Another millionaire businessman launches political party

Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, November 4th, 2016 - 114 comments
Categories: Politics - Tags: ,

gareth-morgan-the-opportunity-party

Another millionaire party has been launched in New Zealand. This time it is Gareth Morgan who has announced the formation of the opportunity party.

From Newshub:

Businessman Gareth Morgan has entered politics, launching the Opportunities Party.

The environmentalist and economist unveiled his new career move in a video, which shows him standing on Parliament’s lawn explaining why he wants to walk the corridors of power.

“The beef I have with establishment parties and career politicians is they try to do as little as possible,” he says.

“They don’t want their voters disturbed. Clearly I don’t have that problem. I’m here to disturb you.”

I am sure his attempt will be different. For a while he has been talking intelligently about issues and his Morgan Foundation has performed some very good work on issues such as analysing the Emissions Trading Scheme and describing how it is a rort. He is difficult to place politically. Environmentally he is rather green but economically he is rather dry in a sort of green party combined with ACT sort of way. National’s blue green supporters are going to be tempted to switch.

So it will be interesting to see how his party goes. It will not lack for resources but ego driven attempts to create mass movement parties in New Zealand have not succeeded so far.

114 comments on “Another millionaire businessman launches political party ”

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  1. Takere 1
    4 November 2016 at 10:44 am

    Opportunistic Party? Or a movement?
    It’ll hurt the Nat’s more than anything … the “Blue-Green” camp.
    Nat’s poll next 42%!
    Act GoneBurger!
    Maori Party are history. So he may fill a void?
    Nats can’t govern alone, never has …. Dunnes 740 vote margin in Ohariu is looking vulnerable if Labour Greens do a deal and have a “Cup-of-Tea!”

    Good on him! For being strategic! Not wanting to be government but to be a parasite instead?

    May attract that traitorous “Middle-Class millennial all about me” tribe?

    • BM 1.1
      4 November 2016 at 10:49 am

      National voters?

      Dude, this is a pitch at the middle class liberal green and labour vote.

      • weka 1.1.1
        4 November 2016 at 11:51 am

        Why would middle class liberal green and labour voters switch their vote from somewhere effective to something that is probably a waste or a vote and would put changing the govt at risk? Or do you think TOP will get an electorate seat or past the 5% and guarantee support for a L/G govt before the election?

        • BM 1.1.1.1
          4 November 2016 at 12:20 pm

          Hard to call a party that’s never made it into power effective.

          I’d say the greens lack of success and pragmatism was probably one of the main drivers for Morgan in setting up this new party.

          As he said, he’ll work with who ever, the role the greens should have been fulfilling.

          • weka 1.1.1.1.1
            4 November 2016 at 12:28 pm

            You know we have MMP right? And that to get a change in govt that would appeal to lefties that’s going to need to be L/G?

            “As he said, he’ll work with who ever, the role the greens should have been fulfilling.”

            The Greens do work with whoever they share policy with. What you are suggesting is that parties should give up their values and principles in order to get power. I’m not surprised you think that given you vote on the right but the Greens want change not power, and they get change already. All that is by the by though, and you still haven’t made an argument for why L/G voters would vote TOP.

            • BM 1.1.1.1.1.1
              4 November 2016 at 12:42 pm

              Greens sound more like a lobby group than a political party.

              you still haven’t made an argument for why L/G voters would vote TOP

              Morgan foundation
              UBI
              Green focus on economics and policy.
              Climate change
              Loony tunes green party element

              These are all things that would appeal to urban L/G voters,

              I could see people like Ad, Redlogix, CV, OAB ,lprent voting for Morgan, they’re the sort of people he’s targeting.

              • weka …
                4 November 2016 at 12:46 pm

                Fuck this is tedious. Why would anyone who knows we have MMP and who wanted a change in government vote for a party that was likely to reduce the chances of that happening? I can think of some reasons, but you haven’t made any kind of argument other than asserting policy overlap.

                btw, most lefties won’t vote for a party that would form govt with National, which is why NZF never seem to grow. Green voters esp won’t vote for National coalition partners, Morgan could pick up NZF votes though.

                • UncookedSelachimorpha …
                  4 November 2016 at 12:53 pm

                  “btw, most lefties won’t vote for a party that would form govt with National, which is why NZF never seem to grow. Green voters esp won’t vote for National coalition partners”

                  Yes, potential partnership with NAct is a huge turn-off for me personally. I can’t imagine how someone like Morgan who wants rich people to pay tax and make things fairer could work with the NActs – yet he says he could do so without problem. Can’t see how it could work! Be like trying to mix water with oil.

                • Bob …
                  4 November 2016 at 1:16 pm

                  “Why would anyone who knows we have MMP and who wanted a change in government vote for a party that was likely to reduce the chances of that happening”
                  Because, unlike you, some people vote for a party that fits best with their beliefs rather than just to “change the Govenment”, TOP may well appeal to those people, especially if they are the only party seriously pushing a UBI.

                  • weka …
                    4 November 2016 at 1:36 pm

                    Yes, but I think those people are much more likely to be swing voters. I’m sure there will be some lefties who will vote TOP but I don’t expect it will make much of a dint in the left vote because by and large left wing voters understand that for their policies to be enacted they need a left wing govt.

                    But let’s say you are right. If L/G are in favour of a UBI, and have solid environmental and social justices issues covered, why would a traditional L or G voter vote TOP instead given there is very little chance of them being in govt? What are the beliefs of the TOP that aren’t already held by L/G? Maybe the taxation ones?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      4 November 2016 at 2:01 pm

                      I recall reading somewhere that the green party vote was strong in middle to upper class electorates and less strong in poorer electorates (take it with a grain of salt as I’m going off memory)

                      If that’s the case those voters that vote Green maybe inclined to vote for someone like Morgan as it may give them the feeling that they can vote for someone “green” who could go with National

                      Maybe

                    • AB []
                      4 November 2016 at 5:59 pm

                      How could anyone ‘green’ align with a party that views the environment primarily as a commodity that can be utilised for private financial gain, preferably by oneself, one’s family and business cronies? Because that’s what neoliberalism believes and the Nats are a neoliberal party. Therefore anyone who aligns with National on anything other than isolated and minor points of policy is by definition not ‘green’

                    • Binders full of women []
                      4 November 2016 at 10:08 pm

                      Definitely the case… The poor hate the greens as they see them as anti job rich luvvies … Greens get several thousand party votes in Devonport and khandallah … And 300 on mangere

                    • Bob …
                      4 November 2016 at 3:00 pm

                      “But let’s say you are right. If L/G are in favour of a UBI, and have solid environmental and social justices issues covered, why would a traditional L or G voter vote TOP instead”
                      Firstly, that is a very big “if”, but let’s play along for a moment, how about if they proposed a radical overhaul of the ETS:
                      http://morganfoundation.org.nz/new-report-climate-cheats/
                      That would win some of the rural Labour/Green vote.
                      A reduction of Domestic cats, something supported by Forest an Bird: http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/forest-bird-magazine-article/the-cat-among-the-pigeons
                      Decriminalisation of Marijuana (Labour have no policy, the Greens have seriously softened their stance https://www.greens.org.nz/page/drug-law-reform-policy)

                      That is just what I assume will be policy based on what Ihave heard Morgan talk about, I am sure there will be more.

                      “given there is very little chance of them being in govt?”
                      Almost 150,000 votes at the last election went to parties with little chance of being in Government (in fact these went to parties who didn’t make it), plus Winston First went from outside of parliament to achieving 208,000 votes at the last election, so this isn’t really an issue.

                    • weka …
                      4 November 2016 at 4:06 pm

                      @PR, you mean the bluegreen voters I talked about at the start?

                      @Bob The Greens have long had a pro-UBI policy. Labour investigated it this year and seemed reasonably amenable to the idea.

                      I don’t think there are votes in killing cats. Most pro-conservation people support pest control of feral cats, but hating on cats like Morgan does will put a lot of people off.

                      I don’t know what would happen if Morgan had a more radical CC policy than the Greens. I guess it would rule out working with National. See how that goes?

                      Almost 150,000 votes at the last election went to parties with little chance of being in Government (in fact these went to parties who didn’t make it),

                      Quite, but I’m not sure that number will increase. But yeah, it is a risk for the left. I still don’t see why someone would vote for a party that wasn’t going to be in govt over one what would be if they have similar policies.

                      “plus Winston First went from outside of parliament to achieving 208,000 votes at the last election, so this isn’t really an issue.”

                      Can’t remember, did he do that via a seat or the 5%?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      4 November 2016 at 4:20 pm

                      Kind of, more like (may have been from Kiwiblog) the wife votes Green because “save the earth” whereas the husband votes National

                    • weka …
                      4 November 2016 at 4:30 pm

                      Lol, that’s one of my relatives. But she’s never going to support a party that would go with National no matter who her husband votes for. People who want to save the earth know that National are the antithesis of that. Try again matey.

                    • Bob …
                      4 November 2016 at 4:33 pm

                      @weka “The Greens have long had a pro-UBI policy. Labour investigated it this year and seemed reasonably amenable to the idea.”
                      Yet The Greens haven’t added it to their policy manifesto, and Labour soon back away from it when asked:
                      http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1603/S00779/labour-forced-to-clarify-ubi-not-party-policy.htm

                      “I don’t know what would happen if Morgan had a more radical CC policy than the Greens. I guess it would rule out working with National. See how that goes?”
                      Agreed

                      “Quite, but I’m not sure that number will increase”
                      Not sure I agree with you there, National received 700,000 more votes in the 2016 election than they did in the 2002 election, and Labour recieved 330,000 more votes in 2005 than they did in 2014, both of which suggest there is a massive ‘swing voter’ set out there to be gained. Plus, let’s not forget Colin Craig received almost 100,000 votes at the last election (~4%) suggesting he can work with either side (the same way Gareth Morgan is), those votes are likely up for grabs this election .

                      “Can’t remember, did he do that via a seat or the 5%?”
                      Via the 5%, exactly the same way Gareth Morgan is looking to do it.

                • Red …
                  4 November 2016 at 4:43 pm

                  Greenies and lefties who want real change and really don’t care whos in charge could vote Gareth as he can work across spectrum, voting green they have to win or no prize, voting Gareth as long as he get across threshold he can work with right or left

                  • weka …
                    4 November 2016 at 5:29 pm

                    how many Greenies and Lefties do you know who don’t care if National is in charge? There are blue greens around, but they’re not generally voting on the left already as far as I can tell.

                    • Garibaldi …
                      4 November 2016 at 6:45 pm

                      Surely there are many out there pissed off with both National’s and Labour’s disingenuity for Gareth to pick up votes from both sides. He certainly has some credibility so it will be interesting to see what evolves over time with his announcement.

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 1.1.1.2
          4 November 2016 at 12:47 pm

          Morgan is saying he will not run any electorate candidates – and that he intends to sit on the cross-benches (not enter a coalition). He says his goal is to get past 5% party vote.

          It seems a bit of a strange position!

          • weka 1.1.1.2.1
            4 November 2016 at 12:57 pm

            Excellent, thanks!

            I like it. I have some reservations about his politics, and using big money to influence politics (plus the whole cat thing), but I think his position of wanting to shake up National and Labour is potentially useful. In that sense, sitting ont he cross benches is a powerful play. Not standing in electorates is pragmatic (it takes huge resources and organisation to do that).

            Having said that I hope he doesn’t get 5%, and I hope that lefties have more sense than to waste their precious votes.

          • mauī 1.1.1.2.2
            4 November 2016 at 10:05 pm

            The Conservatives got 4% and 100,000 votes last time. I dont think Morgan can get anywhere near that, but who knows.

            • Gristle 1.1.1.2.2.1
              5 November 2016 at 6:34 am

              Gareth Morgan is no fool. So there are two approaches to whether there is enough potential voter support to get into Parliament:
              A. He doesn’t care and this is an attempt to get other parties to adopt his policies.
              Or
              B. He does care. So his preparation for this jump into a establishing a political party would have been going for a while. My guess is that he would have already conducted extensive market research to establish the potential levels of support TOP could garner.

              • jcuknz …
                5 November 2016 at 9:39 am

                But he said in the 9-12 programme he had not researched a poll

                Is that a Tartan Morgan is wearing in the photo?

    • Michelle 1.2
      4 November 2016 at 12:49 pm

      So true Takere too many all about me’s in this country and every man for himself so wrong

    • jcuknz 1.3
      5 November 2016 at 9:32 am

      Is that a Tartan Morgan is wearing in the photo?

  3. Siobhan 3
    4 November 2016 at 11:30 am

    Sir Bob Jones will have just choked on his orange juice when this news came over the radio. (Or his maybe Bristol Cream Sherry.)

  4. greywarshark 4
    4 November 2016 at 11:34 am

    I like this announcement Micky.

    “The beef I have with establishment parties and career politicians is they try to do as little as possible,” he says.
    “They don’t want their voters disturbed. Clearly I don’t have that problem. I’m here to disturb you.”

    • North 4.1
      4 November 2016 at 5:36 pm

      Hey……CV…….a ‘Local Idol’ for you ! Without going to the stench of Prebble. Apologies to The Gareth.

  5. Ovid 5
    4 November 2016 at 11:34 am

    This will probably draw votes from the likes of United Future and some soft Nats. Despite the cats thing, Morgan isn’t as weird as the likes of Colin Craig, but I can’t see him drawing Conservative Party supporters – he’s not a social conservative.

    He has advocated for a UBI – so he may take some support from the left too and his foundation’s stance on legalising cannabis may carry some weight especially in the aftermath of Helen Kelly’s death.

    In short, I don’t think he can be dismissed as a political force and as Labour tries to regain support from centrists I think they will have to give serious thought about either how to work with Morgan should he get enough votes or how they can neutralise him in the campaign – i.e. what ideas can they pinch?

  6. Scott 6
    4 November 2016 at 11:39 am

    This is the last thing the left need. The stated aims reflect left values. It’s their voters he is likely to take – Labour, Green, and maybe appeal to some of the generally anti-establishment vote among NZF / Mana. If he gets any off National that will be minor by comparison.

    Either he’ll fall short of 5% and waste some of their vote (most likely), or he’ll make 5% and turn a potential Lab/Grn/NZF coalition into a four headed beast that is less appealing to swing voters for that very reason.

    He’d be better off to form a lobby group and try to push policy ideas through Labour or the Greens (or both).

    • fisiani 6.1
      4 November 2016 at 1:34 pm

      With enough funding and publicity it could take off. No one seriously expects Labour to win in 2017 and his pitch that he is happy to be the honest broker in the middle and prepared to work with either side marks the party as the Business minded Green Party without the Marxist lunacy. He would get votes from Labour. Greens, NZF and National. It is the Blueish Green party.

  7. Lanthanide 7
    4 November 2016 at 12:42 pm

    My question is whether he’ll campaign on the Big Kahuna tax plan for next year’s election, or not.

  8. UncookedSelachimorpha 8
    4 November 2016 at 12:42 pm

    James Shaw had interesting comments on RNZ, they make some sense. A good outcome would be TOP taking votes from NAct Blue-Greens, and then working with a Lab/Green government.


    ….Mr Shaw acknowledged Mr Morgan’s new party would be championing causes central to the Green Party agenda, but didn’t think he would steal votes.

    “He’s actually trying to get that constituency that are currently voting for National, who are concerned about the environment, but who won’t vote Green.”

    “If he is going to take votes from anyone, it will be the National Party,” Mr Shaw said.
    ”

    • weka 8.1
      4 November 2016 at 12:51 pm

      Pretty much, and at some point Morgan will need to clarify whether TOP would support the formation of a RW govt, and he will need to do that before the election. At the moment he is saying he can work with left or right, but ‘work with’ is fairly meaningless without detail.

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 8.1.1
        4 November 2016 at 12:59 pm

        “At the moment he is saying he can work with left or right, but ‘work with’ is fairly meaningless without detail.”

        True. Until TOP policy is announced, there is very little to say or know.

        If TOP turns out to be a threat to NAct, then NAct might attack and scuttle any chance of working with TOP. TOP will be vulnerable to a NAct Dirty Politics hatchet job, with cats n things.

      • Cinny 8.1.2
        4 November 2016 at 4:09 pm

        Wonder if he will be interviewed on The Nation and/or Q&A over the weekend? Hope the interviewers ask and get clarification on the ‘work with’ status.

      • Chuck 8.1.3
        4 November 2016 at 4:38 pm

        “Pretty much, and at some point Morgan will need to clarify whether TOP would support the formation of a RW govt, and he will need to do that before the election.”

        Why would Morgan need to clarify? Winston Peters never commits before an election, instead he “lets the people decide”.

        There is a gap for an Green environmental party in NZ (that can work with both Labour and National), maybe Morgan’s party will be it?

        • weka 8.1.3.1
          4 November 2016 at 5:33 pm

          True, he can refuse to say what he means and see how many people vote for him. Probably better for the left if he does it that way if he is happy to support a Nact govt. Or he can imply left and go right like Peters and then disappear from the political scene the next time round.

          “There is a gap for an Green environmental party in NZ (that can work with both Labour and National), maybe Morgan’s party will be it?”

          Can’t see it myself. There are really good reasons for why National doesn’t work with the Greens. They’re basically anti the environment.

        • Paul Campbell 8.1.3.2
          4 November 2016 at 9:33 pm

          Morgan clarified on national radio today that he won’t be helping to form a govt he feels he will have more power on the cross benches …. If you’re a lefty voter that means a vote for him is not a vote to change the govt, so I suspect he’s going to get the disaffected Nat supporter vote

        • KJT 8.1.3.3
          4 November 2016 at 9:34 pm

          A Green environmental party supporting National.
          Then, they would not be a Green environmental party!
          Nationals policies are totally incompatible with the continued health of our environment.

    • Lanthanide 8.2
      4 November 2016 at 1:01 pm

      I haven’t read much about this yet, but he’s apparently also talking about poverty and equality.

      Those are the same things that the Greens campaign on, and what is driving the blue-green voter away from them – people who want to help the environment but don’t like all the left-wing baggage that the Greens also have.

      It doesn’t really see like TOP would be any different, if they are actually going to have discrete policies about poverty and equality.

      Personally what I’m hoping for, and what I alluded to at #7, is that TOP comes out and campaigns on the Big Kahuna, and possibly one or two other policies, and leaves it at that. Then they can relentlessly tout those policies and inform the electorate on them. Even if they don’t get any MPs, they would hopefully shift the overton window.

      • weka 8.2.1
        4 November 2016 at 1:03 pm

        Morgan probably has the potential to convince old school conservatives that poverty is bad for the economy.

      • mauī 8.2.2
        5 November 2016 at 9:48 am

        I remember him in an interview saying he likes what the Greens stand for environmentally, but he couldnt stand their social justice ideas. He obviously does care about equality to some extent, possibly wanting to shift how the economy treats the vulnerable. But at the same time I can see him being dead against Feed the Kids bill. Yes, I think you’re right he will be addressing poverty at the high level and it will be more unspoken.

  9. keepcalmcarryon 9
    4 November 2016 at 1:08 pm

    There is something strangely familiar about that logo…

    • Siobhan 9.1
      4 November 2016 at 1:20 pm

      “Each triangle of colour fits into each others space. Symbolic of the transition we currently have underway in Aotearoa. Maori/Colonial/Multicultural. Coexisting around the Maihi.( white space between the colours ).The bottom multicultural triangle in our national colour black is symbolic of strength” ..well thats the Red Peak design. Which was Gareths pick in the Flag debate.

      Unfortunately he seems to have decided that he now ‘owns’ the design. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. I’m no lawyer. But Aaron Dustin doesn’t seem happy.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11741758

      And of course it remains to be seen how Multi cultural Gareths Party is.

  10. BM 10
    4 November 2016 at 1:09 pm

    Another millionaire businessman launches political party

    Not a very friendly heading there for a potential coalition partner.
    MS knows Morgan is a real threat to the current left bloc.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 10.1
      4 November 2016 at 1:25 pm

      Not very friendly, but absolutely factual.

      Millionaire businessmen figure large in NZ political choices:

      – Bob Jones
      – Colin Craig
      – Kim Dotcom
      – Gareth Morgan

    • Puckish Rogue 10.2
      4 November 2016 at 1:54 pm

      Hes stated he won’t run for an electorate but what would be his chances running against Dunne?

    • weka 10.3
      4 November 2016 at 1:58 pm

      “Not a very friendly heading there for a potential coalition partner.”

      Is MS standing for parliament?

      • BM 10.3.1
        4 November 2016 at 2:11 pm

        He could be, his name has been mentioned as a replacement for David Cunliffe.

        We all know MS is heavily involved in the Labour party and very passionate about green issues, to be hostile right from the get go does rather show to me that he considers Morgans new party more threat than friend.

        • tc 10.3.1.1
          4 November 2016 at 3:30 pm

          Citation for that or youre just stirring.

          Mickey has a political career of sorts already but its west akl not the beltway.

        • weka 10.3.1.2
          4 November 2016 at 3:56 pm

          If Morgan is offended by MS having used the title “Another millionaire businessman launches political party”, I think the chances of anything working out are pretty slim. Methinks you are shitstirring BM.

      • NotMe 10.3.2
        4 November 2016 at 2:30 pm

        Missing out on a councillor position in the local body elections might give pause for thought.

      • Puckish Rogue 10.3.3
        4 November 2016 at 2:35 pm

        Maybe but wouldn’t he have to ask Helen Clark for permission? 😉

        I was referring to Morgan 🙂

  11. b waghorn 11
    4 November 2016 at 2:32 pm

    In the age of brexit and trump it could be a goer , I’ll be looking at what he says,
    of course to have a hope in hell he’ll need to run away from his cat killing ways , lots of cat lovers out there Mr Morgan

    • Puckish Rogue 11.1
      4 November 2016 at 2:42 pm

      Damn straight, I have two cats and two dogs both fixed of course.

    • Siobhan 11.2
      4 November 2016 at 2:49 pm

      Posing with dead cats never hurt Roosevelt.

      http://huntdrop.com/uploads/hunts/teddy-roosevelt-leopard-hunting.jpeg

      And there is a teeny bit of ‘New Deal’ floating around in Morgans manifesto.

    • red-blooded 11.3
      4 November 2016 at 5:11 pm

      To be fair to Morgan, he’s backed away from cat-killing, He now talks about microchipping them and keeping them indoors (but killing feral cats).

      • weka 11.3.1
        4 November 2016 at 5:22 pm

        He’s an idiot on that too. What about the people that keep cats to control mice, rats and rabbits? Not much use indoors (well, mice maybe). Besides, keeping cats inside is cruel. And how do you do that anyway? I have the doors open most of the summer, am I meant to lock the cat in a special room? Sorry, but it’s just ideological stupidity.

        • Murray Simmonds 11.3.1.1
          5 November 2016 at 8:51 am

          Ever heard of mouse/rat traps, cheese, litterboxes, Weka?

          Cats, I believe, are not an indigenous NZ Species. But then, neither are humans, if you go back far enough. (Wekas may be, though!)

          I’m a bit of a “Morgan-fan”. But I’m also a cat-lover. So I’m presently a bit conflicted by this announcement of a new party.

          But so far, overall, I’m a wee bit tempted.

          • weka 11.3.1.1.1
            5 November 2016 at 5:50 pm

            The default animal control in NZ is poison. I think that cats in selected places are a better option myself. And I guess from a sustainability perspective, I’d prefer that we found solutions appropriate to the local situations. Having a cat in the centre of town is a different proposition than having one if you live in the middle of native bush. I’d also like to see more emphasis put on habitat preservation and restoration, and on increasing food sources eg why do councils not mandate the planting of trees that are food for native birds?

  12. Cinny 12
    4 November 2016 at 4:05 pm

    Looking forward to learning more. Someone needs to get Laila on board, I miss her, she is super switched on and all shades of awesome, wonder whom the candidates will be? Policy will be fascinating once released.

    Clever Gareth going after the party vote, kudos for that. No MOU needed. All best.

    • Ad 12.1
      4 November 2016 at 4:09 pm

      Laila is having too fun a time with her restaurant.
      Otherwise, she is still active in the background.

      • Cinny 12.1.1
        4 November 2016 at 5:33 pm

        Thanks for the update, as long as she is happy, cause happiness matters. She’s the bee’s knee’s

      • North 12.1.2
        4 November 2016 at 5:53 pm

        Glad to hear that Ad…….of course none of it without her being a bloody hardworking notably competent philosophically attractive individual.
        I admire her immensely.

    • billmurray 12.2
      4 November 2016 at 5:29 pm

      Cinny,
      I am also awaiting more information, there could be a lot at stake for either Key or Little as both are really locked into a fight to the death of each other.
      The Maori party will make overtures to Morgan because he is sympathetic to Maori aspirations and of course he has the Moola, which he is not frightened to spend.

      Early days and early statements from Morgan could change.

      • Cinny 12.2.1
        4 November 2016 at 5:37 pm

        Would suck if it were like another version of the Maori Party, a political party happy to jump into bed with whomever is in power.

        Will be tuned into the Nation in the morrow, no doubt it will get a mention

        • billmurray 12.2.1.1
          4 November 2016 at 5:49 pm

          Cinny ,
          yes I think it will get a mention which of course is the publicity he needs to look for.
          Should the Nation not include it then they are asleep at the wheel.
          One thing for sure is that he will be courted, lets see who.

    • Chuck 12.3
      5 November 2016 at 9:54 am

      Why would Gareth Morgan ask Laila Harre to jump on board?

      After Harre’s disaster of an experiment with Dotcom, she is well and truly tainted.

      I understand Harre appeals to the activist left…and IF that was the vote Morgan was going after then yes…but I just don’t see Morgan in that zone. Not to mention it will not get him anywhere close to 5%.

      If it did occur, it would hurt the left block big time.

  13. Henry Filth 13
    4 November 2016 at 4:16 pm

    Political parties are expensive. Even for millionaire businessmen. It would probably have been cheaper to have simply bought the National party. Presumably the current owners didn’t want to sell.

    Perhaps New Zealand First could do with a policy injection? Or a succession plan?

    • weka 13.1
      4 November 2016 at 4:29 pm

      Starting your own party is more satisfying to the ego though.

    • billmurray 13.2
      4 November 2016 at 5:42 pm

      Henry Filth,
      you are right about the expensiveness of political parties, will Morgan have the strength of character to resist his own deep pockets which Colin Craig did not?.
      Its early days of course, though it was interesting that James Shaw seemed to be less than enthusiastic about the idea.
      He may also take populist line of presentation which would take votes off everyone.
      One thing is for sure, he will be wooed.

  14. Richard Rawshark 14
    4 November 2016 at 4:49 pm

    Calling yourself the NZ Trump.. spare me Gareth.. You ain’t no Trump. He’s got more hair for a start.

    Bad start, find your own policies and never , ever, say your a kiwi version of something else. IMHO.

  15. Simon 15
    4 November 2016 at 5:25 pm

    This may be the party for those Labour supporters who can’t bear the thought of voting Labour in its current form (lack of policy, lack of talent, lack of ability to make a compelling argument for change, maintenance of the status quo etc.) and can’t stomach the thought of the Green Party (anti-science BS)

    I was thinking of voting Maori party, but Morgan may be an alternative. Wait and see I guess.

    • billmurray 15.1
      4 November 2016 at 6:00 pm

      Simon ,
      wait and see is the only rationale step, In my opinion what to look for is early bows or bouquets and from whom.

      Gareth Morgan, excuse me for this but I do believe that you have thrown a cat amongst the pigeons.

  16. Chess Player 16
    4 November 2016 at 7:08 pm

    Light the fuse, and stand well back

  17. UncookedSelachimorpha 17
    4 November 2016 at 7:47 pm

    Crosby-Textor “dead cats” could become a whole lot more literal.

  18. Jenny 18
    4 November 2016 at 7:57 pm

    Gareth Morgan has for a long time claimed that there was a conservative constituancy for action on climate change.

    This is his chance to prove it.

    • Henry Filth 18.1
      4 November 2016 at 9:18 pm

      I’m inclined to think that there’s quite a large conservative constituency in favour of a liberal social and environmental agenda.

      One which will quite like the idea of “evidence-based policy”, one which doesn’t much like the idea of entitlement, and one which isn’t much enamoured of National’s support of the “protected” vis-a-vis the “unprotected”.

      I think this one might well run and run. . .

  19. the pigman 19
    5 November 2016 at 12:46 am

    An unwise pre-emptive strike on a good man.

    Since TOP and its values are extremely big picture/high level at this stage, the criticism here seems very premature. I know I’ll be watching TOP policy unfold with interest, although it seems a little premature of GM to be asking members to commit financially.

    His interview with Toby Manhire on the spinoff is interesting (Manhire’s pun-piece much less so): http://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/04-11-2016/theyll-back-us-or-well-go-down-in-flames-an-interview-with-gareth-morgan-cat-man-turned-top-dog/

    His comfort with the blue-green label and desire to make a lot of money out of “social justice issues” is a little more curious.

  20. JNZ 20
    5 November 2016 at 6:47 am

    I’m sure someone here will know…

    Has any brand-new party had a significant impact in their first election?

    I think the bulk of voters are conservative in that, regardless of the lovely party promises, they won’t “throw away” their vote in case this helps the “other side” win. Yes, I understand we have MMP and am very grateful, but getting 5% is not so easy…)

    Also, all of us, voters and nonvoters alike, have heard this all before, as a party promises to be the party that no other party will be 🙂

    • te reo putake 20.1
      5 November 2016 at 8:36 am

      Bob Jones formed a party to run against Muldoon and helped bring in the Lange Labour government. However, under FPP, they won no seats. In the MMP era, the Greens were successful in their first crack under their own banner (1999).

      • dukeofurl 20.1.1
        5 November 2016 at 11:28 am

        Interestingly, I think the Greens were the opposite of personality politics even back then.
        Could it be the the ‘Yuge personality’ that fronts a party , that the media loves, but the public are wary of?

  21. infused 21
    5 November 2016 at 8:44 am

    No National voters will go to him lol.

  22. Incognito 22
    5 November 2016 at 11:27 am

    It will not lack for resources but ego driven attempts to create mass movement parties in New Zealand have not succeeded so far. [my bold]

    I have a strong aversion to egomaniacs but I’m puzzled by this sentence.

    Are you perhaps suggesting that this is predominantly an ego trip for Gareth Morgan?

    Isn’t everybody who stands for public office “ego driven” to some extent?

    Why does it even matter?

  23. ropata 23
    5 November 2016 at 11:53 am

    TOP =
    Terminate Our Pets
    TradeMe Of Pot
    Triumph Over Peters

  24. Michael 24
    5 November 2016 at 1:46 pm

    Labour has given the Opportunist Party an invitation to next year’s jamboree. People looking for fresh solutions to political problems know they are nowhere to be found within the ranks of the status quo parties (National, Labour, NZ First), while the Greens seem far too utopian and ACT far too rebarbative for most New Zealanders’ sensibilities (or lack of imagination). Morgan does actually have ideas that aren’t based on demonising a vulnerable group of people (he’s a bit rough on cats, I know, but they don’t vote, at least AFAIK they don’t), so he might appeal to people looking in vain for something other than the same self-serving, elite-toadying, proletariat-bashing diet we’ve had, more or less continuously, since 1984.

  25. RRM 25
    8 November 2016 at 1:29 pm

    I approve of this.

    Fracture and divide the young-leftie-know-it-all vote even further.

    Way to Go Gareth!

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