3 time loser wins

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, December 7th, 2010 - 25 comments
Categories: human rights, national/act government, racism, racism, workers' rights - Tags:

In a surprise to no-one, John Key has appointed 3 time election loser Hekia Parata as the replacement for the latest of his corrupt ministers to walk the plank – Pansy Wong. I’m hoping Parata will be less of a disgrace than Wong. It wouldn’t be hard, she would just have to actually try to answer questions in the House and actually do something about the wage gaps.

Reinstating the Pay and Employment Equity Plan of Action and the Pay and Employment Equity Unit would be a start.

She could make a proper response to the gender inequalities outlined in the Human Rights Commission’s New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation, which her disgraced predecessor dismissed as “not new issues”. While she’s at it, she should launch an investigation into why the gender gap has grown under National, according to the Global Gender Gap Report.

As Ethnic Affairs Minister, she could investigate the shocking plunges in Maori and Pacific Island incomes – down 11.5% under National for Maori and 19% for Pacific Islanders.

She should open an investigation into the Taeaomanino Trust too.

She could also release the details of the former ministers’ activities during her astonishing 10 overseas trips while minister. I assume Parata won’t find she needs to travel to China once every five months in her new roles.

And, finally, I would recommend that Parata doesn’t get too comfortable. She’s got another Mana race to lose in about 8 months (I dare say that with 3 losses under her belt – Wellington Central 2002, Mana 2008 and 2010 – she’s already the least electorally-popular Cabinet Minister ever). And she may well find that she’s out of Cabinet along with the rest of her lot too.

25 comments on “3 time loser wins ”

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  1. rjs131 1
    7 December 2010 at 9:48 am

    So if Labour wins in 2011 then you will be disgusted if the likes of Shane Jones and Maryan Street, who refuse to win electorate seats become Ministers? Just so you are consistent

    • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1
      7 December 2010 at 9:56 am

      rjs are you disgusted that Key has chosen Hekia because she is a woman.

    • Blighty 1.2
      7 December 2010 at 10:11 am

      “refuse to win electorates”?

      Oh you mean they’re list only MPs – like Steven Joyce and Georgina Te Heuheu. The difference is, Parata is standing for electorates and losing every time.

      • Graeme Edgeler 1.2.1
        7 December 2010 at 10:46 am

        Oh you mean they’re list only MPs – like Steven Joyce and Georgina Te Heuheu. The difference is, Parata is standing for electorates and losing every time.

        No, that’s not what he means.

        Maryan Street lost in Taranaki-King Country in 2005, and Nelson in 2008. Shane Jones lost Northland in 2005 and 2008.

        • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 1.2.1.1
          7 December 2010 at 3:44 pm

          Yeah but that’s only two. Parata has lost three, which makes her, what, 33% worse. Obviously. Suck on that, Nact.

  2. Mac1 2
    7 December 2010 at 10:25 am

    I wouldn’t be too hard on people who lose electorate contests especially in seats that are hard to win.
    2002 was a bad year for National, standing against a good incumbent in a safe Labour seat 2008 was difficult. She also didn’t have a chance against Fa’afoi in a by-election either.

    I have no personal liking for Parata. She hectored and interrupted in a most unpleasant way in 2010. But calling her a three time loser is, while accurate, a form of crowing to me who has had the experience of being a two time loser. I prefer to acknowledge that some people have to run in seats which are very difficult to win, on both sides.

    All that you can say is that they lost unless you want to of course point out their personal and their party’s failings which might well be useful.

    • Anne 2.1
      7 December 2010 at 12:09 pm

      Well said Mac1.
      Hekia Parata isn’t a loser but, like you, I don’t like her. She’s another bully girl along the lines of Judith Collins and Paula Bennett, and has an inflated opinion of herself. Hopefully she will come a cropper one day.

  3. Tigger 3
    7 December 2010 at 10:31 am

    This is hardly a win. Half the right want these portfolios deleted. She’s the Minister of PC as far as her lot are concerned.

  4. rjs131 4
    7 December 2010 at 10:34 am

    I thought Street had stood in both King Country in 2005 then Nelson in 2008, and Shane Jones in Northland both 2005 and 2008.

  5. George 5
    7 December 2010 at 10:40 am

    This is bad for Faafoi. He’s now a brand new and low-profile MP who has a cabinet minister ready to stand against him in a few months.

    On the other hand Key has shown he’s willing to make someone a cabinet minister for political gain rather than merit.

    • Rosy 5.1
      7 December 2010 at 12:09 pm

      Agree Mac1.
      Also that “This is bad for Faafoi. He’s now a brand new and low-profile MP who has a cabinet minister ready to stand against him in a few months.

      But I think it is a really good move by Key. Parata is active and articulate, with a high profile in Mana now. She has the goods to do a reasonable job for her NACT supporters, both in these portfolios (that I’m sure they want to strangle) and in Mana next year. I wouldn’t under-rate her. Labour will need to pull finger… and I hope they do. I’d love to not see Faafoi in the national press but all over the local papers for building networks and pushing issues, especially jobs, health and housing”.

      • Tigger 5.1.1
        7 December 2010 at 12:52 pm

        Can you explain how she can do a good job in these portfolios? She can’t. If she does a good job she’ll be working against what NACT want to achieve. She will do nothing – just like Wong – except provide an opportunity to trip herself up.

        • Rosy 5.1.1.1
          7 December 2010 at 1:03 pm

          “Can you explain how she can do a good job in these portfolios? ”
          That’s what I meant – she’ll do a good job for her NACT supporters, not the majority of citizens of this country.

          “She will do nothing – just like Wong – except provide an opportunity to trip herself up”.

          I don’t think she’ll do nothing. I think she’ll actually come through for NACT. She’ll bury equal pay and the like. She might trip up at times, but has that hurt Bennnet? Beware the left, if it doesn’t take her seriously IMO.

    • Colonial Viper 5.2
      7 December 2010 at 3:27 pm

      Bad for Fa’afoi?

      Heka a Cabinet minister for half a year by elections? You mean just in time for Maori and Pasifika wages to go down again while female unemployment climbs further?

    • swordfish 5.3
      7 December 2010 at 7:36 pm

      @ George: Bad for Fa’afoi ?

      Don’t think so. The Mana By-Election provided Parata with her only real chance of winning the seat. All to do with the underlying two-vote (General Election) / one-vote (By-Election) dynamics.

      With the luxury of two votes in 2008, 1800 Greens (more than 60% of all Mana Greens) were able to happily cast their Candidate-Vote for Winnie Laban having already cast their all-important Party-Vote for the Greens. Predictably, with only one By-Election vote, most of these Greens “returned” to (or rather “remained” with) the Greens (the Party representing their core allegiance). This – along with Laban’s personal popularity and one or two other factors – played an important role in the narrowing of the gap.

      Back to two votes in 2011. I expect Parata will remain more popular than she was in 2008 but many of those Greens (along with various Minor Party voters) will head on back to Fa’afoi.

      I’d be surprised if his majority is less than 2000 after the next Election (though he clearly won’t reach the heights of Laban).

  6. smhead 6
    7 December 2010 at 11:02 am

    Lots of people have come back from the wilderness after electoral defeats. Remember when Goff was chucked out of parliament in 1990? SO was Mallard. And King. David Parker’s had his share of dumpings. Damian O’Connor’s back on the list after getting rejected in 05 AND 08. Who’s the next on Labour’s list? Oh yes Judith Tizard. She got dumped lots of times. And all of them together lost in 2008 when Labour got thrown out of office. Yet they’re still on labour’s front bench. In fact Labour’s got the biggest bunch of serial losers in NZ political history in the front line up.

    • The Voice of Reason 6.1
      7 December 2010 at 1:24 pm

      Serial loser? Two words for ya. Bill English. All of the above pale into insignificance compared to the Dipton Dipper’s efforts and he never even lost his own seat. Just the seats of twenty of his mates.

  7. mickysavage 7
    7 December 2010 at 2:30 pm

    This is a PR driven decision. Hekia is “promoted” for doing so well in the by election. It lets the “National did well” message continue in the media.

    Like so many other decisions it has been made on the basis of PR and not on competency or what is good for the country.

    • Muzza 7.1
      7 December 2010 at 2:46 pm

      I think you are right Micky. National are aware their electoral chances are tied to the image they project therefore they know how to build, maintain and propel a favourable narrative. Sadly Labour has no clue how to do so. This probably comes down to the fact National has clever and cunning tacticians whereas Labour has intellects.

      • Craig Glen Eden 7.1.1
        8 December 2010 at 9:05 am

        Yup thats it Muzza sadly you are right! The other thing is this is so easily identified by practical people, but its hard to get this through to intellectuals. Why oh why has Goff not done some media training? He has that awful habit if holding/grabbing air this makes his message look unsure. Key speals shit but it flows so as far as the public is concerned it goes.

        I know most people don’t watch Parliament TV but every time Goff gets up and delivers his Mrrrr
        Speeaaaker I want to cry. His subsequent comment is often really good his delivery terrible.
        Helen did a lot of work and I know she use to get upset about all the attention to her look and clothes but she worked on it she got a designer that did clothes for her she created her own style.
        Goff needs to do some work on his communication and Labour needs a narrative and fast.
        Key is a shit PM but he has the speal of a vacuum cleaner salesman.

  8. Luke 8
    7 December 2010 at 11:16 pm

    I dont think this will give Parata a noticeable amount more profile in the electorate.
    How many times was pansy seen on TV before the scandal?
    Her portfolios hardly get any media coverage, so apart from a short blip now it will not help her.
    Meanwhile Faafoi will get a large, visible office and will be able to get is name out much more, especially in the middle class areas where he didnt so so well, with Paratas existing name recognition gaining her a fair few votes.

  9. randal 9
    8 December 2010 at 12:39 pm

    hekia says she is a public servnt.
    I thought she was a representative.
    since when did MP’s become civil servants?

  10. pollywog 10
    8 December 2010 at 12:41 pm

    Going by this, Fa’afoi should easily make minister by the time Labour get in next.

    So has Kris made his maiden speech yet ?

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