National’s Mt Albert selection tonight
May 4th, 2009 at 11:49 am by David FarrarNational selects its candidate for the Mt Albert by-election tonight. On Friday the Herald had a useful article on it.
The National Party is embroiled in a backroom power struggle over its Mt Albert candidate, with the hierarchy’s favourite, Melissa Lee, trying to tip out grassroots toiler Ravi Musuku.
Ms Lee is a list MP and one of National’s new stars. Mr Musuku stood unsuccessfully against Helen Clark in the last two elections.
It’s a contested selection – not really a power struggle.
The hierarchy/grassroots divide is deepened by the selection process, with the 60-strong panel of party delegates made up of appointments from both sides. The panel will vote on Monday night.
A number of new local members have been ruled ineligible after they were signed up in a recent “recruitment drive”.
This is a deliberate feature of the rules, to stop selections being stacked. To vote at a selection meeting you have to have been a member for at least six months (off memory). So it is for those who have demonstrated some long-term commitment to the party.
The local electorate organisation’s proportion of the panel is based on the number of party members it has. National Party northern region chairman Alastair Bell decides the rest.
Also a design feature. If an electorate has 900 members (as many do) they select all 60 delegates at a ratio of 1 for 15 members. If they have less than that, then the Regional Chair (elected annually at the local regional conference) tops them up to 60. It is designed to stop very weak electorates being taken over by an individual and encourages electorates to increase membership.
Mr Bell would say only that he would be appointing a “fair number” of delegates to the panel. He had used his discretion to appoint some from outside Mt Albert, but most would be from within the electorate.
I understand over 80% are from within the electorate. It is common to have a few experienced members from neighbouring electorates get appointed. I’ve been a top up for various Wellington electorates from time to time.
I would be amazed if Melissa does not win. Her maiden speech to Parliament was superb, and she is a star for the future.
Related posts:
- The race for Mt Albert
- Lee selected for National
- A very democratic selection
- Labour’s Waitakere selection
May 4th, 2009 at 11:55 am
The contest is not between Ravi Musuku and Melissa Lee. It is really between Ravi Musuku and Cam Calder. Melissa Lee is already an MP, so if she wins the by-election its Cam Calder, not her who will become a new MP (in the same way Hillary Calvert is ACT’s real candidate for Mt Albert and David Clendon the real Greens candidate.
The whole by-election thing is a farce, and it is outrageous how parties stand list MPs in a byelection to hide the real candidate. We need to change the rules so that list MPs can’t stand in byelections, or if they do, it is not thier name, but the one on the list who will replace them whose name is on the ballot paper.
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Well of course the left are in a real quandary over Melissa.
Because Obama wasn’t a white Anglo Saxon, they accused everybody who criticised him of being a racist.
Taking this argument to its logical conclusion, all lefties in Mt Albert are now beholden to vote for Melissa (a NZer of Korean origins) to likewise prove their lack of racism and their commitment to the “vibrancy” of multiculturalism.
Especially when the Labour candidate is a white Anglo Saxon male.
Another instance of National walking the walk while Labour only talk the talk.
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Interesting points, Nicholas. I disagree. The contest is between who local delegates believe is most likely to win the seat: Melissa Lee or Ravi Musuku. I agree that the issue would be Calder or Musuku if Mt Albert were a safe National seat, but it isn’t. It’s probably a marginal labour seat at best.
If Lee is seen as the only one of the two candidates capable of winning the seat, then it isn’t a Calder/Musuku choice at all. If that is the view of delegates then Musuku has no chance of being in Parliament, whether he’s the candidate or not.
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Hmm. A bit of both Tim.
The actual by-election contest will have two elements:
– who do you think will long-term be a good MP for your electorate
– which new MP do you think should come into parliament
In all cases except for Labour the answers are different. So if you like Melissa Lee for your local MP, you should vote for her to represent you. You are also voting for Cam Calder to come into parliament for this term, but he isn’t going to be representing you as your local MP.
The point of the electorate MP is exactly that. You aren’t deciding who else gets into parliament – your list vote does that. But you are deciding who will be your local rep.
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Melissa Lee will get the nomination so we now have a contest between the big 3, but my money is still on Labour to win. Over-turning 10,000 vote majority is a big ask. The real issue is how many Labour votes will Russell Norman get.
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Interesting post in the Standard relying on NZPA.
Apparently Lee billboards may already have been printed and she has already been selected. Has the selection been cancelled? Anyone told Musuku? How does he feel about it?
The story is at http://www.thestandard.org.nz/oh-dear-2/#comment-131509
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
“Interesting post in the Standard relying on NZPA. ”
Micky, you demented soul. If you believe what the Standard publishes you might as well put your faith in the tooh fairy, Santa, and Spiderman.
Go back to the sewer and stay there, please.
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Article from NZPA
“National is holding a meeting in Auckland suburb Mt Albert this evening to select its candidate – but someone in the party has already decided who it is going to be.
The National Party Mainland Conference agenda lists Mt Albert candidate MP Melissa Lee as a speaker.
The by-election to fill the seat left vacant by former Prime Minister Helen Clark, who held it for 27 years, takes place on June 13. Nominations close on May 19.”
Printed in the National Party rag the Herald at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10570319
[DPF: The news article is incorrect I understand. Melissa was described as a Mt Albert List MP, not as the Mt ALbert Candidate]
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Ah, micky, you beat me to it. Seems like it has been a done deal all along. Democracy in action in the National Party.
DPF, you might need to edit the headline:
“National head office Mt Albert appointment prematurely announced” might be more appropriate.
Vote:May 4th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
In fact she is described as LIST MP for Mt Albert. A subtle but important qualifier. But I am not worried take it how you like. She will be a fine electorate MP and the only women standing.
Vote:May 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I would be amazed if Melissa does not win. Her maiden speech to Parliament was superb, and she is a star for the future.
Vote:A fallen star perhaps ?