Labour’s choices
March 31st, 2011 at 12:00 pm by David FarrarTwo, maybe three, jobs are up for grabs in Labour. They are Chief Whip and Education Spokesperson, and also possibly the curent jobs held by whomever gets Chief Whip.
Let’s look at Education Spokesperson first. Who are the possibilities:
- Trevor Mallard. Knows portfolio backwards, but has just been moved out of it, and is needed even mroe as Shadow House Leader without Darren.
- Grant Robertson. Grant would love tertiary education especially, but has just been given health so is unlikely
- David Shearer. Is Acting Spokesperson, and generally regarded as a solid performer. Not an aggressive attack dog in the House, but could develop some good policy over time. However election only eight months away.
- Kelvin Davis. A former principal, and from all accounts a good one. Has been known to depart from ideological purity to put forward common sense solutions. The full portfolio may be too much for him at this stage but could be made Associate for the compulsory sector.
- Carmel Sepuloni. Is under-used with no major portfolios. Has a background in tertiary education, so could be made an associate in tertiary.
Looking at the above, I’d have to say the most likely option would seem to be Shearer keeps the portfolio, but perhaps get an associate. Kelvin Davis is a viable alternative.
So who will be Chief Whip. This is technically elected by Caucus, but unless the Leader is incompetent they will take soundings on who is a preferred candidate, and nominate someone they have trust in. If the junior whip becomes senior whip (which is normally what you would expect), then you will need a new junior whip also. So who might be in contention for either job:
- Steve Chadwick. Steve is junior whip and you would normally promote the junior. But not sure she is that close to Goff, and the Leader needs a Chief Whip who they can place total reliance on.
- Trevor Mallard. Trevor is Shadow Leader of the House and could do chief whip blindfolded. With his injury, he might welcome a role with less travel.
- Sue Moroney. Wouldn’t become chief whiip, but could become junior whip.
- Chris Hipkins. Chris is very strong on House procedure etc and would be a very good whip. May not have gravitas yet to be chief whip, but would be an excellent junior whip.
- Iain Lees-Galloway. Iain has no major portfolios, so could move into a whip sot fairly comfortably.
- Kris Faafoi. Probably too early for Faafoi, but is a popular member of caucus, and it helps to have whips who get on well with people. Would have Goff’s trust also.
Presumably we’ll find out on Tuesday who gets what.
Related posts:
- Nathan Guy made Internal Affairs Minister
- Labour’s reshuffle
- Labour’s reshuffle
- And the winner is David ……. Shearer
March 31st, 2011 at 12:11 pm
You forgot Judith Tizard. She has unfinished business.
[DPF: Judith for Chief Whip - I love it!]
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Yeah we’re all ahnging out to hear her retirement speech.
Her and a few others.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Third gay man in a row for education? Surely not Grant Robertson. Especially after Carter and Hughes.
[DPF: I don't care about their sexuality, unless it influences their policy.]
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 12:26 pm
My God. What a talentless bunch of losers. Some of those women won’t even be around after the next election.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 12:35 pm
It has to be mallard as he has the necessary seniority, BUT is Mallard going to stay on after the electiont
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 1:07 pm
I do not think Goff should look beyond Faafoi. I have it from a reliable source that he was present when we inherited the concept from our colonial rulers in the 1800s. His knowledge and experience would be invaluable.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 1:18 pm
DPF if you don’t care about sexuality why do you – like the media – frequently comment on it?
[DPF: I don't discriminate about it, but I sometimes find it of interest. I doubt I have commented on it that often]
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 1:23 pm
‘Trevor Mallard could do chief whip blindfolded . . . ‘
Too much detail, David
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 1:37 pm
forget about Goffs constant gaffes and the Hughes “incident” .. the subject matter here says it all about the Labour party and in particular its MP’s .. wow
Vote:I thought Sue Moroney was No2 to Hughes in education??
steven Chadwick as a spokesman for ANY portfolio is a sad state of affairs
having to rely on daffy .. the man should be reitred NOT relied on in times like this .. no scuccession planning to be seen (manily because of a bare cupboard).
March 31st, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Please! Please!! Phil; PLEASE promote Carmel Sepuloni!!!
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Sexuality is just another interesting detail about people but unless Grant Robertson is very different from the other two in his predilections I’d rather see someone else in education than yet another gay guy.
Vote:I was shocked the other day watching Parliament on TV to see how fat Sue Moroney has become.
What happens to them? Do they just sit round eating and drinking all day once they get to Wellington?
March 31st, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Surely we should be overlooking sexuality and judging these people on teh merits of their intellects and characters, Bea.
Perhaps Sue just got sick of being called ‘Boney’ . . .
So perhaps it should now be ‘Big-Boney Morony’ . . .
[DPF: Leave off the personal remarks please]
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 3:27 pm
LeeC
Vote:You are quite right of course but intellects and characters often aren’t half as much fun as other traits – especially when it’s the other traits that get them in trouble.
March 31st, 2011 at 3:48 pm
[DPF: Leave off the personal remarks please]
This gem from someone who calls people “pathetic”……..
[DPF: I call people's behaviour pathetic, when it is. This is vastly different to calling someone names over their body appearance. I accept though for you, you can not tell the difference]
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Meltdown time Maggie? Perhaps you should have a wee cuppa and a lie down.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 3:57 pm
You forgot that Faafoi is already shadow minister for ex-tvnz political hacks and timetravel.
Who are they appointing to the shadow ministry of silly walks?
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Yes Maggie. It was your comments that Farrar called pathetic (and they were). Not you. It’s called playing the ball not the (wo)man. Obviously, though, in your haste to demonise and belittle Key, you cannot tell the difference.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 4:13 pm
Isn’t Fa’afoi the Shadow Minister for Phil Goff’s Press Secretary?
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 4:21 pm
I2,
Indeed he is. He was deemed perfect for the role as he was not only present, but was in fact the Secretary when Gutenberg commissioned the first Press
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 5:37 pm
From memory both Shearer and Sepuloni have both been teachers at some stage in their careers.
Always good to have someone who has experienced life at the chalkface as Minister of Education. Obviously it’s not always necessary or possible for a Minister to have worked in their portfolio area. But in education Tolley is so out of her depth.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Trying to work out how someone who isn’t pathetic can say things that are.
I appreciate Farrar cannot tell the difference. Nor, it seems, can his Pavlov dogs, poor wee dears.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Farrar, you might like to cogitate on how useless this blog would be without a few brave independent thinkers. Hurling abuse at them isn’t very smart, is it?
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 6:25 pm
“a few brave independent thinkers”
Maggies, your rants on anything to do with unions show clearly that you are no independent thinker
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Always good for a laugh Maggie, don’t ever change.
Vote:Do you really think you’ll get much traction coming onto a centre-right blog and regurgitating left wing ideology?
It’s as brave as independent as my neighbour’s cat shitting on my lawn.
March 31st, 2011 at 6:33 pm
If comrade maggie is an independent thinker, then The sub-Standard is a bastion of the right, Bin Laden feasts on pork chops, and I’m Napoleon and Julius Caesar reincarnated.
An utter load of bollocks. Maggie you are as left-wing as your former leader Clark; and you follow orders from the Labour Party. In fact, you’re nothing but a socialist hack.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 6:38 pm
The sexuality of an MP is an issue if that MP chooses to make it so by using it as an excuse (Carter) or by promoting it (Chauvel)
I well remember Charles Chauvel’s maiden speech, he proudly spoke of his determination to further the cause of gay rights as being one of the reasons he stood for Parliament.
Given that Chauvel has made his sexuality an issue with a statement like that then it is fair game to ask questions of him about some of the choices he might make, one would have thought he entered Parliament to further the cause of all Kiwis but apparently that is not what Charles is all about.
IMHO as long as the questions are not bigoted then Chauvel should not be above being questioned about his sexuality if it is relevant, remember, Chauvel himself opened that door.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Mine was a jokey reference to the old rock’n'roll song
‘I got a girl called Boney Moroney,
She’s about as skinny as a stick of macaroni’
I don’t really know how fat Sue Moroney is, not having seen a photo of her. But Bea B has, and she said that she was fat. Bea suggested it was because she ate too much and didn’t get any exercise. That was her, not me.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 7:01 pm
More importantly, many of us while accepting that they are what they are and through no fault of their own consider that their thinking and life experiences are vastly different from a normal heterosexual person.
They just are and that is why its seriously questionable why one would be placed in a portfolio that required balanced thinking about families and that sort of thing.
A bit like having divorcees as marriage guidance councilors.
Doesn’t compute.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Considering choices, there Littles job up for grabs. The Labour Party Leader one that is. (he’s got so many he can’t remeber them all himself.)
Anyone one heard of this anonymous person?
Moira Coatsworth tipped to take Labour president role
Thursday, 31, Mar, 2011 11:06AM
Labour Party vice-president Moira Coatsworth looks like the odds-on favourite to replace Andrew Little.
Mr Little is due to step down as party president when the party’s council meets in Wellington this weekend.
He will then concentrate on winning back the seat of New Plymouth for Labour at the next election.
Ms Coatsworth has been the party’s vice-president since 2009.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Trevor mallard who ‘promised’ to have no more than 15 kids per teacher in new entrant classes back in 2005.
My son started school in 2008 with 30 kids in his class.
Trevor, is dodgy and does not keep promises.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Farrar, you might like to cogitate on how useless this blog would be without a few brave independent thinkers.
I agree Maggie, so what are you doing here? What do you think your transparent propaganda achieves, on here?
You’re clearly astute and well informed and a lefty and as such it’s regrettable you don’t put forward astute counter-arguments but rather mere propaganda aimed at idiots and pol studies students.
Some of us Maggie are a hell of a lot deeper than that, most of us actually.
So why spend time here at all, if you’re never going to make a difference?
The only way to make a difference here, is by insightful logic, not superficial appeal to some imaginary herd instinct you seem to think conservatives possess. Conservatives are not actually ideologically driven. They are when they are fanatics, and there is a very small segment within conservatism of people who I call free market fanatics, but they are the only ones who are ideologically driven. I know. I live amongst them, every day.
Lefties seem universally unable to grasp this and if I were to speculate I’d say it may be because they themselves are widely ideologically driven – it’s for the cause, you see. Almost every lefty who comments here seems to imagine they are on some crusade to save the poor, the hungry, the down-trodden. It’s quite extraordinary. So my theory is that lefties since most of them seem to think like this, think everybody thinks like this – ideologically, that is. Not humanely, like them, of course, but ideologically, emotionally, passionate about moulding the world. They seem to think conservative ideology is as strong a driver for us as it clearly is for them.
This is in fact quite wrong, and I could explain why this is so but I can’t be arsed. My simple point is Maggie, you’ve got a hell of a lot to offer, but all you ever do is make mind-numbingly simplistic points your average 10-year-old conservative can see straight through. Considering the astute students of Conservative philosophy who inhabit this site, it’s a waste of both your time, and ours. Please change, or simply leave.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Here we go, the attack dogs are unleashed. All of them without remembering to put their dentures in. Bleat away, sheep, bleat away.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:25 pm
reid, of course my material is aimed at idiots, how else would you understand it, sweetie?
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:25 pm
See Maggie, a genuine invitation to make a diff, and you turn it down, why?
What’s the point of saying anything on any blog, if it’s not to make people think and maybe expand or change?
Otherwise what’s the point?
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:29 pm
Conservatives aren’t ideologically driven = what a hoot!
That explains the Employment Contracts Act, tax cuts for the wealthy, privatisation……
Was the Lange government ideologically driven, reid?
Oh, and congrats on the longest post you have ever produced on this blog. At least its better than your usual tripe, the “‘National is always right, Labour is always wrong” crap.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:39 pm
@ Maggie – cogito ergo sum – I think; therefore I am
You, my dear, are exceedingly arrogant to suggest that the Left has the mortgage on independant thought. Do you really think that Maori blindly following the Ratana Accord and union members blindly and obediently voting Labour is the product of independant thought?
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Maggie conservatives are driven by logic and logic is stuff that creates a difference in the real world. The market does in fact make a difference in the real world in a positive OR negative way, it’s also not good for every single thing under the sun but some conservatives think it is and that’s who I call “free-market fanatics.”
Douglas, Richardson, Prebble, Caygill, Moore, newsflash are not free-market fanatics they are believers in Heyeckian not Keynesian economics. Hayeckian economics is what drives every single economy in the world today, East, West, Europe, Africa, America, Asia, you name it, it’s there.
Keynes, newsflash, also believed in the market. He made millions in the stock market. It’s just that Keynes’ theory is that big govt, meaning ownership of productive assets, is the way to go, whereas Hayeck is about small govt, and less interference.
Now fact is, they are both right, and it’s a question of degree. Only the most fanatical trade-unionist could possibly argue that our Telecom services did not improve when they sold it. Whether they got the right price and whether they sold it at the right market cycle, are different questions. Did we, the customer, benefit. Yes. Tick.
That’s how conservative free-marketers think, Maggie. Sometimes, we get it wrong. Take electricity. Bradford’s reforms are fucking disastrous, monstrous failures.
The wanker has begat us constantly rising prices, for what? The same electricity we used to get, all the time, for much, much less. Fuck. What a moron. I really hate paying for his pension.
We could go on. Suffice to say, Maggie, until you know the enemy, you will never make progress.
I daresay I understand your mindset a hell of a lot better than you understand mine, based on your responses tonight, so far.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:55 pm
It’s over his head guys.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 8:59 pm
@ Reid – Maggie DOES know the enemy; the enemy for Maggie is anyone who dares not share her idealistic socialist worldview. How DARE they!
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 9:04 pm
“Some of us Maggie are a hell of a lot deeper than that, most of us actually”
Early candidate for Billy T. James award of 2011
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Reid re Bradford.
Thanks – I don’t feel so lonely anymore.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Why is this news? Yesterday’s detrious outside KFC could fulfill each position and possibly get more than 7% in prefered PM polls too.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 10:49 pm
Inventory, where did I say the left had a mortgage on independent thought? All I said was independent thinkers have an advantage over Farrar’s Pavlov dogs. Goes without saying.
Read your Dickens – Christmas Carol. “The boy is ignorance, the girl is want. Of the two fear ignorance most”
Ignorance is endemic here.
This is a National Party blog led by an NP groupie. Just to seem a little balanced the groupie occasionally criticises National, but he doesn’t really mean it. Then he throws a bone to the attack dogs who fight over it for a while and then lose interest. So he throws another one, then another, then…….
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 10:51 pm
reid, honey, no-one could make a difference here so long as people like you are around.
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 10:58 pm
maggie, maggie, maggie …. oh fuck, can’t be bothered. NZ Labour is fucked, you got a job yet?
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 11:23 pm
It’s very sad isn’t it RP.
Poor Liarbore. Whatever will become of them.
Chortle.
(Apologies for this repeat from my GD post but I’m thinking the more I say this whenever the opportunity arises, the madder and madder they’ll become. At least, I hope so.)
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Dahling the only person you’ll make mad is yourself
Oops – too late!
Vote:March 31st, 2011 at 11:58 pm
It’s very sad isn’t it Maggie.
Poor Liarbore. Whatever will become of them.
Chortle.
Vote:April 1st, 2011 at 1:38 am
Is there a parrot around here?
Vote:April 1st, 2011 at 6:09 am
Reid, Maggie
You two should just get a room ….. you are obviously made for each other. Is there such a term as ‘blog-spouse’? Because you two are starting to fit the profile.
expressed with much love – etc. . .
Vote:April 1st, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Bloody hell, I do have some standards. The mere thought is nauseating.
Vote:April 1st, 2011 at 11:50 pm
yeah you fancy him….. admit it. . .
Vote:April 2nd, 2011 at 2:35 am
Yeeech, I’d rather have a plate of black pudding…….
Vote:April 2nd, 2011 at 5:57 am
Reads like a tyical marriage to me. . .
Vote: