Inga the MP?
Sunday News reports:
INGA Tuigamala used to smash opponents on the footy field – now he wants to smash some Pacific Islanders dependence on the dole and DPB.
And the former rugby and league star has confirmed he would consider running for Parliament in 2011 if offered a spot on the National Party list.
I think it is great that Inga wants to make a difference. And for National there would obviously be a huge political advantage in having him stand.
However for Inga’s sake, I would suggest he chats to a couple of new MPs about what life is really like in Parliament. Your ability to (for example) change welfare policy is relatively limited initially. Backbench MPs have to spend a lot of time serving on select committees, asking patsy questions in the House, and helping constituents. The policy side (which is what motivates many), takes a while to influence.
I think Inga as an MP would be an awesome role model for many Pacific Islanders. But I would hate him to end up in a job he doesn’t find satisfying.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
I doubt Tuigamala knows more about politics than he does about rugby and remember, he was a bloody winger.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
You know, it is just possible he’s already had those conversations.
Are people stupid enough to think one can make it into the All Blacks without years of preparation on the ‘back benches of club and provincial rugby? Give the guy credit for some intelligence, please!
[DPF: Nothing to do with intelligence. I've seen dozens of MPs enter Parliament not really aware what they were going in for. Unlike rugby, politics is very different for backbenchers and Ministers - almost totally different games]
November 8th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Laidlaw, Thorne….., great, just what we need, another one.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Well he knows how to smile and he likes cheese especially Chesdale.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
” he would consider running for Parliament in 2011 if offered a spot on the National Party list.”
Just another bloody reason to do away with MMP!
I despise this type of racist crap, Melissa Lee, Ashrad Chourdrey (sp) and to a lesser extent Pansy Wong are nothing more than patsy appointments designed to cynically maximise the ethnic vote.
If Mr Tuigamala can offer anything of value to the house then all power to his elbow, and while I do not doubt that Mr Tuigamala has the very best of intentions I suspect the Nat’s are keen on this idea simply because he will bring a few thousand PI votes with him from South Auckland.
If the Nat’s were genuine about this they would give Mr Tuigamala a safe (or winnable) seat next time around instead of a politically correct list position, if the Nat’s were to really get behind an electoral campaign for Mr Tuigamala it would at least show that this move is genuine and not simply so they can say “look how diverse our caucus is”.
I hope Mr Tuigamala tells Neville that he does not want to be his “house nig**r”, I hope that Mr Tuigamala says that it is an electoral seat or nothing that he is after and I hope that Mr Tuigamala is successful in gaining election to the house.
But, these racist “minority” list positions just have to stop, if the Nat’s have not learnt this from the debacle that is Melissa Lee then they are dumber than I thought.
November 8th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
So called patsy appointments on the list are the beginning and the party list has been a very good way of getting people into Parliament who would have difficulty with electorate selection. It is the one aspect of MMP I support.
November 8th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Well they could get him selected for a safe seat if they held the doors open during the voting so the ring ins from outside the electorate ( got lost ??) get to cast their votes.
look what the result was when that last happened.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Former mayors for example have found it hard to adjust to Parliament, it is like going from Head Prefect to third form. Like it or not, Keith Holyoake’s advice to new MP’s ‘breathe through your nose for the first three years’ still holds true. Jonathan Hunt’s advice is also useful, he said that the most successful MP’s were the ones who took the effort to find out how the system worked. I remember that Richard Prebble knew Parliamenmtary procedures and Standing Orders inside out and not infrequently caught Mr Speaker flat footed.
November 9th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Inga (or Michael Jones) should stand in Te Atatu against Chris Carter. The seat is there for the taking.
November 9th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
“Inga (or Michael Jones) should stand in Te Atatu against Chris Carter. The seat is there for the taking.”
I’m not sure that either of them would be even remotely interested in taking Chris Carter’ seat.
And no, that wasn’t meant to be a crack.