Is this why Wall was placed so low?
A reader reminds me of this SST story:
Wall says she will not actively seek the electorate vote in the Auckland Maori seat of Tamaki Makaurau, held by Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples. Instead she will be seeking the party vote.
Labour Party president Mike Williams said he was “surprised” at Wall’s comments, as it was “absolutely not” party policy to stand aside in electorate contests in favour of the Maori Party. “We’re two ticks everywhere,” he said.
Wall, who enters parliament early next month from Labour’s party list, replacing retiring list MP Ann Hartley, said she would not be going head to head with Sharples over the seat.
“It’s not about me and Pita fighting. I’m going to be there as party vote Labour and talk about the difference between Labour and National.”
That the only thing I can think of to justify giving her an unwinnable place. A pity if it is, because as I said she impressed me the times she has appeared on Back Benches.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Support Helen or go is the message I suspect.
September 1st, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I rather liked the Mike Williams’ quote- “we’re two ticks everywhere”. He mean a mark indicating selection but coming from Africa I always think of a tick as being a blood-sucking parasite; he was spot on with that one.
September 1st, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Be pure
Be vigilant
Behave!
September 1st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
GMM – that’s gold!!
September 1st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
If I was L Wall, I would not bother at all now, its a disgrace! Good for National though.
Its a case of the Empire Strikes Back.
September 1st, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I wonder why they didn’t put the Politically neutral former Human Rights Commissioner Pravda (or similar) ahead of her when the List Vacancy occurred in the first place. Still National seem just as vindictive with their low placement of Stephen Franks.
September 1st, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Perhaps it was because with Arden a certainty for election – two reasonably attractive women in caucus was one to many.