Laban to step down

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, August 11th, 2010 - 41 comments
Categories: by-election, elections - Tags: , ,

Winnie Laban has announced she will be leaving Parliament.

Winnie has been a great MP for Mana and is a pillar of the Pacific community. That focus on the electorate and community that put her in office, perhaps ahead of promotion within the party ranks, is something that a lot of other MPs could learn from.

So, she will be missed by Labour. Some will be displeased that she didn’t wait until closer to the general election to avoid the need for a by-election or give more notice to the party hierarchy of her plans. But those missteps shouldn’t outshine the sterling job she has done for the party and the working people who she has represented.

No doubt there will be a strong competition to replace Winnie as Labour’s candidate. Hopefully, a strong candidate will be selected and the party will use the opportunity of another by-election in a safe seat as a pre-election hit out to build up campaign experience and recruit new activists.

Inevitably, the by-election will be seen as a competition between National’s record in fulfilling (or, rather, not fulfilling) its promises and the alternative vision presented by Labour. If National can’t beat their result in the general election (12,700 of 34,700 votes), it will be seen as a rejection of their performance and a boost for Labour.

National’s candidate will presumably be Hekia Parata, a perennial failure in electorate races. Parata has a high opinion of herself, a low opinion of others, a tendency to say the wrong thing, and tries to make jokes that come out as insults – Melissa Lee version 2? A few good questions in a few public meetings could make this a very entertaining race.

41 comments on “Laban to step down ”

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  1. mickysavage 1
    11 August 2010 at 8:16 am

    Soifua Winnie, soifua.

  2. albatross 2
    11 August 2010 at 8:27 am

    more interesting is who labour selects than national’s candidate. Will other failed labour candidates (ie list MPs by marty’s definition) go for it and open up the whole tizard can of worms again) or will they use it to bring in fresh blood. interesting times

    • felix 2.1
      11 August 2010 at 8:46 am

      Careful albatros. Some of the posters here don’t take kindly to that sort of misrepresentation, as you well know.

    • Marty G 2.2
      11 August 2010 at 8:47 am

      I imagine it will be a new candidate. Think of the Wellington Region Labour MPs. Except Chauvel and Hughes, they all hold their electorate seats. And those two will be running in their respective seats again with a good chance of winning.

      got to think though the facts before blurting out stuff based on prejudice, alby. you sound like Parata.

      • albatross 2.2.1
        11 August 2010 at 9:22 am

        Shovel is a perenially failed candidate eh? He’s lost more times than parata? Don’t think hughes and shovel have a chance though, labour are chasing a bigger lead in 2011 than 2008.

        • Marty G 2.2.1.1
          11 August 2010 at 9:30 am

          chauvel and parata have both lost twice in electorate races. Difference is that Chauvel is closing the gap and the insiders’ favourite in the three way race with Shanks and Dunne for next time.

          Hughes is against that numbskull Guy in a seat he won twice and that is experiencing some nasty health cuts. It’s a matter of hughes putting the effort in though… and I have my concerns on that front.

          • albatross 2.2.1.1.1
            11 August 2010 at 9:46 am

            mg have you seen polls that say shovel is closing the gap? only polls I have seen are public ones that say national is further ahead of labour nationally than 2008, which means the gap has got bigger. so unless you’ve seen some local polls hard to say what your evidence is that shovel is the favourite. Which insiders favourite do you mean? if it’s labour party insiders (or shovel himself) who say he’s the favorite then that can be taken with a grain of salt.

            If guy is a numbskull how come he beat hughes this time. hughes seems to be pretty bright but what’s your evidence that guy is behind in the seat or even vulnerable.

    • Rex Widerstrom 2.3
      11 August 2010 at 12:04 pm

      So some candidates for both National and Labour have stood before. So what?

      At least they’re showing willing to put in the hard work. And it is hard work, unless you inherit a very safe seat that’s not built on the popularity of the sitting member (cf whatever Upper Hutt is called nowadays, and the amount of “Labour” support that was in fact “Paul Swain” support).

      Campaigning exposes you to the electorate in all its glory, on their doorsteps. It exposes you as an idiot, if you are one (cf Melissa Lee). It helps reinforce the fact that, even if you end up going in on the List, you’re meant to be representing these actual human beings and not just your party (though that lesson doesn’t seem to stick for many who make it in that way).

      And many successful politicians the world over have lost several races before they’ve won and gone on to do great things.

      Disclosure: Who knows, one of these days I may even give it a go again. And my experience of campaigning personally (which is nothing like running one for other people, with no emotional investment) will, I think, be a positive.

  3. Olwyn 3
    11 August 2010 at 8:54 am

    This from the Herald: “Labour is likely to bring in a candidate from outside its parliamentary caucus to further renew the party, but also to keep Judith Tizard, who is next on Labour’s list, from returning to Parliament.”

    I am sick to death of being told how little I like Judith Tizard by the MSM and various right wing commentators, as if dislike of Judith Tizard was some sort of universal law. For the record, I do like Judith Tizard, and while I do not think that she will probably stand for Winnie Laban’s seat, I would much rather see her in parliament than many of the boof heads that the right seem OK with.

    • Gosman 3.1
      11 August 2010 at 9:08 am

      So why does it seem that many within the Labour party hierarcy dislike her then?

      • bbfloyd 3.1.1
        11 August 2010 at 11:26 am

        G… you really got to stop believing everything you read in the herald. if you havn’t learnt to recognise political shitstirring disguised as “news” yet, then maybe you should go back to your macrame. this whole pile of crap started life as a whispering campaign from the nats, (carried on faithfully by the herald) in order to give nikky kaye a better chance of winning auck central. now it surfaces priodically for no more reason than it is a convenient tool to distract. which, i note, is becoming a much more regular occurence lately.

        • Gosman 3.1.1.1
          11 August 2010 at 1:04 pm

          It isn’t just the Herald though is it. Radio New Zealand National political reporters also bring this up from time to time. I didn’t realise how right wing the State media was. Perhaps you might reconsider support for saving it…

          • bbfloyd 3.1.1.1.1
            11 August 2010 at 3:07 pm

            G… use a bit of thought. fix the problem of having national party plants in the broadcasting service by removing it? that would suit the nats perfectly. of course we would have effectively removed any chance of being informed well enough to be able to make decisions based on knowledge, rather than blind ideology, or whatever propaganda we are subjected to by the people who can afford to pay for it.
            try again, if you can, to give me a reason to beleive you mean it.

          • the pinkpostman 3.1.1.1.2
            11 August 2010 at 3:43 pm

            Why do you think they call it National Radio. I choke everytime I hear it . It even hurts to bring it up here.

    • albatross 3.2
      11 August 2010 at 9:25 am

      poor old judith gets blamed for everything but she’s no worse than chris carter who everyone was defending until two weeks ago. she is a trougher and didn’t do anything in government except be helen’s friend (much like chris) but there’s nothing wrong with that in the labour party. I don’t think the public hate her as much as goff fears.

      Why doesn’t little throw his hat in? It’s a safe labour seat (unlike new plymouth, which harry held for so long because he was such an effective local MP), little’s from wellington now and it will give labour some leadership options it doesn’t have at the moment.

      • The Voice of Reason 3.2.1
        11 August 2010 at 9:59 am

        Little won’t stand because he is going to piss in in his old home town, where he is well known and well liked. Mana is a totally different kind of electorate than New Plymouth and Labour will select a candidate that fits the seat and reflects the local population. National will presumably put up some no hoper party hack (Vote Albatross!), lose handsomely and then say they didn’t really want to win it and it’s not a referendum on their policies etc etc. Just like the Mt Albert debacle.

      • bbfloyd 3.2.2
        11 August 2010 at 11:51 am

        albatross..’blamed for everything”? can you provide me with a list of things tizard has been blamed for?
        i would be grateful if you could quantify that statement for me. i have no deep desire to consider you to be just another reactionary twit.
        can you point to where you got your info on what it is that phil goff fears regarding judith? you talk like you are a labour party insider, yet i find it hard to fathom how that could be considering the stuff coming out from your posts.

    • Rex Widerstrom 3.3
      11 August 2010 at 11:58 am

      I do like Judith Tizard… I would much rather see her in parliament than many of the boof heads that the right seem OK with.

      Or we could all, you know, choose someone hard working and competent with an eye on the best interests of the entire electorate rather than our own and those of the elites, and rather than using whatever the hell criteria we’re using now that lets so many “boof heads” of all political persuasions in.

      • Olwyn 3.3.1
        11 August 2010 at 3:04 pm

        Judith Tizard has successfully held a number of ministerial positions during her time in parliament, and I would much rather see the archives and national library in her hands than in the hands of the present lot. She has also been a properly engaged minister for the arts. If you are going to say that someone is incompetent or lazy you need more factual support than the assumptions the Herald treats as self-evident.

        • bbfloyd 3.3.1.1
          11 August 2010 at 3:09 pm

          well said olwyn

          • Anne 3.3.1.1.1
            11 August 2010 at 7:42 pm

            Judith Tizard has been the target of jealous and irrational individuals who, sadly, were politically blooded in the Labour Party. They are the same self-serving individuals who, over the years, spread the vile rumours about Helen Clark and her husband, Peter Davis.

            No prizes for guessing which political party they have supported for the past 15 years or so.

  4. zimmer 4
    11 August 2010 at 10:38 am

    The replacement will be either or a combination of a unionist, teacher or homosexual.
    That much we do know.

    • loota 4.1
      11 August 2010 at 10:54 am

      You prefer someone from the born to rule elite?

      • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1.1
        11 August 2010 at 11:49 am

        Or Currency traders, sounds like a good fit for the average kiwi, but only after they have had a makeover to make them not appear from the wealthy 0.0001%

    • The Voice of Reason 4.2
      11 August 2010 at 11:01 am

      Piss poor attempt at a frame, Zimmer. Far more likely to be a polynesian community or health worker than any combination of careers and sexual orientations your sad wee prejudices could come up with. Surely if you want to play in the poo, you should be saying stuff like “I bet they won’t pick a poofter after the Carter hoo ha.” At least then your bigotry would be topical.

    • bbfloyd 4.3
      11 August 2010 at 12:08 pm

      Z…. what were you doing with your free hand when you typed this rubbish.? do you honestly believe people need to be subjected to this small minded, bigoted reactionary drivel? if so, then i can recommend a good therapist. he lives in the bottle in your cupboard.

  5. pollywog 5
    11 August 2010 at 11:07 am

    Well at least she got her 3 terms and lifetime perks sorted before bailing…good on ya Winnie

    In terms of achievement, what bills did she propose and push through, what will her legacy be ?

    How well did she represent Pasifikan peoples in the big house ?

    • bbfloyd 5.1
      11 August 2010 at 12:11 pm

      polly… see as above for reply to Z’s post. why don’t you give debating real issues a try? go on…. it really isn’t as scary and painful as johnny told you it would be.

      • Lanthanide 5.1.1
        11 August 2010 at 12:56 pm

        Seems like a perfectly good question to me – what has she achieved?

      • pollywog 5.1.2
        11 August 2010 at 1:15 pm

        I’m not looking for a debate….bbf

        I want someone to champion the good works and value the time she spent in the big house repping for us Pasifikans.

        I want her legacy to be more than the first token woman Pasifikan MP and the good works she did be more than smiley, lavalava inspired window dresser who toed the party line for Aunty Helen.

        so c’mon…if you know what she did that was worthy of 11 years suckin’ the parliamentary tit, then spit it out…I’m all ears

        …anyone ???

        • bbfloyd 5.1.2.1
          11 August 2010 at 3:21 pm

          polly….. as this is a non issue, i would agree that debating it would be pointless… as to finding out what her track record is, i would suggest you contact her electorate office and ask for yourself. this is a blog site, not wickapedia.
          by the way… if you do make the effort, i would like to see a comprehensive report, as would us all. i’m assuming your post was not driven by a desire to do no more than play silly politics.

          • pollywog 5.1.2.1.1
            11 August 2010 at 3:58 pm

            chur cuz, i might just do that eh. Cos yeah…i’m genuinely interested in what she did during her time in parliament.

            If i was a Pasifikan politician with 10+ yrs in the big house under my belt, i would sure as hell want to come out of it with a record of having done something worthy for my peeps and justify my lifetime perks.

            seems a bit weak to cruise thru the helen years as a token poly then when the going gets tough and the shit gets real, just pull the pin and leave the party hangin for a cushy job in academia complete with your ex MP perks .

            nice work if you can get it but yeah, hardly inspiring to a new breed of Pasifikans…or is it ?

            • bbfloyd 5.1.2.1.1.1
              11 August 2010 at 4:23 pm

              polly.. if that’s true, then i couldn’t agree more. pasifika are part of new zealand culture and it deserves adequate representation.

              • pollywog …
                11 August 2010 at 4:53 pm

                *ahem*…it’s more that NZ is a part of Pasifikan culture 🙂

                and fuck adequate bbf. adequate just doesnt cut it anymore !!!

                …we want and deserve exceptional representation. I’m sick of kupapa and uncle toms paying lipservice and pocketing the change

                if i want lipservice i’ll pay a cheap ho’ for a blowie, at least i know there’ll be a happy ending…

  6. gobsmacked 6
    11 August 2010 at 2:21 pm

    I hope National pick Hekia Parata.

    First question: “Why did you resign from the National Party, under Don Brash”?

    Second question: “Do you agree with your current leader John Key, who strongly supported Brash’s Orewa speech?”

    Should be fun!

  7. Nick C 7
    11 August 2010 at 2:46 pm

    “Hughes is against that numbskull Guy”

    “Parata has a high opinion of herself, a low opinion of others, a tendency to say the wrong thing, and tries to make jokes that come out as insults”

    Marty do you actually know either of those people? Or do you just have a hatred for the National Party which makes you incapable of distinguishing party from personality?

  8. Roflcopter 8
    11 August 2010 at 2:51 pm

    If Labour put up anyone other than a PI representative, Mana will no longer be a safe Labour seat.

    security: spaces

    • Shazzadude 8.1
      11 August 2010 at 4:17 pm

      I agree. Mana’s as safe for Labour as the Pasifika voter turnout, given that the Whitby, Papakowhai, Paremata, Plimmerton, Camborne, Pauatahanui and Pukerua Bay vote will be shipped National’s way.

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