A letter to Chris Hipkins

Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, July 30th, 2023 - 31 comments
Categories: act, chris hipkins, Christopher Luxon, climate change, covid-19, Environment, housing, labour, national, poverty, Unions, workers' rights - Tags:

Dear Chris

I can’t say that you were my preferred choice as Labour leader but that is the position that you hold.

A great deal hangs on how you perform in the next few months and can I wish you the best and all strength.

The country is in a precarious position and there is a huge amount at stake.

I thought last election when Labour won 50% of the party vote that this election would be a walk in the park and we would win it easily.

But obviously things have not worked out as hoped and things are obviously very closely balanced.

National has got itself into shape.  It was a laughing stock last election but it has knuckled down and Christoper Luxon has given it some discipline and shape.

Rich supporters who strangely think their privilege is not sufficient and needs to be further enhanced beyond their current ridiculous levels have poured huge amounts of money into National’s and Act’s coffers.  And farmers who are incandescent with rage at attempts to make them farm in a more sustainable way even though their business model depends on a sustainable environment have added to the feeling of malise.

And Luxon has flooded the zone with shit.  Every day National is completely and utterly negative.  His comment that New Zealand was a negative, wet and whiny country was clearly his intent, and not a criticism.

There is a strong sense of grumpiness, emanating from those with power and privilege but it has fuelled into ordinary people’s feelings.

Even though this Government handled a one in 100 year pandemic extraordinarily well.

Or has put into place reforms that have caused Greenhouse emissions to peak and which have been declining for a while.  As commented on by Marc Daalder:

A drop in greenhouse gas emissions due to Covid-19 measures was sustained well beyond the end of movement restrictions and lockdowns, new data shows.

In fact, climate pollution continued to fall through all of 2022, with the December 2022 quarter delivering the lowest figure in at least nine years barring the period covering the first lockdown, Statistics New Zealand reported on Thursday. While the pace of the decline isn’t yet sufficient to meet New Zealand’s climate goals, it suggests we have well and truly bent the emissions curve and are on our (slow but steady) way to a net-zero economy.

Add to this the formation of the Climate Change Commission and recently announced deals with New Zealand Steel and Fonterra which are the equivalent to taking off the road 300,000 and 120,000 cars respectively.  These are deals which National would have no inclination or desire to make.

Or housing.  Housing prices which have been a scourge have stabilised and started to decline.  Record number of new houses being constructed and an impressive 12,000 new Kainga Ora houses being provided in the past five years are causes for celebration.

Or child poverty.  It is accepted that recently reductions in important indicators have stalled, but overall there has been a reduction in these most important of measurements.  From 2018 to 2022 the percentage of kids living in households with less than 50% of the median household income after deduction of housing costs have reduced from 22.8% to 15.4%, and the percentage of children living in households with material hardship have decreased from 13.3% to 10.3%.  And benefit levels have improved significantly.

Or free school lunches for kids which Act wants to scrap.  This is a programme that the Government should be really proud about.  After all it results in significantly happier and healthier kids an overall better health quality of live. The most underserved kids benefitted even more than the others. I have no doubt that in the long term the programme will lead to positive lifelong benefits and more equitable outcomes.

Or fair pay agreements.  On top of record increases of wages for nurses the introduction of the Fair Pay Agreement system will provide the best change for workers in decades. They will set minimum standards across whole industries so we can win decent work – better pay, hours of work, health and safety, training, and worker input in decision making.

More needs to be done but we need a Labour Government to continue with work in all of these areas.  What it has achieved is something that the Government should be proud of.

So what I am asking you to do is be proud about these achievements and be brave with future announcements.  Rather than use political tactical reasoning to make policy decisions do what is best and argue the point.

Previous Labour leaders who succeeded have shown what is required.  Micky Savage was loved by all for his generosity and understanding, Peter Fraser admired for his direct leadership, Norm Kirk was revered for his desire for New Zealand to be a proud and independent state, David Lange gave us hope and made us smile, Helen Clark was admired for her complete mastery of the job and Jacinda Ardern showed us all that Politics can and should be conducted in a kinder and more generous fashion.

No pressure but you also need to give us hope and confidence and pride.  A Labour Party that has these emotions can do anything.

All the best and I will continue to do what I can to make sure that you remain Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand.  The alternative fills me with utter dread.

31 comments on “A letter to Chris Hipkins ”

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  1. Anne 1
    30 July 2023 at 4:10 pm

    So what I am asking you to do is be proud about these achievements and be brave with future announcements. Rather than use political tactical reasoning to make policy decisions do what is best and argue the point.

    Hear hear!

    When you look back over the decades, the Labour PMs who made the most notable changes to the modern political landscape – Michael J Savage, Norman Kirk and David Lange (on the foreign affairs front anyway) – did so out of a firm belief that what they were doing was essential and right. To this day, they are admired for doing so.

    Strategy and tactics have their place but it seems to me that some politicians and their lackeys have allowed them to dominate all political thinking. This of course is particularly noticeable on the political right. The left have neither the resources nor the stomach for the kind of tactics adopted by the right, so they have to rely on different approaches.

    Please stop the pussy footing around and say it how it is. Please stop letting NAct get away with the lies, half-truths and innuendo. Call them out. Show the voters we aren't a bunch of 'woke' namby pambies which is how the left are being painted and it is succeeding.

    Above all, be yourselves and if you feel like throwing a wobbly over something throw it. Because that's what the rest of us do and we like to vote for people like ourselves.

    • Thinker 1.1
      31 July 2023 at 11:29 am

      Yep, that's the key I think.

      Not everyone has read Dirty Politics and not everyone will see through the games that are being played.

      There's everything wrong with playing dirty games back, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with explaining to the voters at large "This is what is happening. Luxon's saying anything he can to make the present government look bad, but where's his party's policy?"

      TODAY, we can start by telling the public that:

      1) $6billion for new roads has to come either from borrowing (which Luxon criitcised Labour of doing to excess) or by cutting back on social services which much of NZ is relying on to help us get out of the post-pandemic global financial crisis. Which do you prefer, voters?

      2) And, to demonstrate Luxon's short-sighted policy that has been pulled from the shelf of traditional National policy instead of being researched and developed for current times, the roads that do need developing are those that were wiped out by Cyclone Gabrielle.

      3) As for National's "natural MMP partner" ACT, even one of the primary founders has said it is no longer fit for purpose and he plans not to vote for it.

      None of the above is Dirty Politics, but it needs saying.

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2
      31 July 2023 at 11:37 am

      Aye Anne ! Labour needs to front foot this. No use moaning about "msm" and the "Tova, Jenna, Andrea, Jessica etc" anti-Labour doomers.

      Labour have done heaps. Much to be proud of. Tell it !

  2. ianmac 2
    30 July 2023 at 5:08 pm

    Some have called "Where is the Labour Policy? Are they so shattered and disorganised that they cannot decide on what their policy is?"

    Then someone here pointed out that Labour, on the same previous timeline, published their policy from about the 9 August.

    So here is hoping that the GST call was a silly unfounded Nicola call, and that challenging Labour policy will appear.

  3. Reality 3
    30 July 2023 at 5:09 pm

    Agree Anne that the PM should be sharpening up his attack on Chris Luxon's negativity and lack of empathy towards people and let NZ see his natural personality, in contrast to Luxon who is boring, and personality-free. We can all recall Hipkins' delightful moments during the pandemic and his mischievous smile.Voters do want to like their PM even if they have differing opinions.

    To digress, on RNZ today there was a podcast from Todd Muller commenting on mental health and how he worked through his mental health issues. My observation was that he is now a much stronger and better person. I hope Kiri Allan will likewise be stronger in time. It was so good to hear a Nat show decency and empathy and understanding and he even criticised some of his own party for their callous behaviour.

  4. Anker 4
    30 July 2023 at 5:23 pm

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/we-are-bending-the-climate-curve

    The article you mention Mickey Savage, but I note you left this bit from the article out.

    “The figures from Stats NZ are provisional and calculated using a different methodology than New Zealand’s official emissions reporting. But they offer a much quicker and more regular look at the country’s decarbonisation progress than the official annual tallies, which are released on a two-year lag. They also don’t include the carbon-sucking impacts of forestry.”

    Still good news if emissions have come down. Anyone know anything about how NZ Stats calculate it?

    • mickysavage 4.1
      30 July 2023 at 7:09 pm

      You are right Ankler. I did leave that part out. I should have included it because it suggests the situation is even better although the use of forests is a temporary not a permanent solution.

      There is a fair bit of science behind the calculations. More than my brain can handle …

  5. Patricia Bremner 5
    30 July 2023 at 5:27 pm

    We do have much to be proud of. We live in a remarkable country,

    All Labour Greens (and now Te Parti Maori) wished to complete was held back by Winston, then covid.

    Chris Hipkins please unite Labour and coalition partners around getting back into Government to do many of the following things… Not only are we "In it for you… we plan to do the following with you…)'

    continue the path to lower carbon and methane.

    More Research and Development funding

    bring in further Health reforms ie dentistry and more primary health reforms.

    Education with even more support for challenged learners and diminishing student loans as a vehicle by providing more free courses. Free Maori Language courses.

    Employment rights legislation to address fair pay equity and tax issues. Devising 3 types of basic legal employment contract that protect the worker from bad practice. More work place inspections. Fines as in Aus for bad employers ie instant $50 000 fines.

    Housing, devise even more schemes to assist in home ownership. One came out today( $150000 equity partnership with Govt)

    Planning for funding models for large infrastructure and Environmental protections

    These Policies need banners and back up online.

    Give us hope, something to want to vote for, and belief we can overcome the attacks and unite to win. We really can't afford to lose. surprise

    Behind the facade of Luxon is Willis scheming, and all that same horrible group like Woodhouse, who think they are entitled to put someone's picture on a toilet seat. Many have done pretty awful things, yet they want us to vote for them. Their whining nasty put downs are just undercover, not changed.

    Regardless, please vote.

  6. Hunter Thompson II 6
    30 July 2023 at 6:23 pm

    Even if the PM discards the Three (Five?) Waters policy, the damage has already been done because of the massive opposition it provoked.

    Couple that with Labour ministers jumping ship or needing to be disciplined and it's a question of trust, or the lack of it.

    • mickysavage 6.1
      30 July 2023 at 7:10 pm

      Three waters is one of the most rational justifiable policy positions this Government has taken.

      Want to unpick your comment without the manufactured narrative?

      • MickeyBoyle 6.1.1
        30 July 2023 at 11:06 pm

        It is also from the polling I have seen, overwhelmingly disliked by the NZ public, as is co-governance.

        But sure keep on plowing ahead with it and wonder how we lost the election after the fact…

        https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/01/29/poll-more-voters-against-three-waters-than-support/

        • Mac1 6.1.1.1
          31 July 2023 at 9:24 am

          Three questions. First, how much of that 40% against 3 waters are usually Nact voters? Second, how many people are single issue voters and is 3 Waters/co-governance that issue?

          And thirdly, has there been research done on why people voted as they did in 2020, or is this all people's 'reckons'?

      • Chris 6.1.2
        31 July 2023 at 10:46 am

        "Three waters is one of the most rational justifiable policy positions this Government has taken."

        Almost all of Labour's now abandoned policy positions are rational and justifiable. The problem is that Labour doesn't bring the general population along with them.

        Too little, too late…

  7. adam 7
    30 July 2023 at 8:20 pm

    Sorry mickysavage but I get the feeling he's doing a normal for a labour party leader – losing an election, rather than lose control.

    mickysavage you too can party vote Te Pāti Māori or Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Keep the left, left.

  8. Grey Area 8
    30 July 2023 at 9:13 pm

    More needs to be done but we need a Labour Government to continue with work in all of these areas. What it has achieved is something that the Government should be proud of.

    So what I am asking you to do is be proud about these achievements and be brave with future announcements. Rather than use political tactical reasoning to make policy decisions do what is best and argue the point.

    They can't be brave. They can't be transformative. They can't be progressive. It is not in their DNA. They are irredeemably neoliberal. This is the NZ Labour Party which has been betraying New Zealand since 1984.

    We're totally stuffed if Labour is the solution. They are a huge part of the problem. They are incapable of saving us.

    • Thinker 8.1
      31 July 2023 at 11:41 am

      If Labour is "irredeemably neoliberal", how would you describe National?

      The elements of Labour that betrayed NZ since 1984 largely subsequently decamped and formed ACT. I fail to see how you can liken the current Labour party to Douglas's policies.

      • arkie 8.1.1
        31 July 2023 at 11:49 am

        One of the fundamental issues that Labour no longer seems to care about is the inherent contradiction of capitalism; workers want to work the least amount of hours for the most amount of money, the employers want workers to work the most amount of hours for the least amount of money. A party that calls itself Labour should side with workers, not try to pretend that they can represent the interests of workers and bosses both; it's not possible.

  9. SPC 9
    30 July 2023 at 10:38 pm

    Think big, nickle and dime it. And leave the Eagle/Krugerrand to the real left, for now.

    The 2020 50% vote was based on two things, the residue of common cause during the pandemic (the polls were tight 2018-2020) and a desire to prevent a Labour-Green coalition. The second part is the real problem for progressive politics – our media is middle class bound and neo-liberal centred.

    The conservative conformity to the process, rather than the issues facing the nation – even RNZ quotes Edwards, Soper and Henare saying Labour was losing swing voters because of management appearances unrelated to policy impacting the people.

    Real change requires a manifesto programme set by the party, not by those in the parliamentary caucus – otherwise the technocrats will operate a poll driven government after the first term in compliant obedience to the middle class media. Once this change is made, it's much easier to work with other parties on the left, but until then the PM will be inclined to rule out any compromise to concord with the manifesto policies of future coalition partners (let lone let Labour party members). All because it's seen as the job of the party leader to win, not to lead the way to realise transformative change.

    That's the problem.

    It's best resolved by Labour winning this one, with a larger vote share to Greens and TPM. Labour as a minority government receiving confidence and supply from Greens and TPM – the reason why, the alternative is NACT.

    And during the three years, take back the Labour Party – demand it develop a 2026 campaign based on real transformative change.

  10. MickeyBoyle 10
    30 July 2023 at 11:14 pm

    This government was heading to be a one term government before Covid-19 saved them. They then benefitted massively from the rally around the flag effect in 2020 and a push from center right voters to keep the Greens out.

    Take that historic period out of the picture and this government hasn't been very popular. Labour won 37% of the vote in 2017 and by the looks of the polling, will struggle to hit the mid 30s this year. In comparison to Sir John Key's governments, they are struggling.

    Hipkins knows he needs to toe the center line as much as possible and it suits him. Like Grant and Dame Jacinda he is an incrementalist, not a transformative PM. Kiwis generally like that, they aren't as politically invested as most of us here are.

    Those of us looking for big left wing transformative policy will not get it from this generation of Labour. If you truly want that TPM is your party.

    • Muttonbird 10.1
      31 July 2023 at 8:18 am

      They then benefitted massively from the rally around the flag effect in 2020 and a push from center right voters to keep the Greens out.

      I'll give you the 'rally around the flag effect', but the 'keep the Greens out' theory is rubbish, which is rather a face saving exercise from the political right:

      This is the case with the theory currently being circulated by some Federated Farmers branch presidents and others that a large contingent of the rural vote backed Labour in order to keep the Green Party from being needed to govern.

      At this point there is no evidence this happened at sufficient scale to seriously change the election result.

      But the theory is very useful for people in the sector and on the political Right who need to explain why a Government supposedly at war with the regions got so much support from them – and to pressure Labour to not give the Green Party an inch of power.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300138283/election-2020-there-is-no-evidence-national-voters-backed-labour-to-keep-the-greens-out

    • Anne 10.2
      31 July 2023 at 9:57 am

      This government was heading to be a one term government before Covid-19 saved them.

      Really? Your grasp of recent history is a little tarnished.

      Jacinda Ardern was at the pinnacle of her popularity before Covid reared its ugly head. So much so, she was mobbed wherever she went. Covid merely cemented in her government's high standing among a majority of voters. Since then natural political attrition has set in combined with an hostile right wing press and NAct dirty politics.

      • Belladonna 10.2.1
        31 July 2023 at 10:20 am

        Jacinda Ardern was at the pinnacle of her popularity before Covid reared its ugly head.

        That's actually not true, Anne. Ardern's popularity peaked in 2020 during the pandemic (May 2020 when she was at 60%), and was dropping (though still at significant levels) during 2019.

        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/131015136/jacinda-arderns-prime-ministership-explained-in-six-charts

        • Anne 10.2.1.1
          31 July 2023 at 11:16 am

          She became an MP in 2008 and retired in April 2023.

          She was at the pinnacle of her political popularity between 2017 and 2021.

          So she "peaked" in May 2020 according to some poll. Polls are only reflections of trends. The fact is, she was extraordinarily popular throughout her first term in government and only started to trend noticeably downwards when the mis and disinformation and relentless abuse set in.

          Perhaps I should have said "she began the pinnacle of her popularity before Covid" but one doesn't expect such pedantry over the most trivial of expressions.

          Off you go and have your last word as is your wont…. 😉

          • Belladonna 10.2.1.1.1
            31 July 2023 at 11:33 am

            The fact is, she was extraordinarily popular throughout her first term in government and only started to trend noticeably downwards when the mis and disinformation and relentless abuse set in.

            Did you even look at the graph? She was trending "noticeably downwards" during 2019.
            There was a noticeable reset of her popularity during 2020.

            These are trends – not an example of a single rogue poll.

      • Phillip ure 10.2.2
        31 July 2023 at 10:54 am

        @anne..

        You left out one of the main causes of that political attrition..

        ..namely the non-delivery from j.ardern of those transformative promises she made…

        She just slumped back into incrementalism..

  11. Darien Fenton 11
    31 July 2023 at 6:01 am

    Out of interest who was your "preferred leader"? Labour of course is stuck in that weird space between governing and electioneering. Expect a lot of announcements from when Parliament rises in a couple of weeks and all the valedictories are done. Party List is out today which no doubt give the media hounds lots to chew on.

  12. Tiger Mountain 12
    31 July 2023 at 9:16 am

    On several occasions have commented on NZ Labour’s squandering of a once in a generation 2020 MMP majority. Monetarism is so embedded in the Labour Caucus and HQ that they were unable to move beyond the neo liberal Parliamentary consensus and do what needed to be done in so many areas. (I acknowledge the literally hundreds of useful incremental reforms they have made–including some significant ones–PPL to 26 wks, FPAs, biggest minimum wage ever, Super rise, winter energy etc.)

    But…Natzos will gleefully remove most of what Labour has done, so Labour need to get up on their hind legs get out the megaphone and tell the electorate–but that is unlikely as Cap’n Chipkins navigates the middle of the channel.

    So, the answer is pretty clear; Labour loyalists and other centrists that cannot tolerate Natzo/Act–vote Labour, Leftys and New Gens vote Te Pāti Māori or Green. Vote for what you actually support for once rather than a “lesser evil”.

  13. Bruce 13
    31 July 2023 at 9:22 am

    Legalize cannabis and establish sustainable industries building, cloth, and endless list to counter reliance on poisonous plastic.

    Get voters out in the same way the referendum did.

    • arkie 13.1
      31 July 2023 at 9:37 am

      The Greens are campaigning on these:

      “As a Party we strive to create a more connected, compassionate and equal Aotearoa, free from structural biases that discriminate against groups and individuals.”

      Actions in this policy that will help achieve this include:

      • Treat substance addiction as a health problem, by implementing and sufficiently resourcing approaches that are found to be the best to reduce the suffering of people with addictions and other problematic use. (3.1)
      • Require the Ministry of Health to develop integrated, effective, evidence-based legislation and regulation to reduce harm and cost to society, individuals, and the environment from drug use and abuse, and enhance people’s capacity for informed choice. (2.1)
      • Support policies to minimise harm caused by drug use – for example needle and syringe exchange schemes, and safe consumption spaces. (2.3)
      • Legally regulate cannabis for personal use (…). (4.1)
      • Phase out all broadcast, billboard and print (excluding point of sale) advertising of alcoholic beverages, and sponsorship by alcohol brands. (4.14)

      https://www.greens.org.nz/drug_law_reform

      “Aotearoa will be in transition, creating green work and broad prosperity while moving Aotearoa away from carbon-dependent, extractive and resource-intensive industries.”

      Actions in this policy that will help achieve this include:

      • Encourage circular business relationships, where the outputs of one business are the inputs to another business, and engage in planning for the future siting of such businesses near/next to each other where appropriate and practical. (1.18)
      • Promote a fair competitive environment for Aotearoa New Zealand businesses that removes outright competition with products and services from countries with poor human and worker rights records and with poor environmental practices. (2.1)
      • Identify new business opportunities in sustainability sectors and practices. (3.5)
      • Provide ongoing support for Māori and Pasifika business service providers to support Māori and Pasifika-led businesses. (5.1)

      https://www.greens.org.nz/sustainable_business_policy

  14. Blazer 14
    31 July 2023 at 11:20 am

    Onya Chris…NO wealth tax,NO CGT,NO action on supermkt duopoly,NO action on banks excessive profits,NO rent relief policy.

    'nothing'…in it…for…YOU.

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