Trotter on Mana
October 11th, 2011 at 9:00 am by David FarrarChris Trotter blogs:
For a while there it looked as though the Mana Party just might turn into something worthwhile – a second chance for all those who were dismayed to see the Alliance crash and burn over Afghanistan back in 2001-2002.
But, no. Mana’s announcement that Kereama Pene, a minister of the Ratana Church, is to contest the Tamaki Makaurau seat has put an end to all that.Mr Pene is a flamboyant character who has, at one time or another, been a supporter of the Mana Motuhake, Labour, Destiny and Maori parties. He is also on record as saying the Prime Minister, John Key, is “ a person who should be admired”.Not content with singing the Prime Minister’s praises, Mr Pene has also publicly declared that: “National is actually the group that have done most of the great things for Maoridom over the past 20 years.” Identifying (erroneously) the Treaty Settlements Process, the Waitangi Tribunal and the Kohanga Reo Movement as National Party achievements, Mana’s Tamaki Makaurau candidate told the NZ Herald: “You’ve got to give praise where its due.”These statements show Mr Pene to be, at best, a dangerously naive political novice, or, at worst, a ticking time-bomb, guaranteed to explode at the worst possible moment. His remarks have deeply compromised the Mana Party at a time when political journalists are already discussing its lack of momentum, and its failure to capitalise on Leader Hone Harawira’s success in retaining the Te Tai Tokerau seat. …Too late now. Mr Pene’s selection is proof positive that not only is Mana’s talent pool woefully shallow – so, too, is its political judgement.
I almost hope that Mana gets more than one MP into Parliament so we can see them start to infight.
October 11th, 2011 at 9:22 am
Hehe – another own goal by the left – after Labour’s string of internally inflicted wounds, barking mad Delahunty’s petulant resignation threat undermining the Greens attempt at mainstream attractiveness and now this. Trotter, as a true believer and public admirer of not only Mana but its ragtag bunch of warmed over radicals, seems genuinely gutted by this act of political naivete.
With Brash and Bank’s infighting in ACT is National more likely than ever to govern alone.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 9:37 am
I think Mana may do some damage to the MP, and I suspect as a result that the real winner on the night is going to be neither.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Labour will be the real winner, at least in the Maori seats.
That’s minor victories at best, the key is the party vote.
With Brash and Bank’s infighting in ACT is National more likely than ever to govern alone.
Key and National haven’t exactly been a great advertisement for that scenario over the last week or so.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 9:47 am
The less I hear about Mana (Yeah right..) the better.
Vote:John Hatfield is just another ‘Kyle Chapman’.
Mana is the alternative “NZ Stormfront’s White Pride” party.
October 11th, 2011 at 9:53 am
How DARE anyone sugest that the most popular PM in recent history is not a complete moron with evil intent!
Trotter once again tells us more about himself than anything else. Hes a walking violation of journalistic standards and ethics who should simply declare his communist manifesto and get it over with.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 9:54 am
Darien Fenton attacks the Mad Butcher for saying that John Key is a good guy. States that she will not frequent his shops
Chris Trotter attacks Kereama Pene for saying that John Key is a a good guy. Probably will not attend Ratana Church.
Same old left wing hatred and incomprehension of how it is possible to be left wing and yet still admire John Key.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 10:48 am
Fisani,
Vote:I think you have misread Trotter. He does not attack Kereama Pene for saying that John Key is a a good guy, and says nothing about attending Ratana. Indeed last week he gave an excellent description of National Party philosophy and why people are attracted to it and to Key.
Trotter’s point is that Pene’s views are both bizarrely fickle and incompatible with Harawira’s.
October 11th, 2011 at 11:00 am
The fact that Mana has selected a maverick for Tamaki Makarau indicates that are taking the piss out of the Maori electorate and are treating the whole episode as a bit of a joke. The words clowns and circus seem apt in describing Mana’s political vision.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 11:07 am
John Key’s decision to bring in the Maori Party was probably his single most savviest move, despite being distasteful to some. That decision was instrumental in taking the wind out of separatist sails, proving that engagement with those you disagree with is preferable to locking them out.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 11:13 am
^^^ I should add, where both parties act in good faith. I don’t include Harawira in that sense.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
It’s either a clever way to strip votes off the National-aligned Maori Party to help out Shane Jones, or it’s Mana deliberately putting up a weak candidate.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Bit of a non-event really. Mana’s polling is so low, I imagine that it will be only Hone with his electorate seat getting in. Or maybe getting enough party votes to get a hanger on with Minto).
Vote:Hone will soon realise that sitting there all alone, having no power is pretty demoralising. I suspect most of the time we won’t even see him at parliament.
October 11th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
An irrelevancy talking about another irrelvancy. Inside the beltway fodder.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
The big question is; When will Trotter notice that his entire leftist redistribution, we are union so we fight the man, ideology has had its day just like the once proud Labour party.
Vote:October 11th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
burt, Labour has only ever been internally “proud”, the rest of us (93% according to current polls over its leader) despise them.
Vote: