Comments on: Labour selections

By: scanner

scanner — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:17:21 +0000

It’s a given that D OC will take back the West Coast, the only reason he got the chop was everyone had a guts full of the Klark dynasty.
The current Nat, Chris “The Invisible Man” Auchunvole is never seen in the electorate, except in photo opportunities, in fact it’s unknown weather he has ever left Greymouth.

By: Bob R

Bob R — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:55:34 +0000

“Less agreeably, Pala called for an “ethnic ward” for the Auckland Council, which would elect two or three Councillors. Pala seems to be the only actual West Auckland standing for the Waitakere nomination.”

The future of NZ The former Singapore leader Lee Kwan Yew noted this problem:

“In multiracial societies, you don’t vote in accordance with your economic interests and social interests, you vote in accordance with race and religion. Supposing I’d run their system here, Malays would vote for Muslims, Indians would vote for Indians, Chinese would vote for Chinese. ”

http://infoproc.blogspot.com/2005/08/lee-kuan-yew-interview.html

By: s.russell

s.russell — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:48:30 +0000

Why not New Plymouth? Perhaps because Labour does not have a PC list MP who they want to coddle in that area. The selections were all about doing favours for certain sitting MPs and had nothing to do with the actual electorates.

Dunne’s support from National voters also declined over this period, because he was backing Labour. Now that he is in the Nat camp, he might claw back some of that support.

By: jaba

jaba — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:21:51 +0000

1/ .. I see you mention Andrew 2 jobs Little .. hehehe
2/ I would like to see Hamish McCracken get the nod so i can what nickname Whale will give him.
3/ great to see Katrina post a comment. Don’t from 2 many Nats here .. well not under their real names. I don’t support a Bluealert though.
4/ I think Peter Dunne is getting closer to losing so a job offer of some sort could be in the background.
5/ Chuck comes across as a real pompous ass .. sorry about personal reference but he does.

By: Manolo

Manolo — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:04:07 +0000

Katrina, thank you for stopping by and giving us your opinion.

What the voters want from its representatives is integrity and the ability to deliver on campaign promises. You don’t need to look far within your own party to realise the National Party has already failed in that regard. It has even imposed on us higher taxes via ACC levies and impending ETS energy taxes.

Do not waste your time with Labour: it has discredited itself enough, while its socialist agenda has been rejected by the electorate (at least for a few years, fingers crossed).

It’s a matter for your party and his leader, the timid / indecisive and ever-grinning Mr. Key, to act upon the electoral promises, to reform the welfare and tax systems once and for all, to avoid making deals with the racist Maori Party, and advance instead the cause of all New Zealanders.

By: Danyl Mclauchlan

Danyl Mclauchlan — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:58:50 +0000

I think it’s fairly likely that Dunne will do a deal with National and step down next year in exchange for an embassy posting someplace or a decent position on the board of an SOE.

By: Blue Coast

Blue Coast — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:55:52 +0000

Word on the street is that Dunne will move on probably to another role and his party would be dismantled. Hope he has paid all the money back.

If all the National voters who vote for Dunne change to National then it will be a landslide to Shanks.

What ever happened to Dunne’s intentions on the Wellington mayor position ?

By: Katrina Shanks MP

Katrina Shanks MP — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:46:21 +0000

Ohariu is home to a very high number of families with nearly 50% of people living in two parent homes.

As a mum myself with three children under the age of 13, I am committed to understanding the issues that are important to families who live in the electorate.

That is why I am right behind issues like the new National Standards – and making sure that our children have access to the best quality education we can give them.

As a former Accountant I believe I have a good working knowledge of of any proposed tax changes and can represent this issue fully on behalf of the people of Ohariu.

Charles may be keen to start door knocking – but I am already working in the electorate, and have been for the last year, making sure I earn the respect of the people I one day hope to represent.

If you live in Ohariu – please feel free to contact me at http://www.katrinashanks.co.nz
I want to hear what matters to you and your family.

By: Nigel Kearney

Nigel Kearney — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:41:10 +0000

I would happily vote for Chauvel if it means getting rid of Dunne. I hope there is good polling so I know which electorate vote gives me the best shot of being rid of Dunne from Parliament. Actually Shanks is bad enough that I almost prefer Chauvel even in a two horse race. If Dunne does depart the scene, I hope National put up a decent candidate in 2014.

By: tautokai.baxter

tautokai.baxter — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:35:18 +0000

Gareth will stand and win!

By: Manolo

Manolo — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:02:43 +0000

“However if Peter retires from Parliament, then it would be a safe seat for National.”

Peter Dunne retiring? It would be tantamount to a turkey asking for an early Christmas.
The meretricious Minister of Revenue will never go away, unless he’s offered a plum job such as an ambassadorship or head of his quango, the useless Families Commission.

Once a trougher, always a trougher. Just ask National’s Bolger.

By: BK Drinkwater

BK Drinkwater — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:53:10 +0000

I’ve been obsessing about the Ohariu vote-splitting lately. My overall impression is that Charles Chauvel doesn’t have much fuel left to burn: very little of his natural constituency (people who give their party vote to Labour) is tied up voting for Peter Dunne, while about half of Shanks’s is.

Chauvel’s best chance is if Gareth Hughes doesn’t stand.

By: bchapman

bchapman — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:43:20 +0000

Actually David, we’ve haven’t had a true Westie in the Waitakere seat for years. Pretty sure Lyn Pillay lived somewhere else and Paula moved to Titirangi not that long before getting into parliament. Good point though, its about time we had a local.

BTW- your Ohariu scenario also applies to Epsom.

By: big bruv

big bruv — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:42:47 +0000

What a choice the people of Auckland central have.

On one hand they have a liberal. left leaning pinko candidate and on the other hand they have a liberal, left wing pinko candidate.

When the hell will the Nat’s put up a real conservative right wing (hell, I would settle for somebody who is centre right) candidate?

[DPF: Not that I agree with your description of the candidates, but as Auckland Central is arguably the most liberal seat in New Zealand, it is no surprise that it took a liberal National MP to win the seat off Labour for the first time in 95 years.]

By: Grendel

Grendel — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:34:17 +0000

i hope Ohariu gets its act together, the last thing i want is that whiny pinko as my MP.

his smugness and smarm whenever i see his speak puts me off more than any other policitician including the earth hating greens (though the MP for wellington central comes close).

conversely Katrina is quite approachable and i have actually seen her in the electorate.

By: Graeme Edgeler

Graeme Edgeler — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:15:37 +0000

First-term list MP Jacinda Ardhern will contest Auckland Central

And if she wins, the Herald may start spelling her name correctly.