Chris Carter on message
If anyone is unclear about what Chris Carter’s core message was, this video shows him how on message he was. Note there are no duplicates.
Trevor Mallard has said Carter is irrational and implied he needs to see a psychiatrist. Now that is a bit like me implying someone needs to go on a diet, but regardless I have to say Carter seems very calculating in his comments on TV. He knows you have to repeat a line a dozen times before it sinks in with the public – and he has done exactly that.
No TweetBacks yet. (Be the first to Tweet this post)
Tags: Chris Carter, Labour, Labour Leadership, Phil Goff, You Tube
July 30th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
You did very well to put this together so quickly while travelling overseas David. Especially as some of the video is much higher resolution than is available on the web. Or did somebody else do it?
July 30th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
I wonder how Daffy, Goff etc would feel if Carter really did have a breakdown as they suggest he is on track for.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Don’t care what Carter wants to call it, in any party, this is outright treachery.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Well he is a self absorbed narcissistic homosexual.
Of course once he retires he will get his pension and 90% subsidy on international airfares which means he and Kaiser can travel around the world on the taxpayers dime no questions asked.
This could be an object lesson as to why its a bad idea to elect sexual deviants.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
So Carter tripped off to China without party leave during the recess. (On his many airpoints it seems). This man needs treatment; he is clearly afflicted with AFA (Airline Food Addiction) which makes air travel compulsive.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
“(On his many airpoints it seems)”
No, apparently paid for by the Chinese Government. I wonder why?
July 30th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
we taxpayers have been forking out for Carters trips around the world for years now and we hate it. I wonder what the peasants in the boon docks around China think about their tax being wasted like this
July 30th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
‘Questions have been asked by some within the Labour Party, among them senior MP Trevor Mallard, about Mr Carter’s behaviour but Mr Goff didn’t want to comment on that.
“I’m not a psychiatrist, I can’t address that issue, but what I can say is that Chris’ behaviour has not been rational over this,” he said.
“If he is having difficulties then on a human side we’d want to be supportive. On a political side there is no room for somebody who has behaved the way he behaved yesterday.” ‘
This is Goff, not commenting?
Labour leader Phil Goff says ousted MP Chris Carter doesn’t have a mandate to remain as MP for Te Atatu.
I thought part of Carter’s letter said Labour was scared of a by-election – they were low in funds and would have trouble with finances.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
I see that Greg Presland has been touted as a potential candidate to replace Carter in Te Atatu in 2011. Surely One News was taking the micky
July 30th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Carter says Air Points (courtesy of the taxpayer) were used for the air travel; the Chinese paid for land content. Wife did not go.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
“He knows you have to repeat a line a dozen times before it sinks in with the public – and he has done exactly that.”
Which is why he made a pretty good politician.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
“He knows you have to repeat a line a dozen times before it sinks in with the public – and he has done exactly that.”
must be why all the
christians here keep reminding
us that carter’s gay
July 30th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
regarding the next Labour candidate for TA .. I really do feel sorry for Phil Twyford poor bastard. Someone suggested Andrew 2-3 jobs Little may decide it’s a better fit for him than NP and then all the others names popping up including the Manning girl .. who needs Coro St when we have the Labour Party (mind you, Ken Barlow keeps getting himself in the shit).
July 30th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
I’m an older person and I really dislike gay being used to mean anything other than happy or a woman’s name so in Carter’s case:
1/ he doesn’t look too happy to me
2/ is he mummy or daddy .. if daddy he could be Gayford or maybe Gaynor??
July 30th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
@ Haiku Dave – it doesn’t take the Christians to remind anyone that Carter is gay. He does enough reminding himself.
(apologies for not being able to make a haiku of that retort
)
July 30th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Is Chris from Gaymouth?
July 30th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
give in to your dark
side daddy, you’ve not had much
luck the other way
July 30th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
look in the mirror dave
there you’ll find a big haiku crack
lucky it’s all broken
July 30th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
google ‘haiku’, dad,
there you will surely find that
you have fucked it up
July 30th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Sorry dave, I am bit thick just like Chris. Do you play chess?
July 30th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Yes.. and what he say’s over and over… and over and over… this blog has been saying the same over and over.. about Labour and its leadership..
So lets not give Carter any credit for stating the obvious.. or feel a little sorry for Goff and his colleagues… who say they are surprised by Carters comments.. and that he is wrong in his statements..
After all Carter is telling the truth… even though a cock… for saying so… and they way he did it.
Goff and his colleagues are the one’s in denial.
July 30th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Andrei said “Well he is a self absorbed narcissistic Homosexual”
well he was taught by the best mistress (and worst Prime Minister)
July 30th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Looks like Our Boy Phil Twyford isn’t going for it.
Sounds like he’s finally got the hint. No Union or no Rainbow support = no seat.
July 30th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
I don’t think Carter’s sexuality is all that relevant, what is clear is that he’s an unpleasant, dishonest, disloyal, treacherous, manipulative, and totally self-absorbed clown. NZ will be all the better for him being out of politics altogether, one can only hope that it is so. Atleast I suppose one can say that he’s not being two faced about it, he really is a nasty piece of work.
July 30th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Hurf – there in the article you linked to:
“He won’t declare who was likely. But ONE News contacts and Labour’s Facebook-style members website provided clues.
West Auckland lawyer Greg Presland was one possible contender for selection”
Mickey Savage to take a tilt…
July 30th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Well I applaud Chris Carter for taking the stand that he has.
Anyone who is anyone knows that Phil Goff is failing as the leader for the NZ Labour Party and that he is simply a place-holder.
Sure, his is an unorthodox approach but, as well you know, the only way to attack the Labour Party hierarchy is to attack from the outside. There is no point in attacking from the inside because you will be subsumed.
I was interested to read Phil Goff complaining that CC’s trip to China meant he wouldn’t be available for parlimentary business. It would be interesting to know exactly what parlimentary business he was missing out of. I am sure he is/was a rather important part of the Labour caucus but I also reckon there are periods in parliament where there is not a lot going on or things that can be briefed over the internet via email.
I would say that it was a straw man argument. Until Phil can tell me, at least vaguely, what CC missed out in terms of parlimaentary business, I call BS.
I also think this episode should put paid to the whole ‘Helen Clark conducting the homosexual lobby to the detriment of the Labour Party’ thing. If he had a mandate from HC he wouldn’t have to go public like this.
PS: I think the New Zealand version of the ‘political personal spending scandals’ are bullshit and a cosy meeting of lazy political points scoring and lazy journalism. It didn’t deserve a week of headlines.
July 30th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
“I don’t think Carter’s sexuality is all that relevant,”
stop spoiling the fun,
ed, he be homo and that
is why he bad man
July 30th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Hey dave, you should go for it so you can’t inflict any of your crappy haikus on anyone.
July 30th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
a cutting unkind
comment, hurf durf, i wipe a
tear from either eye
July 30th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Yeah, I slice like a fuckin’ hammer.
July 30th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Chris Carter is obviously angling to be Co-Leader of NZ First.
Look at the facts:
1. Chris Carter plots a ‘coup’ when NZ First is back in the news.
2. Chris Carter got more votes than Labour in 2008 – this indicates he is a popular and competent local MP.
3. NZ First needs an electorate MP.
Join the dots.
July 30th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
I cannot possibly imagine CC joining NZF ever. Where is the advantage for NZFF? CC is a militant homosexual. You are talking crap.
July 31st, 2010 at 1:58 am
I’m trying to work out Carter’s calculation re: his seat.
Sorry I don’t buy the ‘he’s an incompetent idiot’ line.
His motive is to put the question of Goof’s competency front of mind.
Now who would want to do a thing like that?
Looks like a Silent-T flanking maneuverer to me.
July 31st, 2010 at 2:43 am
As a gay man myself I find it quite disgusting how Labour MPs can pick on one of our own so viciously so soon after the University of Otago released their homophobic report on the links between child sexual abuse and homosexual behaviour in adult males. Very insensitive and I hope Phil Goff gets the same treatment as John the Jew and Chris the Coprophiliac.
July 31st, 2010 at 3:16 am
(A) What precisely would you have expected them to do?
(B) Why is it anything whatsoever to do with the fact he’s gay?
Since when has data become “homophobic?” Assuming of course, the University of Otago didn’t make it up (for reasons of their own…
July 31st, 2010 at 5:23 am
You have to view what is going on with Carter from 30,000 feet and through the lens of the factions within Labour. Carter is an honourary and esteemed member of the sisterhood and, as we all know, has the ear of former dear leader Clark. Goff is from the right faction largely inhabited by the hated white, heterosexual males.
Labour’s front bench was utterly discredited by its 3rd term in office as evidenced by their easy defeat and National’s strong polling since the election (aided by Key’s amiable populism backed by the excellent managerial skills he brings to the political arena). Clark’s meglomania left little space for the adequate grooming of an heir since her plan was to win a 4th term and leave the leadership for an even higher UN position. Her preference is for one of the sisterhood (female or neutered male) to suceed her. Lack of true leadership experience and/or absence of any charismatic leadership contender meant that Goff or King by virtue of their experience was a shoe in to suceed Clark post the 2008 defeat.
Carter broke many of the basic rules of politics. The first being the rule of holes – stop digging when you’ve already dug one for yourself as was made manifestly clear over his conduct when Labour’s spending was revealed. The next rule is that you never go public about leadership challenges unless you back the winning side and your side has the numbers to win. The third rule he broke was how to make unattributed or anonymous comments to the media – handwriting a letter in a Ministerial envelope was utter foolishness. The 4th rule is that you only speak truth to power (Goff cant win the election for Labour) from a position of relative power yourself. Carter was already mortally wounded by his unrepentant attitude over his profligate spending and had Clark or Key been his leader he would’ve been axed right then and there after his petulance.
Labour’s caucus all know Goff can’t win in 2011 and so a ruthless political calculation has been made – that to change the leader now would be more damaging than to wait until 2011. If I was advising Labour, I would agree with their strategy. 18 months is enough time for the likely leadership contenders to quietly lobby and to craft their image and message.
Carter is the gift that keeps on giving for National. He forces Goff to sack him and the party to disown him, Labour must suffer his presence in Parliament as an Independent until the election. Broken free from the shackles of caucus discipline he will continue to snipe at Goff and will repeat his “Goff needs to be replaced” message to anyone who’ll listen. Labour then must suffer the likely ignominy of losing Te Atatu to National as Carter will behave like all narcassists and assume he is popular enough to win as an Independent and yet all he will do is split the left’s vote. If Goff’s backers attack Carter he will play the gay card and accuse them of targetting him as a gay man. It’s one long clusterfark for Labour.
July 31st, 2010 at 7:11 am
A battle between losers. Carter and the Labour Party deserve each other.
July 31st, 2010 at 8:32 am
“Carter broke many of the basic rules of politics. The first being the rule of …
Look, the only people who need a psych-doctor are some of the commenters here wailing about treachery and rules. It’s not about how you would feel if your best mate backstabbed you. It’s about what is actually happening here. Try analysis!
What you’re witnessing here is the birth of something new in public politics. It’s almost Australian. No more behind closed door, keeping it in the family dysfunctional dirty secrets – it’s open warfare. All the secret sisterhood arguments are now obsolete. All the dark plans and conspiracies and experiments NZ was supposed to be subject to – all over. This is a naked and rapid dash for power. Watching Labour playing secret dirt games under Helen, I thought that our political scene would be rife with nastiness for decades.
Don’t you get it? The Left as we know it, and now knew it CANNOT EXIST IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF OPENESS. And that’s what Chris has used. It didn’t take the VRWC to destroy the Left’s identity. One of their own did it. This isn’t Clark’s style of politics.
All the coments here about secret lists of this that and the other, Carter’s style changes the game. All agendas now dissolved, all old assumptions of left and right are no longer enough to participate in the game. An era has passed. Pollies are annoyed because they either have to adapt fast or be run down. Like Goff will be. Soon someone will be the first to step up and meet the new challenge and the rest will follow – for power.
July 31st, 2010 at 9:33 am
reid: Since when has data become “homophobic?
It’s called satire.
July 31st, 2010 at 9:49 am
Kiw in in America said: “If Goff’s backers attack Carter he will play the gay card and accuse them of targetting him as a gay man. ”
Well its started, and Im guessing Mallard had a telling off for it – He did a post on Red Alert called “Once was a Rainbow Warrior” He has since deleted the post as ‘friends’ found it offensive.
I hope Carter got a copy of it. Mallard – Gutless to stand behind his own comments.
July 31st, 2010 at 10:17 am
Jibbering Gibbon
You seem to be claiming that Carter’s antics have somehow changed the rules of politics. What planet are you on? “How Australian” – you clearly know little about Australian politics – the ALP in particular wrote the book on behind the scenes factional power plays. This is very simple. Until NZ political parties modify their party constitutions to enable the election of their party leaders by some other way, the reality is that if you want to lead Labour (or National) you have to win a majority of votes in the current caucus. It’s a pure numbers game. If you champion a potential leader or oppose the current leader then normally a replacement leader is in the wings and has been doing the numbers. In Carter’s case he had no alternative candidate to promote and when confronted by Mark Sainsbury, flubbed and wouldn’t name his preferred successor to Goff.
Political gamechangers do so from a position of moral strength. Carter’s stock was irreparably damaged when he was caught repeatedly with his snout in the public trough and when confronted with the evidence, he was unrepentant and belligerent exuding an attitude of entitlement. It wouldn’t matter who was the party leader, from that time onwards Carter was on thin ice.
Predictions for you Gibbering: Carter will be easily defeated in the 2011 election in Te Atatu as his electorate will not see him as the political game changer you think he is and he will slip into the pages of history as the man who used $2,000 of tax payers money to hire a helicopter to fly his partner to a luxury resort much like Tuku Morgan became associated with his $79 undies when setting up Maori TV. Phil Goff, as flawed as we all know he is, will retain the Labour leadership until just after Labour’s defeat at the 2011 election
July 31st, 2010 at 10:32 am
I have thought this is the logical scenario too, but I’m starting to wonder if it will happen. There are signs that Labourites, dreaming they should have a good chance of winning next year, are starting to panic as they realise that may not happen. They seem oblivious to the fact that whether Goff stays leader or is replaced the odds are the same, they won’t win.
So I see two possibilities
- Labour flail about until the 2011 election, probably change leader along the way, and then start the real rebuilding after the election they were unable to begin last year.
- Labour accepts that Goff is their best bet for 2011, try and recover as much vote as possible, are realistic that a win is a very long shot (but ready to step up if National misstep badly). Then they are in a much better state of rebuild to look at 2014 as a good prospect.
While the second option is in their medium term interests I think they may not have the nerve to stay on track with Goff and will go with option one, making 2011 as unlikely as it is now anyway but making 2014 a bigger hill to climb.
July 31st, 2010 at 10:39 am
I still think this story has legs, the left are in a frenzy at the possible return of Winston First, when you do the math is it possible that a coalition of Labour/Green/Winston first/Dunne/Maori might be able to form a government.
July 31st, 2010 at 10:48 am
Next time don’t use lavender fragance notepaper mate. Dead giveaway.
July 31st, 2010 at 10:50 am
That man may be insane, but he’s right about one thing
July 31st, 2010 at 10:51 am
Peter George
I think if someone had the numbers to roll Goff they would but there is no clear consensus amongst the senior caucus members as to who to back. Jones is forever sullied by the tax payer funded blue movies, Cunliffe is too inexperienced, Street is too aligned to the Clark faction and would be bitterly opposed by the right faction, Mallard is too old and crotchety and King is really a female version of Goff (from the same faction, generation and 5th Labour Govt front bench). I really believe their strategy is to wait for some massive National pratfall and hope that Winston with Michael Laws defies gravity and crosses the 5% threshold. Whilst I’m sure National will undoubtedly make some more mistakes between now and 2011 they are highly unlikely to be of a nature to hand Labour the needed 15%+ reversal in their poll lead. Will NZers vote for Winston again after his corrupt shenanigans prior to the 2008 election? Doubtful but hey its enough to keep hope alive over at The Standard!
July 31st, 2010 at 10:57 am
Labour openly wishing for WP/NZF to rescue their chances and help them back into power is a major turn off. Sounds like a desperate, win at any cost sort of mentality. FFS, wanting WP?
July 31st, 2010 at 11:03 am
Carter has declared he will not contest Te Atatu even as an independent. Twyford would love to have it but cannot nominate if there is a by-election because of the Tizard factor. If no by-election he could put himself up in the General Election.
July 31st, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Labour and the left has no answer what’s so ever… on who should lead Labour forward…. they can only suggest names and people… who can only lead Labour backwards.
If Carter has done anything he has brought all this out of the Labour cupboard and put it on to the table for Labour… Now Labour have to face it… eat it… and ask the hard question… on what the phuck are they going to do aboat it.
Labour and Labour supporters really need to thank Carter for that… But as far as leadership goes.. we all like a good Kiwi bloke… and we all have one in John Key’s.
So suck it up Labour… it could be worse you could have Winston.
July 31st, 2010 at 12:21 pm
I think GOFF has handled this situation quite well and I wouldn’t write his chances off altogether and as well the fair and balanced TV 3 panel this morning, Trotter, Edwards, and McCarten seemed unanimous that Winston would get 5%.
July 31st, 2010 at 12:27 pm
kiwi in america 5:23 am,
Further to Kiwi’s comment above – here is a link to (one of) Ian Wishart’s article [PDF] on the Feminist/Lesbian “sisterhood” which has operated within the Labour Party for the last 30+ years:
It’s worth reading the whole article.
And it’s scary just how much of what was planned over thirty years ago has become a reality over the intervening years; much of it during Labour’s last three terms under Helen Clark – one of the original architects of many of these changes.
July 31st, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Labour can’t win because they don’t have any decent policy or any vision or any soul. They are a bunch of dead-eyed power-hungry flesh-pressers without an ounce of creativity among them. It doesn’t matter who is the nominal leader, nothing is going to change that.
Chris Carter is an arrogant, self-absorbed mess of a politician. And I say that not giving a crap about his sexuality. It’s his choice, and I find it amusing that he offers so much ammunition in so many other areas yet a lot of people on here still can’t get past the most irrelevant fact of all, what he likes to do in the privacy of his own home with another consenting adult. Let it go, homophobes, and make sure he never comes back as a substandard politician.
National aren’t that much different, of course.
July 31st, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Here that Labour… kick out the Street and bring in the Little.
July 31st, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Agreed!!
July 31st, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Take away Key… and what does National have.
July 31st, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Was reading Fran Wilds article today ( http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10662530) about Helen Kelly of the CTU and her repudiation of John key and their apparent agreement on all things to do with trade.
Thinking about this and Phil Goff causes one to reconsider the current contretemps with Carter.
Phil Goff was a student and supporter of Sir Roger and I think the only one left of that former Govt. He is also a formidable trade negotiator and diplomat. He is worldly wise and understands probably better than most, NZ’s place in the world.
He spent a huge amount of the time in the last nine years of the last govt. doing what Trade ministers do .i.e. working in far flung places with people like Grosser and so on.
From my experience when having lunch with him on one occasion (non political) he has a formidable memory for people and dates. Anyone and most people would enjoy his company. His politics are steeped in Labour history but his pragmatism and his knowledge of world affairs is not trapped in the time warp of past Labour.
What’s my point about these seemingly unrelated issues (Fran’s article and Helen Kelly).
Its this.
Many of those that are current Labour politicians or want to be’s are caught up in the old world. Kelly remains in the old world but Goff realizes that the old policies of Labour such as trade union ideals and equality etc are just that Old and tired and the world has moved on leaving this behind.
Take the labour rules. Most are now imbeded within the law so unions are superfluous.
The unions thrived when education was limited and knowledge was person based but the INTERNET has shredded that, with anyone, anytime being able to access most information.
Its my view that Phil Goff is ahead of these people and that he is working to replace many who think that way with people looking forward to the future in the 21st century.
His bringing in of a rank, unknown outsider to Clarks electorate ( the home of the anti christ) and getting that person selected and elected shows that he is determined to make his own path.
Its my view that we will see more right/left candidates coming forward and being selected. Goff has a lot of experience and a lot of respect from people with Labour tendencies and one should remember that the in that last 9 years Labour moved away from its traditional base because of the capture of power by the Rainbows and other minorities. Whilst Labour has always marked its space by supporting the abolition of inequality it didn’t set itself up as a party of the odd bods and that’s what it has been in the recent past.
If I judge Phil correctly he is a traditional Labour person with the same values as many of us when it comes to people, families etc. IMHO he is moving Labour back to those values and in doing so will grab back many of the voters who abandoned them.
More importantly he will bring to that resurgence 21st century idea’s and vision.
Interestingly enough this is also a path that John Key has bought to National.
He has even made McCully look respectable and he signaled early on the he expected good manners and good behavoir, as is Phil Goff.
Labour won’t win this next election but IMHO there will be gains, oh some of you will write him off but that would be foolish. If the Nat’s. continue to tinker with their spending and appeasing the Maori Party then the electorate will be looking askance at them by 2011.
And one should remember that ACT is basically founded on similar but more 21st century principles to the old Labour and its well within the realms of possibility that Labour and Act could form a Govt.
Many of the Maori Party policies are not that dissimilar to those of ACT and with the Maori Party voters expressing a preference for Labour then a coalition of all three is distinctly possible.
There is more to dumping Carter than his bad behavoir and disloyalty.
July 31st, 2010 at 4:24 pm
I tend to agree Viking2.
Labour need to build public support with good candidates and personality.
Old policy and tactics is not going to cut it. National have moved into position, and apart from some minor tinkering, are giving us what we have grown to like under three terms of Miss Clark.
Labour need to cut out the crap, they cant always disagree with the opposition for the sake of it. They need innovation and appeal. They need to look at what will work, even if it is ‘right’ of National. Hell, Aussie Labour is right of National.
July 31st, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Note that when Carter says his trip to China didn’t cost the taxpayer anything; he is WRONG.
He was supposed to be working, not skiving off overseas. A Parliamentary recess is not a holiday – its a time when MPs attend to the needs of their electorate, etc.
August 2nd, 2010 at 10:05 am
Labour is not the only party with a bitter, vindictive, gay MP. Ever listened to Chris Finlayson lately?