Written By: - Date published: 5:14 pm, April 7th, 2008 - 62 comments
Categories: greens, helen clark, interview, labour -
Tags: greens, helen clark, interview, labour
A big thanks to Progressives’ leader Jim Anderton for being the first participant in our ‘Interview the leaders’ series. The quality of his answers has set a standard for the others to emulate. Our next leader is Jeanette Fitzsimmons of the Green Party.
The general question remains:
Of which of your achievements in politics are you most proud?
For the two other questions we’ve gone with Robinsod’s question:
If the Greens had the opportunity to implement one core policy without compromise what would it be?
and Insider’s question:
You and the green movement has been politically active for nearly 40 years, yet still gain only marginal support (both here and overseas). What is holding you back from greater electoral success (if that is an objective) and what lessons have you learned from that?
While we haven’t been able to cover everything you asked we have emailed Jeanette a link to the questions post so she can have a look at your issues. We’re expecting to post her answers on Monday April 14.
In the meantime our next leader is the Labour Party’s Helen Clark. You can place your questions for her in the comments section of this post. Reminder: tough but fair.
Facebook
Twitter
Scoopit!
Are you gay
[Not a political issue, battyleftie. Keep it above the belt. Also, questions have question marks. SP]
seriously though: “Do you consider the end of cheap oil a threat to New Zealand’s prosperity and what can be done about it?”
Will you cut taxes enough to close the wage gap with Australia?
Wendy – even if we all paid zero tax it wouldn’t close the wage gap with Australia (at least, not completely, if that was what you were asking?). Surely the only way to close the wage gap is for employers to raise wages.
Do you see a case for New Zealand regaining control of more strategic assets?
Part of the MMP environment is working with other parties to form a government. At what point could you rule out working with another party based on their stated policies? Do you consider that statements emanating from New Zealand First regarding asian immigration are concerning enough to exclude them from present and future governments? Do you consider it difficult for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to adequately discharge his duties given that the party he leads has espoused views that many consider to be racist and will be voting against a major foreign relationship enhancement in the China FTA.
Do you think the introduction of MMP has strengthened or weakened New Zealand’s Democracy?
Hey look – KiwiBlog talking points! Mike mate – you may find this hard to understand but the fact that Winston is keeping his own positions on these issues while remaining in the cabinet is a sign of a healthy MMP govt. If big parties try to shove their agenda down the throats of their smaller partners you get meltdowns like the Winston first/Shipley one. Davey knows that full well but will ignore sensible analysis in favour of oppositional stirring every time.
Come to think of it why is the king of the political blogosphere not asking a question here? Surely he’s got some clever question he’d like to put to the PM???
the king of the political blogosphere
Well I didn’t vote for him!
http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/writings/being_repressed.htm
Sod – irrespective of what DPF has blogged about today this is a question I want an answer to. If you had been an observant wee chap you would have noted my comments the other day here: http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=1568#comments
And I thought the point of submitting questions for answer was that we weren’t derided for asking them. People here complain that those on the right are not asking tough questions – well I think this is one. I want the PM to answer this question not you sod. Her answer is the one I am interested in, not some apologist’s.
My question is for the Prime Minister and asks (BTW: why do they say that – you are asking, not the question?):
Given that you were part of the most right wing government in New Zealand’s history, and now lead a government that you take pride in being described as left wing, what do you say to people that accuse you of being in politics for the sake of pwer above all else?
“What has been the biggest error of judgement of your premiership, for which you take personal responsibility?”
How about:
After you left government in 1990, the government accounts were found to be in a more precarious state than indicated, including the state of the BNZ. Can you guarantee that, if Labour is not in government after the next election, there will be no such economic surprises.”
My question to the Prime Minister is this:
How do you justify the double standards inherent in contrast between the labour party’s incessant rhetoric about sustainability on the one hand with the expansion of coal mining and exports by Solid Energy and the expansion of intensive dairy farming by Landcorp (both State Owned Enterprises) on the other?
What do you believe has been the major reasons for Labour’s decline in popularity in the Maori seats ?
Some really good questions starting to come through.
Has inter party co-operation improved or deteriorated under the MMP environment. What do you think could be done to improve cooperation amongst political parties on major economic, social and environmental issues.
Rob:
“Interesting perspective from a right winger!”
I’m afraid not everyone who doesn’t think Labour have performed admirably is also a right winger.
The British Labour Party has attempted to refresh themselves with the endorsement and subsequent selection of a new Prime Minister to replace Tony Blair. Is this an approach you would consider taking in order to continue returning a Labour-led Government?
(note: also a member of the LP asking here!)
Will you be asking for the resignation of your Foreign Minister now that he has stated he will advocate against aspects of your governments Foreign Policy to Foreign Governments?
If not, Why not?
As the Trans-Tasman regulatory authority has not come into being and our Medicines Regulatory Authority (MEDSAFE) is currently in a state of disrepair can you confirm if a Labour led government would revisit legislating for the JTA next term or failing that how would you propose solving the current crisis at Medsafe.
>quotequote
Seeing The National Party policy platform is almost the same as Labour’s
Have you ruled out a grand coalition ?
Given the last cab on the rank maybe the one to get you home,
Do you think you could have The M P as part of A HC led Government
OoB: I like that first one
Here’s mine:
Your government’s policies have been typically quite friendly to feminist and queer voters in the past, however this has drawn criticism that Labour is involved in social engineering or pushing a radical homosexual/feminist agenda. How do you respond to that sort of criticism?
(Razorlight
Apr 8th, 2008 at 3:05 am
said “Why has this Labour Government changed their policy on personal tax cuts in 2007/8 after years of arguing against them?”)
Razorlight
Let me show you
1. The Prime Minister’s take on tax, and
2. The dishonesty of ‘honest’ John Key
Noted in a John Armstrong column (10/11/07 Beehive Diary)
John Key quoted Helen Clark (2000 speech to Labour party conference) as saying:
“Tax cuts are a path to inequality. They are the promises of a visionless and intellectually bankrupt people.’
He deliberately omitted the “and underdevelopment in today’s circumstances’ and added an ‘a’ to imply she was speaking about New Zealanders.
Helen Clark actually said this in 2000, “Tax cuts are a path to inequality and underdevelopment in today’s circumstances. They are the promises of visionless and intellectually bankrupt people.’ which meant they were not appropriate at that time, which then suggests that there is a time for them.
They did not therefore refuse to accept a place for tax cuts in the future.
John Key is guilty at the very least of manipulation of the truth and since tax cuts seem to be important to some/many/85% New Zealanders, it was damaging to Helen Clark. At the very least he should be made to apologize.
Then he followed up with the “we would love to see wages drop’ speech and following cover up.
Prime Minister,
Income splitting.
I believe it is important, as you once said, that if women with children want to go out to work, it should be made easier for them to do so. You followed that up recently with 20 hours free child care legislation, and other earlier enablers.
Personally, I believe women need to have the wherewithal to make financially independent decisions for themselves and their children and I congratulate you on making that easier during your tenure.
But, when women choose for all sorts of reasons, and that is what feminists always fought for – choice – to stay home because they feel it is the best for them, won’t the income splitting idea help them financially?