James Shaw: “This is an historic moment”

Written By: - Date published: 10:08 pm, October 19th, 2017 - 50 comments
Categories: election 2017, greens, MMP - Tags: ,

As always, it’s best to hear what the Greens have to say in their own words. This press conference from James Shaw is one of excitement at the prospect of the Greens having Ministerial roles and of being in a position to act and have influence on the issues that they campaigned strongly on. Shaw covers a lot of ground in the 15 minutes. On the Greens gaining Ministerial positions via a Confidence and Supply agreement,

This is an historic moment for the Green Party and for our movement. Because for the first time we are going to be probably in a position to have Ministerial control in the areas that are important to us and the areas that we campaigned on.

He’s talking about climate, rivers and ending poverty. Shaw also explains how and why a Confidence and Supply agreement works well for the Greens.

On MMP,

This is one of the things I think is fantastic about this particular arrangement. This government […] will be the first truly MMP government. And it actually has an enforced consensus because it requires all three of the parties to it to agree, to actually have consensus in order to be able to pass legislation. So one of the things I actually like about this agreement is that it forces us to work together more than has been the case in previous arrangements.

Got to love the Greens ability to make things work well.

For analysis of how a Confidence and Supply agreement can work and what’s in it for the Greens see Matthew Whitehead’s post here.

Press conference (starts at 3 mins):

 

Update:

The Green Party members have endorsed the deal. They went through a lengthy debate on the deal, the policies and positions involved, the risks and benefits.

James Shaw,

We’re all in.

…

We now know that we have the full support and backing of our party to go into government. They’ve got our back.

Details, including Ministerial portfolios, will be announced by Jacinda Ardern once Labour have worked through their process. The Green caucus also has to meet and make decisions about which MPs will have which roles. Shaw expects these to happen in the next few days.

Update:

https://twitter.com/MatthewRussellS/status/920956974455578624

Update:

More explanation from James Shaw on Morning Report on how the various deals will work,

50 comments on “James Shaw: “This is an historic moment” ”

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  1. UncookedSelachimorpha 1
    19 October 2017 at 10:27 pm

    This is a good outcome for the Greens, one of the better chances to achieve some policy goals, despite their lower party vote this time.

    I think (maybe naively) that there is some genuine common ground and respect among all three governing parties. Dirty rivers, child poverty, homelessness – all things denied and ignored by the outgoing lot, will get some serious attention.

    • Macro 1.1
      19 October 2017 at 10:34 pm

      Don’t forget the zero carbon emissions by 2050 – all 3 agree on that also.
      Putting the “acid” back on Govt (not just relying on the ETS) for the responsibility to achieve this is also a positive move.

  2. Carolyn_Nth 2
    19 October 2017 at 10:31 pm

    Maybe this is why some fireworks hve been going off in my neighbourhood tonight – historic moment.

    Portfolios for Eugenie Sage, Marama Davidson and/or Julie Anne Genter?

    • Macro 2.1
      19 October 2017 at 10:35 pm

      Don’t forget Jan Logie and James…

      • Carolyn_Nth 2.1.1
        19 October 2017 at 10:42 pm

        I think Shaw said he would be taking the under-secretary role – not sure what that is? No he didn’t say that was his role – I misread.

        So I would expect him to be minister for climate change.

        • Macro 2.1.1.1
          19 October 2017 at 10:44 pm

          Finance

          • Matthew Whitehead 2.1.1.1.1
            20 October 2017 at 7:10 am

            Finance isn’t a Green priority. With only 3 and a half ministers and no concessions on financial policy, I wouldn’t expect them to ask for even a finance under-secretary. Better to leave that to Labour and give themselves room to hold them to account if they’re unwilling to act.

            If he’s taking the under-secretary role, I would guess it relates to Climate Change or the environment.

            • corodale 2.1.1.1.1.1
              20 October 2017 at 10:13 pm

              agreed, green finance woul be the last wish. Nats would have offered in a sporting joke. Give to Winnie. Revote Would give mandate. but should be now if green is to gain wellest 15pc

              • Macro …
                21 October 2017 at 2:32 pm

                I don’t think you understand the ways of government…
                Governments cant’ do a thing without finance…
                James has a strong background in corporate finance – Jacinda would be foolish to let this strength go by, and I’m sure she would see the benefit for all (someone with a strong sense of social justice and need for action on environmental issues as part of the team to handle monetary affairs) and wanted James as an under- secretary of finance. And that I think is the way it panned out. It is a win for all.

          • corodale 2.1.1.1.2
            20 October 2017 at 10:09 pm

            Lab rats have a chiness boy, let hom breath the lead

        • weka 2.1.1.2
          19 October 2017 at 11:07 pm

          There’s an explanation of under-secretaries in the Matt Whitehead post.

          • Carolyn_Nth 2.1.1.2.1
            20 October 2017 at 11:03 am

            Ah, thanks. Sorry. I did read his post last night – but so much going on then. Under secretary does look like a role for relative novices.

            I do think as he suggests, it’ll be likely that the under secretary will be for child poverty, under the Minister of Social Development. i.e. that will go to Marama Davidson – excellent!

            • weka 2.1.1.2.1.1
              20 October 2017 at 11:58 am

              It was added in after the post went up, so might not have been there when you read it.

              Looking forward to all the detail in the next few days!

        • corodale 2.1.1.3
          20 October 2017 at 10:07 pm

          Minister for chemtrails? Shaw is too old for youth suiside.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 2.2
      19 October 2017 at 10:46 pm

      Fireworks celebrating – you in Epsom?

    • corodale 2.3
      20 October 2017 at 10:05 pm

      Eugenie, she’s the real deal. Save the others for next round.

  3. DoublePlusGood 3
    19 October 2017 at 10:35 pm

    The Greens have been incredibly magnanimous in this negotiations, given Winston’s infantile disgusting petulance in not being willing to form a three way coalition with NZ First, Labour and the Greens.

    • KD 3.1
      19 October 2017 at 11:18 pm

      I don’t read it that way at all. I think it is very clever, the Greens retain their independence, gain ministerial positions, are absolutely part of the coalition, they are happy! Winston saves face and gains great partners in the kind of government he wants to be an influential part of, he’s happy, and NZ1st did get more votes than the Greens, so fair dinkum. And Jacinda gets to be Prime Minister and that makes me happy!

      • garibaldi 3.1.1
        20 October 2017 at 10:16 am

        The Greens were on the brink of being wiped out and now have a considerable role in govt. I think this is a fantastic outcome and I am impressed at the conduct of Winston.

    • Matthew Whitehead 3.2
      19 October 2017 at 11:28 pm

      Well, it is the norm to date that negotiations have always been between the biggest party and bilateral with each potential support partner, so I wouldn’t immediately pin it all on Winston, it might equally have been down to Labour’s preference.

      I would have thought it would make more sense to have had three-way talks, too, but from Labour’s perspective, it actually makes their hand weaker because there are areas that NZF and the Greens agree that Labour doesn’t, and they could gang up on them more effectively in three-way talks.

  4. Psycho Milt 4
    19 October 2017 at 10:51 pm

    Every time I see him lately he comes across as the best leader in Parliament, and this was no exception. Ardern is good, but he’s better. Pity it’s not the Greens with the biggest vote share.

    • weka 4.1
      19 October 2017 at 11:09 pm

      I’m feeling like we really lucked out with him. He was the right choice for co-leader at the time and I thought he was good then but I had no idea he was this good. Lots of potential going forward.

      • Matthew Whitehead 4.1.1
        19 October 2017 at 11:25 pm

        Yeah, I always thought he was the right choice and a competent guy, but I had no idea how calm and resilient he was under pressure. Truly an amazing guy and we are lucky to have him, he is definitely living up to the standard set by the past co-leaders.

      • odysseus 4.1.2
        19 October 2017 at 11:37 pm

        Agreed

    • JC 4.2
      19 October 2017 at 11:29 pm

      James Shaw? Coi Leader. Yes indeed!

      A Legend!

  5. mosa 5
    19 October 2017 at 11:02 pm

    So pleased i supported the Greens at the election , they deserve to be in government and have influence finally.

    YEE HAAAA

  6. JC 6
    19 October 2017 at 11:25 pm

    Tumeke!!

    Lets support this Movement for Change!

    A Greener Future….

  7. odysseus 7
    19 October 2017 at 11:37 pm

    Chloe Swarbrick for MPI

    • Matthew Whitehead 7.1
      20 October 2017 at 7:20 am

      Chloe is too new and is really in a backbencher position. I wouldn’t expect anyone who isn’t already a veteran Green MP to be in consideration for ministerial or under-secretarial roles. (ie. not Golriz or Chlöe)

      I’d probably say that it’s also not likely to be Gareth Hughes, although I think he’s a good quality MP, because his areas of expertise aren’t the areas we’re likely to see strong enough concessions to the Greens for a ministerial position to be tenable. Marama Davidson, while she is my political crush and favoured new co-leader, may also arguably be too new for a ministerial position, in which case, we have our four candidates and it’s just a matter of who gets what, but there is an argument that given she has stormed up into number two on the list and is likely to be the next co-leader that she should be seriously considered despite her lack of experience compared to the other caucus members.

      If that’s the case, there’d be some tricky organizational politics to sort out who gets what- I think probably the best thing to do is to admit Marama should get a bit more experience under her belt before considering being a minister, even though her wisdom and tenacity suggest she would do very well, and she has the mana within the party for them to do it. It would also mean that if she does win the co-leader position, she can take some of the slack off James as he handles his ministerial responsibilities. There are definite advantages to having one co-leader firmly outside the new Government.

  8. Draco T Bastard 8
    19 October 2017 at 11:46 pm

    From the email:

    We will have Green Party Ministers and Associate Ministers who will be at the heart of good green change in our priority areas. The portfolio areas will be revealed in the coming day.

    The policy gains include:

    * Significant climate action, with a shift towards a net zero carbon emissions economy by 2050. The specific focuses will be on: transport, energy, primary industries. The establishment of an Independent Climate Commission. Support for a shift in farming to more sustainable land use.
    * Overhaul the welfare system, ensure access to entitlements, remove excessive sanctions and review Working For Families so that everyone has a standard of living and income that enables them to live in dignity
    * Significant increase in the Conservation budget
    * Improve water quality and prioritise achieving healthy rivers, lakes and aquifers with stronger regulatory instruments, funding for freshwater enhancement and winding down Government support for irrigation
    * Free counselling for under-25s and access to mental health services and support for everyone
    * Access to education for children with special needs and learning difficulties
    * Substantial progress in this parliamentary term to eliminating the gender pay gap in the public service
    * Reduction in the number of students living in hardship
    * Review, and adequately fund and support, the family re-unification scheme for refugees.
    * Increase funding for alcohol and drug addiction services and ensure drug use is treated as a health issue, and have a referendum on legalising the personal use of cannabis at, or by, the 2020 general election.

    Sounds good to me.

  9. Wayne_2 9
    20 October 2017 at 12:05 am

    Should be Shaw or Peters as PM.
    I’m happy, but Ardern is some [r0b: I think we can do without the stupid sexist insults thanks].

  10. Stuart Munro 10
    20 October 2017 at 12:07 am

    Good work here – and I must acknowledge from Labour too, who seem to have laid the base for a coalition that can endure. Winston may get a chance to make good on his policy promises – and that wouldn’t be bad either.

    • weka 10.1
      20 October 2017 at 12:19 am

      +1

      Shaw praises Labour and Ardern for how they handled the negotiations and worked with each party separately but with respect for them so no surprises. Very good start.

  11. WILD KATIPO 11
    20 October 2017 at 1:21 am

    Wonderful stuff , Weka,…

    … ” This is one of the things I think is fantastic about this particular arrangement. This government […] will be the first truly MMP government. And it actually has an enforced consensus because it requires all three of the parties to it to agree, to actually have consensus in order to be able to pass legislation. So one of the things I actually like about this agreement is that it forces us to work together more than has been the case in previous arrangements ” …

    This is what it is all about , – mutual cooperation for the benefit of all.

    Anything less is a degraded , compromised position.

    Its prison without walls.

    Now originally , I suspected Mr Shaw ,… but saw he was a true heart when he stood by Metiria. And Metiria told it how it is. I suspected him originally because I thought he was a closet Blue – Green. I was so wrong. And when Labour was down ,… I was going to vote Labour , ( induced as it were originally by excitement over David Cunliffes speech … I saw something was changing within Labour ) And Andrew Little was a gracious leader. A good leader , a person of great depth and wisdom and team building ,… but was not a natural born leader for direct capturing of the public imagination. But a vital leader nonetheless.

    Then along came Jacinda, … yet it was heave – to for the Greens as they were struggling at the time . I am so glad I party voted Green 🙂 No regrets. I’ve never felt so empowered as I do now with my vote .

    Being raised in the wops I have an affinity for the Greens. That ‘wilderness’ is my spiritual home. Its my place. Its everyone’s place. Romanization = Urbanization and that = flabbiness of sorts. Easily controlled with debt servitude. Despicable to my mind. I like wild and free. Despite playing the game and being contemptuous of it at the same time.

    I like and always have liked NZ First for their balanced nationalism. I like the Greens for their protection of the environment and – lately as I’ve discovered , – their social conscience. And Labour for their traditional role as being the ‘ workers party’. Its taken 33 years for me to get over their treachery , however. But they have arrived ,.. and can only heal up from here on in. If they continue to self monitor and give no more room to the far right neo liberal factions…

    It has taken a long time for the Greens , and this is their moment as well as others. They have earned it. It is high time they have direct influence in how this country runs. They have much to offer. They have influenced much and offered equally through the years and that influence has been noted. Now it is formalized. As so it should be.

    Me ?… I like the wild free nomads, … who were / are not afraid to take on the invasive influence of the imperialist dollar in its incursions into their way of life,… I will always side with them … the battle of Teutoburg Forest against the Romans , the Sioux against the might of the US cavalry, or the Maori with the Taiaha in their hearts fighting the British Empire … are famous examples,… of a people that may have been subjugated but for a time,… but through long fought for tenacity ,… became victoriously resurgent.

    This is a good time to be alive as a human being .

    Traditional Lakota/Dakota Sundance Songs 3/6 – YouTube
    Video for Traditional Lakota/Dakota Sundance Songs 3/6▶ 4:23

  12. One Anonymous Bloke 12
    20 October 2017 at 6:43 am

    Green ministers is the best news of this election.

  13. Eco maori 13
    20 October 2017 at 6:48 am

    Many thanks to Jamie Shaw and the Green for seizing this opportunity to save our mother earth

  14. cleangreen 14
    20 October 2017 at 8:05 am

    Well done greens as we all need to pull together to change NZ back again as “clean & green.

  15. Ad 15
    20 October 2017 at 9:31 am

    I was impressed with the process Shaw used to gain ratification., and with his leadership in deploying it.

    There were a lot of ways that the ratification process could have held up a government forming, at which point the Greens would have been sizzling on the public griddle as the media turned the heat up to full.

    He didn’t get unanimous ratification – there were 3 votes against – but the system was fast and secure and delivered a strong internal mandating result.

    • Anne 15.1
      20 October 2017 at 10:53 am

      There’s always a handful of eccentrics and stirrers whose sole purpose in life is to oppose everything that the the other 99% agree with. Labour hasthem… National has them and so have the Greens.

      Anyone old enough remember Clarke Titman? He was a highly vocal member of the National Party and he was – by their own calculation – as nutty as a fruit cake. But he was great copy for the “press” of the 1970s and early 1980s.

      • weka 15.1.1
        20 October 2017 at 11:55 am

        The Greens value dissent. I don’t see those 3-ish votes as a problem or a sign of pathological opposition and there’s nothing wrong with them having voted against, it actually makes the party and their position stronger.

        • Macro 15.1.1.1
          20 October 2017 at 4:47 pm

          Exactly – like Nicaragua initially abstaining from the Paris Climate Agreement because it didn’t go far enough – they are quite right to express these concerns – and they are real. The questions being asked I would imagine were not ones of wanting to hold back – but wanting more. Had the vote been more generous to the Greens that might have been a possibility – but one has to accept the reality of a much lower backing for Green policy than we would have liked.

  16. Kevin 16
    20 October 2017 at 10:13 am

    Was nice to wake up this morning on Anniversary weekend, here in Hawkes Bay, with a genuine feeling of hope for the future of this great little country. Over-the-moon that The Greens finally have a seat at the big table and will be in a position to help steer a new course for New Zealand.

    Time to mow the lawns and take the girls to the park. Have a good day everyone.

  17. Bearded Git 17
    20 October 2017 at 11:11 am

    james shaw saved the Greens from meltdown with his calm demeanour during the election campaign..he will make a fantastic minister.

  18. Bob 18
    20 October 2017 at 11:42 am

    James Shaw is a champion of the future, and a great diplomat to boot.
    Go the new Coalition !!!!
    #letsdothis

  19. NewsFlash 19
    20 October 2017 at 4:55 pm

    The foundation stones have been laid for a strong Green presence in the future, the voters will have a real opportunity to see the Greens coming of age, the next election will hopefully see a larger share of the vote and hence a stronger position in Government, this really is a wonderful victory for the trifecta of parties and the NZ public.