diminishing cake.”
Love it!
Welcome to the blog gd. aint seen you b4
I wanna hear more.