MPs in Auckland
June 18th, 2009 at 8:23 am by David FarrarThe Herald noted how many MPs were out campaigning in Mt Albert, who do not live in Auckland:
MPS IN MT ALBERT
The Herald saw at least 17 out-of-Auckland MPs on the campaign trail.
LABOUR HAD 12
Annette King, Darren Hughes, Maryan Street, Moana Mackey, Sue Moroney, Grant Robertson, Jacinda Ardern, Clare Curran, David Parker, Charles Chauvel, Grant Robertson and Clayton Cosgrove.
NATIONAL HAD THREE
John Carter, David Carter and Aaron Gilmore.
THE GREENS HAD TWO
Metiria Turei and Sue Kedgley.
They seem to have double counted Grant Robertson. Amazing how many Labour MPs all suddenly had parliamentary business in Auckland.
Professor Geddis said MPs’ campaigning was a grey area which was difficult to address.
One way was to be “incredibly specific” about what MPs could do – which would lead to opposing parties “bludgeoning” one another with allegations of breaches.
The other option was to accept that MPs were “political beasts” as much as they were public representatives.
Professor Geddis said MPs’ free travel could be suspended before general elections, but this would be more difficult for a byelection that took place alongside their routine work.
There is no easy answer. Even suspending travel in the period before a general election is problematic as Ministers still have Ministerial duties and would retain travel rights, so that would give the incumbent Government an advantage.
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June 18th, 2009 at 8:29 am
They missed Trevor Mallard
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:36 am
I’m pretty sure I saw Simon Bridges on TV door-knocking with Melissa too.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:43 am
You can’t count the Greenies – they would have surely travelled up to AK on bicycles, so there would have been no costs to taxpayers there…
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:45 am
The big omission wasn Russel.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:46 am
“Even suspending travel in the period before a general election is problematic” – even after parliament is dissolved MPs still need to travel for their work (as distinct from campaigning although I accept a lot of work has an element of campaigning) – some with big electorates fly within their electorates frequently.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:47 am
good party eh?
sounds like an all-expenses good time pissup, on the taxpayer.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:48 am
How many Labour MPs does it take to screw in a light bulb..Safe seat..?
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:49 am
This is a hopeless story, because it relies only on those the reporters saw or their network told them of – there were many more MPs helping campaign in Mt Albert, from all sides, including trips up and down the country by one Trevor Mallard.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 8:50 am
They should be only be able to claim for work related activity scheduled BEFORE the by-election/general election date has been announced and if it is a one-off appointment then there should be no overnight accommdation unless it is an evening appointment. These MPs are rorting the system for party political purposes. The :Labour Party has done this for years. They simply cannot be bothered to raise money for their party.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:00 am
I’m pretty sure I saw Simon Bridges on TV door-knocking with Melissa too.
He was shown repeatedly in the few days before the by-election, very strange they missed that.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:10 am
I hope union members on minimum wage were happy that Labour spent their money having a party in Auckland. Nice for some.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I don’t miss Trevor at all.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Burt – you have to understand that Union members know that their leaders needs that extra relaxation that only other people’s money can buy. It is their Leader’s right (no, duty) to travel, eat and drink on their member’s dime due to their diligent work in making life better for those they tax through membership dues.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:22 am
National also had Chris Tremain, he was at the Unitec debate supporting Lee.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:32 am
I suspect Bridges was left out as he actually resides in Auckland.
[DPF: Umm no he doesn't. I've been to his place in Tauranga]
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Name and shame them. The labour politicians sniffling at the trough will soon learn what it means to be so carefree with public money. There are enough people aware of the realities of our economic situation to make that a viable option, as the UK collapse showed.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Interesting that the reported number of MP’s campaigning were roughly in keeping with the final margins – Labour/National 4:1; Labour Greens 6:1 – food for thought?
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/06/shabby-granny.html
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Simon Bridges was on Breakfast this morning and said he came up to Auckland one weekend to help in Mt Albert, and stayed with whanau.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Ok – I thought his home was Auckland. I guess he could have been included on the list then but seriously someone who lives in Tauranga isn’t in the same position as a Wellington or Christchurch based MP.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 10:35 am
As Andrew Geddis points out what this evidences is the substantial indirect financial support of political competition by taxpayers.
You should also add the polling done by Labour and probably National also paid for through their parliamentary allocations.
There will also be some smaller stuff in research units (opponent research) and small scale use of photocopiers and Auckland electorate offices (and staff) also paid by the taxpayer.
Interestingly as a matter of law none of this is treated as electioneering here. Its very clearly defined as not so.
And as far as the Ministry of Justice’s Issues document is concerned the, only issue with the substantial indirect financial support of political competition by taxpayers is whether the rules excluding electioneering using these resources are clear.
Which they are of course. This is because Parliament has defined “electioneering” (for the purposes of the use of taxpayer recourses) and “election activities” (for the purposes of the Electoral Act 1993) in a narrow, technical, legalistic and therefore unnatural way.
It is this sort of behaviour that brings the law into disrepute because it’s defining activities in a non natural way and by doing so saying that they are other than what they are.
Ask a campaign professional whether polling is electioneering?
Ask a campaign professional whether shifting politicians in to support a candidate is electioneering?
Ask a campaign professional whether researching one’s opponent is electioneering?
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Wow, all those Labour MPs, plus Leader, plus 400 supporters on the ground, posters, advertising plus the stage managed Worth smear. Labour really threw everything they had at this Election. They must have been shitting themselves of a poor result.
Vote:Did they believe the spin from Whale and DPF to go to this extreme in their safest seat?
With all that resource thrown at it, dont you think the fact Labour got less votes and less turnout than in Nov indicates a failure?
June 18th, 2009 at 11:34 am
I was there, surprised the Herald missed me as I had a couple of wines with Audrey and Fran at the backbench debate. I made a dent in my list of Auckland people and groups to see. Simon was up mid week at least once and from memory twice. Chris Auchinvole (West Coast) was there.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I would recommend a different turn of phrase.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 11:40 am
@ Ryan Sproull – very good
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 11:43 am
That was worth more karma than I could give you. I am still laughing.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
12 labour MPs seen in Auckland…
only 10 fingers on a Journo…
easy to see how the mistakes could have occurred
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
You should have punched someone Trevor, that always gets attention if you’re feeling left out.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Thanks Muzz so if we are being tell tale tits then add Jo Goodhew who had a sign at unitec debate nicky wagner doing dishes at nat hq (but it might have been the other way around cos i get them mixed up) and katrina shanks.
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Trevor – Simon may have been referring to coming up here particularly for campaigning. I’m not sure whether he said it was a weekend or whether I assumed it. Either way – Tauranga is not exactly far from Auckland – so what’s your excuse?
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
And a few more Quin, Adams, Parata and Guy
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
“You should have punched someone Trevor, that always gets attention if you’re feeling left out.”
Or better still, spewed out a whole lot of lies and cowardly smears !
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Angus
To be fair I think the best way for Trevor to be noticed would be for him to tell the truth and act with the highest ethicle standards and keep his fists to himself.
We have learned to accept that he will get away with hitting people, telling lies and smearing the opposition with cheap shots – He’s a Labour MP…..
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
“I was there, surprised the Herald missed me as I had a couple of wines with Audrey and Fran at the backbench debate.”
next time you’ll have to buy Heineken Trevor
Vote:June 18th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Recommending a Heineken Hopoate – ya never going to live that one down Trevor.
Vote:June 19th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
National MPs Louise Upston and Jacqui Dean were also in Mt Albert for National. Trust Granny not to get it right.
Vote: