Chiefs of Staff

Reflecting further on the departure of Andrew Campbell as Greens’ Chief of Staff. The CoS role is a crucial one – more important than most MPs.
 
The Greens have been fairly stable with COSs – just two or three in the last seven years. They went through several before 2009 but then had Ken Spagnolo for eight years and now Campbell and then Campbell’s replacement.
 
Labour has had lots. So many I couldn’t even keep track – I had to check to remember all their names. There’s been Matt McCarten, Wendy Brandon, Fran Mold, Alistair Cameron, Stuart Nash, GJ Thompson and Murray Wainsborough – that’s seven in seven years.
 
By contrast National has had only one Chief of Staff for the last 11 years. Says a lot.