David Cunliffe – Labour leader!

Written By: - Date published: 2:53 pm, September 15th, 2013 - 286 comments
Categories: democratic participation - Tags:

It’s official David Cunliffe is Labour’s new leader. And, having been democratically elected by Labour’s Parliamentary, Party, and industrial wings in the first round, he carries the strongest mandate of any leader in the party’s history.

It’s a great day for democracy. But not as great as the sixth Labour government will be when we win next year!

Update: the full vote with second preferences is out:

2013 Leadership Election - Results

If it had gone to second preference Cunliffe would have had 61.5% of the total vote and just under half the caucus vote. It shows just how much those individual caucus votes are worth.

286 comments on “David Cunliffe – Labour leader! ”

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  1. millsy 1
    15 September 2013 at 3:02 pm

    Contratulations David.

    Awesome.

    Now, phase 2 begins, a new set of policies to take New Zealand into a green, equal, and publicly owned future, where people matter more than profit.

  2. Lanthanide 2
    15 September 2013 at 3:02 pm

    Did anyone write down the preferences? I heard that Cunliffe got 70% of the union vote. Caucus was 52% for Robertson?

    • QoT 2.1
      15 September 2013 at 3:19 pm

      One of the journos tweeted the table from the release:
      http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BUK_UHsCYAASlns.jpg

      I expect it’ll get reported once they’re back to their laptops!

    • Jenny Kirk 2.2
      15 September 2013 at 3:39 pm

      Cunliffe won on the first round. No need for preferences.

    • Linz 2.3
      15 September 2013 at 4:32 pm

      I’ve copied these off the photo from the journo’s phone.

      Caucus Round 1:
      Cunliffe 32.35%
      Jones 20.59%
      Robertson 47.06%

      Round 2:
      Cunliffe 47.06%
      Robertson 52.94%

      Party Members Round 1:
      Cunliffe 60.14%
      Jones 13.15%
      Robertson 26.71%

      Round 2:
      Cunliffe 67.79%
      Robertson 32.21%

      Affiliates:
      Round 1:
      Cunliffe 70.77%
      Jones 11.92%
      Robertson 17.30%

      Round 2:
      Cunliffe 78.01%
      Robertson 21.99%

      Final Results:
      Round 1:
      Cunliffe 51.15%
      Jones 15.68%
      Robertson 33.17%

      I can’t find the Round 2 final results anywhere.

    • phillip ure 2.4
      15 September 2013 at 6:03 pm

      does anyone else see the labour leadership/yachting metaphor here..?

      ..the caucus up there on one pontoon..risking capsizing the whole gig..?

      ..relying on the party-members/unions to bring them back onto an even keel..?

      ..(just saying..!..)

      ..phillip ure..

  3. Rosie 3
    15 September 2013 at 3:02 pm

    AH! YEEEESSSSS!!!!! May today be the beginning of the end for the Key Regime!

    Congratulations Mr Cunliffe and Congratulations NZ Labour Party on your first democratic leadership vote. Well done everyone!

  4. Wendy 4
    15 September 2013 at 3:08 pm

    Congratulations David. Onwards and Upwards. United.

  5. Colonial Viper 5
    15 September 2013 at 3:08 pm

    Well done to all the candidates. Now the real work to build a fighting fit Labour for 2014 starts.

  6. mac1 6
    15 September 2013 at 3:09 pm

    At the time of writing this in response to the news of Cunliffe’s leadership win, I am listening to “Ave Verum” sung by the Rhos Valley Miner’s Choir. A transcendental piece of music sung inspirationally by ordinary working folk, as inspirational as I hope the sixth Labour Government will be, next year.

    “Ave Verum” ends with an “Amen!” So do I.

    Now, then, back to work!

  8. QoT 8
    15 September 2013 at 3:21 pm

    Congratulations to David.

  9. Ad 9
    15 September 2013 at 3:22 pm

    Weeeeee-haaaa!

  10. Olwyn 10
    15 September 2013 at 3:22 pm

    Brilliant! Just brilliant! Congratulations David!

  11. Varity 11
    15 September 2013 at 3:23 pm

    who cares. david won. 🙂

  12. Lanthanide 12
    15 September 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Here’s the numbers:

    He received 18.2 per cent of the caucus vote, which was worth 40 per cent of the total.

    He received 27.11 per cent of the membership vote, which was also worth 40 per cent.

    And he got 15.6 per cent of the affiliated union vote, which made up 20 per cent of the total.

    Out of 100% for each block:
    Caucus: 45.5% = 15.47 MPs, hard to tell if that should be 15 or 16. Sloppy rounding by the Herald?
    Membership: 67.77%
    Unions: 78%

    Caucus 1st preference was:
    16 for Robertson, 11 for Cunliffe, 7 for Jones.

    • gobsmacked 12.1
      15 September 2013 at 3:39 pm

      When the dust settles, it might be worth compiling a “Top Ten Things So-called Pundits Got Wrong.” Just to remind ourselves how little some of them understand.

      Couple of starters …

      – Robertson got a very small slice of the union/affiliate vote. Gower said the EPMU was voting for him, others said there was a block vote for Robertson.

      – Robertson got less than half the caucus (on first preferences). So he did worse with the caucus than Cunliffe did overall.

      etc …

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 12.2
      15 September 2013 at 3:41 pm

      According to Stuff: “Robertson pulled the majority of caucus support with 47.06 per cent followed by Cunliffe on 32.35 per cent. Jones had 20.59 per cent support”

    • The Al1en 12.3
      15 September 2013 at 3:48 pm

      In politics 51% to 32.97% is a landslide and a half.
      What on earth does that make 67.77% and 78% ?
      Sure shows how out of touch caucus is with the party, and how that will need to be fixed pronto, but not today. Today is a party for for people power.

      Well done to all who’ve supported Cunliffe, not just in this vote, but from way back.
      We did it 🙂

    • alwyn 12.4
      15 September 2013 at 4:00 pm

      Those numbers don’t make any sense I’m afraid.
      If you simply add them up you get a total of 60.9%, not the 51% being quoted.
      If on the other hand you take them literally as you have written them he would only have got about 21.2% of the total number.
      eg 18.2% of the 40% which is the caucus vote comes to only 7.28% of the total..

      • bad12 12.4.1
        15 September 2013 at 4:26 pm

        Have fun spinning them numbers, when you have finished, guess what, David Cunliffe will still be the new leader of the Labour Party…

      • Paul Campbell 12.4.2
        15 September 2013 at 4:30 pm

        those numbers are backwards and being poorly reported in the press at the moment

        “He received 27.11 per cent of the membership vote, which was also worth 40 per cent.”

        really should be something like “he won 67% of the membership vote which counts as 40% resulting in 27.11% of the total vote”

        etc etc

        (BTW: I suspect those are the 2nd round numbers even though he won on the first – so doubly poorly reported)

    • Rogue Trooper 12.5
      15 September 2013 at 4:24 pm

      Audrey Young from The Herald

    • Linz 12.6
      15 September 2013 at 4:38 pm

      More than sloppy reporting. How much do they pay these people? I wrote a snippy email to our Audrey and pointed her in the direction of MathsIsFun.com “Learn about percentages”.

    • Tangee 12.7
      15 September 2013 at 7:54 pm

      Was the 1st preference caucus vote including Cunliffe?

  13. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 13
    15 September 2013 at 3:25 pm

    Absolutely brilliant news!

    To Mr Cunliffe and his family,
    To the members who made this process more democratic,
    To all those who voted for Mr Cunliffe

    Congratulations and thank you
    Really well done to you all – great stuff!

    • weka 13.1
      15 September 2013 at 3:36 pm

      +1000

      what a relief.

      Congratulations to all involved! And behalf of many non-Labour lefties, thank-you so much.

  14. Boadicea 14
    15 September 2013 at 3:26 pm

    Faaaaaantastic . The best Labour news since Helen won the first of her three terms.

  15. Morgy 15
    15 September 2013 at 3:27 pm

    Brilliant!

  16. swan 16
    15 September 2013 at 3:28 pm

    All the unionised boys on my worksite love Shane Jones. I hope the delegates truly represented their constiuents.

  17. Treetop 17
    15 September 2013 at 3:28 pm

    Electrifying.

  18. Delia 18
    15 September 2013 at 3:28 pm

    Fantastic. Goodbye Greens, hello Labour, I am back.

  19. hush minx 19
    15 September 2013 at 3:30 pm

    Well done team cunliffe. We support you. And now the rest of caucus know it.

  20. bad12 20
    15 September 2013 at 3:30 pm

    David Cunliffe 51.15%,

    Caucus 18.2%,
    Members 27.11%,
    Affiliates 15.6%,

    Robertson 32.97%,

    Jones 15.88%,

    An excellent win for David Cunliffe, an excellent leadership contest by and for Labour, and, an excellent vote for the whole of New Zealand…

    • North 20.1
      15 September 2013 at 4:17 pm

      In a caucus of 34, first preference:

      Robertson 16

      Cunliffe 11

      Jones 7

      In a caucus of 34 after second preference allocation:

      Robertson 18

      Cunliffe 16

      5 of Jones’ 7 supporters had Cunliffe number 2.

      Congratulations to David Cunliffe and the Labour Party.

      Analysis of MSM performance during the lead-up will be interesting. Perhaps more so in terms of overall demeanour and measure of commitment to mischief than strictly in terms of end predictions. Do I hear more than a few pairs of clay feet shuffling by ?

  21. fender 21
    15 September 2013 at 3:31 pm

    🙂 x 1000

  23. Pete 23
    15 September 2013 at 3:31 pm

    A great result and a ringing endorsement to win on first preferences. Now to work.

  24. joe90 24
    15 September 2013 at 3:32 pm

    Smiles all round in this tribal Labour household.

  25. Just Julie 25
    15 September 2013 at 3:32 pm

    I’ll be wearing a red dress and blue shoes to work;tomorrow!

  26. xtasy 26
    15 September 2013 at 3:32 pm

    My sincere congratulations and best wishes to David Cunliffe and Labour as a whole! This is the overdue new start of a new beginning for a party in revival modus, in spring mode, ready to prepare new policies, to present new ideas, and to bring about the end of a rotten government that has run out of any answers, and that is losing credit at high speed day by day!

    I look forward to a new leadership in the opposition, as the biggest party is expected to lead the opposition, and I will also accept that Grant Robertson will likely be the logical Deputy Leader.

    It is good to hear that David won the leadership role in the first round, and it is a convincing vote primarily by the members and the affiliates. Now caucus have to put aside internal rivalries and agendas and unite, as the party and even wider public expect this.

    Not being a member I expect to be delivered policies that may perhaps, in some moderate way at least, convince me to perhaps at least vote a Labour electorate candidate again in the next general elections. I still have large reservations and will judge Labour and the new leadership by what they will actually deliver in the way of good, needed policies to bring New Zealand as a whole ahead again.

    I appreciate at least that David dared to come onto the Standard not long ago and gave some answers to questions. But sadly some matters remained unanswered. And as I have raise this again and again, we have a government that treats beneficiaries as “crap” now, where there is no carrot but a huge baseball bat as stick, I expect to eventually see really constructive, fair, reasonable, objective and inclusive social policy being presented by Labour under the new leaders. I expect that the punitive, mean spirited “reforms” by Bennett and her colleagues will be reversed, and that we will as unfortunate due to no fault of our own be treated with respect again.

    I also expect that doctors and other health professionals will under Labour not be abused and instrumentalised to cull sick and disabled from benefits, by using questionable “findings” by one Mansel Aylward and his few colleagues, also backed up by a highly questionable, hard line and biased WINZ Principal Health Advisor David Bratt.

    That man and his ideas have no place in MSD and their policy implementations. You are expected to correct the mistakes made, and I will cast my vote in 2014 based on the signs you send me re that.

    Thank you and enjoy your celebrations for the rest of the day. An important signal has now been sent to John Key, and he clearly knew it was coming, as he even delayed his overseas trip to face Cunliffe in the House on Tuesday! I want to see a damned scary John Key and Nat gang in there then!

  27. Ennui 27
    15 September 2013 at 3:34 pm

    A year wasted by the ABC club. But not a year too late. Cunliffe will be the next PM of NZ despite the best efforts of the caucus to avoid winning. Time for the old guard to do the right thing: move aside for the new talent.

  28. r0b 28
    15 September 2013 at 3:35 pm

    Congratulations David Cunliffe – be the leader that we need.

    Thanks to Grant Robertson and Shane Jones for a fair and open campaign process – you both did yourselves proud – and what a great thing it has been for Labour.

    Finally, thanks too to David Shearer, for giving it his best shot, and stepping aside at the right time.

    Onwards!

    • bad12 28.1
      15 September 2013 at 3:52 pm

      i was thinking this morning that the ‘leadership contest’ is perfect timing, Labour couldn’t have had such a fortuitous contest at a better time in the political cycle with the cracks beginning to show in National’s support,

      David Cunliffe as the fresh new face of Labour has the opportunity to create a dream run into the 2014 election,

      How the Labour shadow Cabinet is put together will be the next interesting question, my view is that Grant Robertson will be caucuses pick to be His deputy and whether Grant will help deliver the support needed for a reforming Labour Government to Cunliffe is a question yet to be answered,

      My pick is that Robertson will…

      • Olwyn 28.1.1
        15 September 2013 at 4:29 pm

        I think he will too. David Cunliffe has been given authority through the members and unions votes. In many ways, it has been a contest between social democracy and institutional, cadre-style politics, and social democracy has won. Grant and his younger supporters who have entered parliament since 2008 will adapt to that reality, and hopefully shine under the new conditions.

      • North 28.1.2
        15 September 2013 at 4:34 pm

        Re Robertson – that’s my pick too bad12. There may be a tiny handful of caucus members Robertson (not Cunliffe) will teach some manners to. All good – Robertson’s up to that.

        It’s in both Cunliffe and Robertson to create a unifying powerful team.

      • Lucas the socialist 28.1.3
        15 September 2013 at 5:13 pm

        Grant’s a fucktard. If his previous role as deputy is anything to go by. Might be best to get someone who wants to win for the better of the party. Not his fat selfish self. Doing nothing in your role does not define you as ‘being loyal’. May as well put a goat on a rope, more effective!

      • Tangee 28.1.4
        15 September 2013 at 8:21 pm

        I wish he would stand aside as clear as Jones had done, I really want a woman for a deputy.

    • Lanthanide 28.2
      15 September 2013 at 5:23 pm

      He didn’t step aside at the right time.

  29. Rose 29
    15 September 2013 at 3:35 pm

    Congratulations David Cunliffe. There’s video on the One News website.

  30. billbrowne 30
    15 September 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Congratulations to all three candidates. I voted for David and am glad he won – I hope he lives up to our expectations.

  31. Neoleftie 31
    15 September 2013 at 3:38 pm

    Congrats to DC the best person to win in 2014 and beyond.
    Not who I voted for but very glad, now to take back the party vote in Dunedin south come 2014.
    We need a woman as deputy strong bold experienced and cross faction support but no ABC. Hmmm someone from the party for the party and the people. Guesses?

  32. Morgy 32
    15 September 2013 at 3:39 pm

    Xtacy. That’s a funny post! Popcorn anyone?

    • xtasy 32.1
      15 September 2013 at 3:49 pm

      Morgy – not so “funny” if you have been at the receiving end of a long and nasty stick. But I admit, it should rather be celebration mood!

      Go David, deal to Key and Nats now, you are the one who can do it!

      Congrats!

  33. lurgee 33
    15 September 2013 at 3:42 pm

    Excellent. I was worried for a few of you …

  34. Craig 34
    15 September 2013 at 3:45 pm

    Congratulations, David, especially for not succumbing to dogwhistling against an out gay rival contender. For what it’s worth, I have always thought the newly elected leader to be a highly effective communicator and someone to mount a decisive challenge to the Key regime.

    Let me also say that I hope David recognises that there is substantial overlap between the visions that he and Grant Robertson have for the party, and that Grant is reappointed as Labour Deputy Leader. I also do not believe that homophobia played any direct role in the final decision- more likely, it was Robertson’s lack of Cabinet experience compared to Cunliffe (and Jones).

    What is important now is party unity and focus on policy development as the Key regime starts to fray round the edges and succumb to incumbency fatigue. With any luck, we can limit this to a two-term Nat-led government.

    • QoT 34.1
      15 September 2013 at 4:51 pm

      I hope David recognises that there is substantial overlap between the visions that he and Grant Robertson have for the party, and that Grant is reappointed as Labour Deputy Leader.

      Cunliffe doesn’t appoint his deputy, the caucus does. So you may well get your wish.

      • SHG (not Colonial Viper) 34.1.1
        15 September 2013 at 6:44 pm

        Cunliffe doesn’t appoint his deputy, the caucus does.

        I’m sure Cunliffe is preparing to receive exactly the same support that Shearer received from Deputy Leader Robertson.

      • Tangee 34.1.2
        15 September 2013 at 8:26 pm

        I hope we get a woman Deputy

    • Lucas the socialist 34.2
      15 September 2013 at 5:18 pm

      It is Grant’s lack of loyalty that is of bigger concern. It was evident from his time with Shearer that he is not to be trusted and was part of a movement to dis-stabilise Shearer. Moreover, the old ‘homo-phobia’ excuse is a bullshit smokescreen. If Grant was straight, married with children he still would have lost because he is seen as lazy, ineffective and the reason he has a low profile is because he has done nothing of substance. Plain and simple! I personally think, it might be best for all of us, if he steps down all together.

      • red blooded 34.2.1
        15 September 2013 at 7:48 pm

        This is not a time for vitriol and baseless accusations. Celebrate Cunliffes’ win, but there’s no reason to insult Robertson. He’s been a reasonably effective and loyal Deputy and he ran a good race in this contest. It’s not his time, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have the makings of a good future leader.

        • The Al1en 34.2.1.1
          15 September 2013 at 7:56 pm

          GR is ABC through and through and gave us Shearer. For a start that proves his judgement is all fuc*ed up.
          He thought he’d waltz into the leaders office once he stabbed DS in the back, only he didn’t reckon the party stopping him. Again, that proves he hasn’t got the smarts where it counts, and precludes him from the top job.
          Clearly he didn’t run a good race, because he lost, and badly at that. Caucus favourite turned into dog food in three weeks by overwhelming opposition from the members and unions.

          GR won’t ever be the leader of the Labour party, and he, like you, should get use to the notion.

  35. just saying 35
    15 September 2013 at 4:01 pm

    It is a good feeling to have been part of this.
    Democracy won.

  36. LynWiper 36
    15 September 2013 at 4:04 pm

    Fantastic result. Well done everyone who helped make this happen. Here’s to the future…it just got a whole lot more positive. Fabulous reading all the happy comments above and knowing Labour is moving forward with a more united stance.

  37. Ron 37
    15 September 2013 at 4:05 pm

    Whew That is a relief I do not like waiting. Now we have just over a year to convince NZ to vote for a Labour Government.
    If we have the right policies and the right spokespeople we cannot lose.

  38. the pigman 38
    15 September 2013 at 4:09 pm

    Yes! Might be bad taste to ask today but what is the process for having Rimutaka, Wainuiomata and Dunedin South LECs recall their MPs? We almost have our party back 😀

  39. Ugly Truth 39
    15 September 2013 at 4:13 pm

    “It’s a great day for for the corrupt politics that people call democracy.”
    FIFY

  40. pollywog 40
    15 September 2013 at 4:25 pm

    OK…so how much does it cost to join the Labour Party then ?

  41. Rogue Trooper 41
    15 September 2013 at 4:31 pm

    Bless The Lord , oh my soul, Praise The Lord

    Sun is Shining , weather is sweet…make you want to move your dancing feet! 😀

    • Rosie 41.1
      15 September 2013 at 5:08 pm

      Great mix of Sun is Shining Roguey. I just happen to be be listening to some sweet sounds of a similar vein at this moment:-)

      And I think it’s time to be open that bubbly that has been waiting for this occasion…….Cheers to all (al or non al, whatever your preference)for this wonderful day.

      • Rogue Trooper 41.1.1
        15 September 2013 at 5:40 pm

        not sunny here 🙁 , grey and cold. Oh well, Two out of three ain’t Bad.

      • miravox 41.1.2
        15 September 2013 at 5:50 pm

        Champagne breakfast for us, such great news to wake up to. Congrats David and Labour. A briiliant job done by all involved.

  42. Greywarbler 42
    15 September 2013 at 4:33 pm

    David. Great news. Afternoon delight! Let’s have some sky rockets. And what a great showing of Labour determination with the three going through the meetings in such an excellent way and the organisation required to make it happen. They are all tops, winners for Labour all with good points and though the best man won, Grant and Shane will be there being movers and shakers when Labour gets in 2014.

  43. Belladonna 43
    15 September 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Congrats David. Wonderful news – dont let us down.

  44. leftriteleft 44
    15 September 2013 at 4:43 pm

    I’m really happy with this result.
    Bring on next year. Go for it David.
    Pack your bags Shonkey.

  45. North 45
    15 September 2013 at 4:46 pm

    Just a thought……..Shane Jones offered mea culpa and conducted a sounding the results of which have not been hellish. Better that be done in the context of an internal race than a general election. Thunder neutralised ?

  46. Merrial 46
    15 September 2013 at 4:47 pm

    Great result! I was a bit worried that Jones might slip through the middle. But now – all other things being equal – I’m back to being a Labour voter. Onward….

    • tinfoilhat 46.1
      15 September 2013 at 5:01 pm

      “But now – all other things being equal – I’m back to being a Labour voter”

      Vote for a real party of the left – vote Green or Mana, once again Labour will flatter to deceive.

      • Delia 46.1.1
        15 September 2013 at 6:53 pm

        Social policy excellent, they give me the heebies economically. It is the only reason they do not get my party vote, their candidate in my area does (cos he is nice and door knocks in dodgy areas in horrible winter winter at night)

  47. Steve 47
    15 September 2013 at 4:50 pm

    Congratulations David. This a great result for Labour and a bummer for Key.

    Onwards and upwards to turf this shambles of a government out in 2014

  48. the sprout 48
    15 September 2013 at 4:56 pm

    Excellent.
    At last sanity prevails.
    Well done David and team.

  49. Foreign Waka 49
    15 September 2013 at 5:06 pm

    Congratulations Mr Cunliffe. Thank god some sanity, sound knowledge, analysis and skill has won. Hope that it will result in some sane, sound and skillful action for NZ.

  50. Blue 50
    15 September 2013 at 5:06 pm

    Awesome news 🙂 Congratulations to David!

    I can finally forget forcing myself to tick the box beside the Green Party at the next election and come home to the Labour Party.

    Hope DC gives Johnny Boy hell 😀

    • Rosie 50.1
      15 September 2013 at 5:13 pm

      Like a few others here I am seriously considering bringing my party vote back to Labour. Won’t commit to it yet, and will wait to see how next year pans out.

    • North 50.2
      15 September 2013 at 5:35 pm

      Yeah Nah ShonKey Python was seen round 4.00 pm today sneaking in the back door of some sports psychologist’s rooms on medical mile Newmarket end Remuera Road. Michelle Boag, Louise Upstart and Heki Pirau Parata all in tow, all grim faced.

  51. Varity 51
    15 September 2013 at 5:12 pm

    here you go David. what are you truly going to do about poverty? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zLsbbafdgg&list=HL1379220793

  52. Boadicea 52
    15 September 2013 at 5:13 pm

    I hear that the re-birth of the Labour is being celebrated this evening at the upstairs room in Black Salt Bar in the centre on New Lynn. It is just across the road from Cunliffe’s electorate office.

  53. Poem 53
    15 September 2013 at 5:17 pm

    YES !!!!! Very pleased… Congratulations David Cunliffe !!!

  54. North 54
    15 September 2013 at 5:19 pm

    Whatever happened to the sophisticated (sarc/lol) wisdom of Tracy Watkins’ and numerous other so-called pundits – “Robertson has the bulk of the caucus……” ?

    16 of 34 in the primary vote, 18 of 34 after the allocation of second preferences ? Bulk bullshit rather Tracy. Fail.

  55. karol 55
    15 September 2013 at 5:19 pm

    Congratulations David! Well done Team Cunliffe.

    I note, in his speech today, Cunliffe talks about working for

    all those New Zealanders who currently don’t have a voice. For the Mums and Dads struggling to make ends meet. For the young people wanting a future. For our elderly living in cold damp homes.

    That’s an excellent start! It’ll be hard to maintain in the face of the corporate media, and other pressures from the powerful right wing elites.

    It will require all of us working collectively for such people, over many years to come, inside and outside the Labour Party.

    Today I’m celebrating this new bit of hopefulness! 🙂

  56. Murray Olsen 56
    15 September 2013 at 5:20 pm

    Congratulations to David Cunliffe and those on his team. I hope he proves to be a fighting leader of the broader left and gives space to Greens and Mana in the next government. There is a lot to be done, but today, for the first time in a while, I feel that we are rebuilding a movement that can do it. I think that’s enough to focus on for today. I will now fry myself a congratulatory egg and toast David’s victory with an orange juice.

  57. rod 57
    15 September 2013 at 5:24 pm

    Great news. Now get ready for a barrage of sarcasm and poison from our celebrity news
    readers on TV, and RWNJ’s on this site. They will all be in overdrive.

  58. Rhinocrates 58
    15 September 2013 at 5:25 pm

    Fantastic!

    Now, as the cliche has it, the real work begins. David Cunliffe will have to manage his opponents and that means a certain measure of appeasement, so while some (such as myself) are hoping for a purge of no-hopers such as Curran, Duck, Brezhnev (Robertson), etcetera, realistically, some of them will be given senior positions. Helen Clark’s genius was to make her rivals allies and if David Cunliffe – unlike Mumblefuck – is wise, he will do the same. I expect, unfortunately, that Brezhnev, the Member for Sealord and the Duck will be given seemingly senior positions in the shadow cabinet, but hopefully they would be ineffective ones in government and that Curran at least gets regular watering.

    • Chooky 58.1
      15 September 2013 at 5:49 pm

      +1 smirk

    • karol 58.2
      15 September 2013 at 5:53 pm

      Cunliffe seems to have Jones on board, not as deputy, but probably on the front bench. I can see the logic – Jones could win Tāmaki Makaurau from the Maori Party.

      I hope Cunliffe is able to exercise discipline over Jones re gender and Green Party comments.

      • Comrade Coba 58.2.1
        15 September 2013 at 9:51 pm

        Rapt DC got it in 1 (1st vote). The new front bench will be testy, frankly Ardern needs to be replaced with Shane Jones up against Paula Bennett. This guy is problematic & will need to be kept busy-out of trouble, he is renown for being a very lazy prick. I don’t like the way he was picking his own portfolio’s. I think he needs to be put in his place quick smart by ‘Coatsworth’ I dislike his slagging off of the Greens & boosting about mining does little good for the relationship too. The fact is many females who vote Labour have been put off by his rants, so welfare is a good fit for him to earn his stripes.

  60. Rogue Trooper 60
    15 September 2013 at 5:37 pm

    DC/GR
    Caucus 47/52
    Members 67/32
    Affiliates 78/21
    (someone, fortunately, will correct errors). sigh, so many numbers, so many bright people, like Comrade X for example…

  61. Rhinocrates 61
    15 September 2013 at 5:38 pm

    He may not be the messiah, but here’s hoping that he’s a naughty boy.

    • Chooky 61.1
      15 September 2013 at 5:53 pm

      +1 …. at least Nact and John key finds him to be absolutely incorrigible!…..

    • Rogue Trooper 61.2
      15 September 2013 at 5:56 pm

      Analyze this rubbish from Bryce Edwards again; is he grooming himself for the mantle of the departing Brian Edwards ? (not that that piece has already been combed within an inch…)

      • JK 61.2.1
        15 September 2013 at 6:26 pm

        I’ve given up on readng Bryce Edwards. At one time he was doing his own analysis, but now all he seems to do is to copy snippets from other people’s comments into a column format which you can read for yourself on the web. So he’s no longer worth even looking at.

        • Rhinocrates 61.2.1.1
          15 September 2013 at 6:31 pm

          I always saw him as an aggregator, and I thought that that was his aim anyway. More cynically, like any academic who has a peculiar addiction to food and shelter, he can count his columns as “research outputs” for PBRF (Performance-Based Research Funding) committees. “Publish or perish” as it has always been.

          • Murray Olsen 61.2.1.1.1
            15 September 2013 at 10:14 pm

            I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there. Cutting and pasting from blogs, then sending it off to the Herald, probably counts as research output under the idiotic PBRF system. At least I have to solve a few equations, make some pretty graphs, and persuade a couple of my peers that it’s worth publishing, before I can claim a research outcome 🙂
            For whatever qualifications he may have as a political scientist, he seems to contribute nothing in the way of analysis.

      • Greywarbler 61.2.2
        15 September 2013 at 7:38 pm

        All this tweeting by journalists. Do they do their journalistic work while having their morning shower on water proof apps, and then go and do their real work, being an academic or in PR? All they need to do is throw out a few opinions at so much a word and it doesn’t matter whether it is factual, it is getting talked about that counts.

        Probably they all shower at the same time in their different homes and have speaker phones so they can get some good stoushes and mischievous gossip going for the day which can then be enlarged on and alluded to by all the in-group in a parody of being well-informed.

  62. Tim 62
    15 September 2013 at 5:51 pm

    Thank Christ! There’s hope for Labour yet. Congrats David.
    Now all I need is to consider is how I might split my vote in Wgtn Central in 2014.

  63. Delia 63
    15 September 2013 at 5:51 pm

    Another thing I wanted to say, is thank you to Union and Labour Party members who voted for David. It is you who have tried to save Labour’s bacon and improve the lot of working New Zealanders , not the majority of Labour MPs and that is food for thought.

  64. big bruv 64
    15 September 2013 at 6:24 pm

    This is great news for New Zealand, great news for the National party and even greater news for every hard working Kiwi.

    Having committed electoral suicide the hard left of the Labour party have consigned themselves to at least another two terms in opposition.

    • North 64.1
      15 September 2013 at 6:51 pm

      Churchillian, Churchillian there big bruv !

      While I accept you may be sober in the morning may I respectfully offer that self-medication in times of woe frequently ends in tears.

    • fender 64.2
      15 September 2013 at 7:56 pm

      That’s an excellent Hooton impersonation you got there big bruv.

  65. Jim 65
    15 September 2013 at 6:26 pm

    So if I add DC and SJ’s first preference caucus votes just for fun and get 53% to GR’s 47%, there is still potential for block voting to result in GR losing the deputy race.

    • Lanthanide 65.1
      15 September 2013 at 6:28 pm

      “there is still potential for block voting to result in GR losing the deputy race.”

      Well it requires another candidate to put their name forward. And a vote between GR, Little and Ardern could easily look very different than GR, DC and SJ.

    • karol 65.2
      15 September 2013 at 6:29 pm

      If the majority of caucus votes are out of step with the majority of the rest of the party’s votes, who does this caucus majority represent?

      • Tiger Mountain 65.2.1
        15 September 2013 at 6:41 pm

        Exactly karol. It is a bureaucratic hangover in some ways, but should be determined by party members as this new situation has been at long last. Hopefully Labour members have been enjoying today. Some sour (and unexpected for non Labour insiders) faces on the TV coverage!

      • McFlock 65.2.2
        15 September 2013 at 7:04 pm

        Alternatively, the majority of caucus are not “out of step”: actually, only 20 or 30% voted in a different proportion to the membership.

      • Neoleftie 65.2.3
        15 September 2013 at 7:24 pm

        If we drill into the caucus vote on first and second rounds.
        Jones shed 5 vote to cunliffe. While Robertson only improved two mp’s votes after jones dropped off and if indeed the second round was needed.
        How many in the abc clique 5 or so hard core negate them from the equation and Robertson gets 11 true mates and cunliffe gets 16 true supporters. Now added in the overwhelming support from members and union wings and in fact you a more honest picture.

        Now Robertson is a player plan within plans but stated total support and commitment for the leader.
        Who didn’t…Ardern wasn’t at all convincing when approached for an interview.
        That leaves as deputy option either Robertson again or a better fit to fill the gap would be a woman…hmmm.
        Why, cause it provides a balance desperately needed, appeals to 50$ of the vote and appeases the extremely strong woman’s section of labour…who sign off for cunliffe amongst the woman mp’s. heaps.
        Now the party needs unity demand unity and will get unity or else…bang.
        So who is an academic, unionist, feminist, old time labour power broker, served at board level and in top ten of current line up? Work it out. She will be the circuit between party and caucus, keep the old boys in line.
        Robertson gets number three hat, jones to ass finance, David Clark to econ dev,

        Anyway there must be balance within both the party and caucus..unity is strength.

        • Francis 65.2.3.1
          15 September 2013 at 9:55 pm

          Not sure that having Jones on finance would be the best idea. He admits himself that he doesn’t know a lot about it. I’d assume David Parker will keep the role.

      • Chooky 65.2.4
        15 September 2013 at 8:22 pm

        @ Karol….they represent themselves and their club….although not all of caucus , as McFlock says

  66. Rhinocrates 66
    15 September 2013 at 6:26 pm

    Hoots will be changing his nappies about now.

  67. Tiger Mountain 67
    15 September 2013 at 6:33 pm

    Oh well if Bruv, Rod Beater and other dirty filthy torys are moved to comment at the Standard, Labour members and affiliates must have done something good!

  68. karol 68
    15 September 2013 at 6:33 pm

    Why is 3 News still saying Cunliffe attempted a leader coup at the Labour Conference last year? Where is their evidence for this?

    • Macro 68.1
      15 September 2013 at 7:25 pm

      Karol 3 News HAVE to believe their ‘news’ – if they don’t how can they expect us to?
      So if they said it was true, then ipso facto it must be!

      Others, with less couth than I, would suggest that they interview their posteriors.

    • Neoleftie 68.2
      15 September 2013 at 7:27 pm

      Grower is stirring, setting up again for a repeat this time Robertson plays cunliffe and cunliffe plays as goff cum shearer.

      • Rogue Trooper 68.2.1
        15 September 2013 at 8:22 pm

        Gower got the negative spin in lickety split; framed it in his opening lines, “only 11 of caucus, the people he’s (David Cunliffe) is in charge of, are behind him…” etc, nausea

    • Lanthanide 68.3
      15 September 2013 at 8:02 pm

      TV1 said the same in their coverage.

      It appears to now be a fact that it happened.

    • Psycho Milt 68.4
      15 September 2013 at 9:28 pm

      Why is 3 News still saying Cunliffe attempted a leader coup at the Labour Conference last year?

      Hey, they went to a lot of trouble to create that story out of thin air – inventing the news isn’t easy, and no-one likes to kill their children.

    • mickysavage 68.5
      15 September 2013 at 9:50 pm

      Did not happen. If only we could debate what actually happened rather than what they imagined …

      • Macro 68.5.1
        15 September 2013 at 9:56 pm

        We know that mickey….

        But you try telling that to paddy and he’ll never believe you.

        • Macro 68.5.1.1
          15 September 2013 at 10:20 pm

          By the way – congrates to DC. The team have worked hard for a fine result. Very pleased.
          Now all that needs doing is:

          a. ensuring a Labour/ Green Victory next year
          b. repealing the GCSB/Telecoms Acts and calling an inquiry into the role of Sec Services in this country.
          c.Repealing those obscene Labour laws introduce by NAct..
          d.raising the minimum wage.
          e.Paying all Govt and Local body employees the Living wage and requiring all contractors to central and local govt to do the same.
          f. Addressing the funding shortfalls in biosecurity, health, and education and eliminating charter schools.
          g. Changing the culture of social services to being that – a social service to those who for what ever reason are in need. and ensuring that no child lives in poverty.
          h. addressing the transfer of wealth from poor to the rich by introducing more progressive taxation and CGT and reducing GST on food.
          i. thinking up a better affordable housing package and rebuilding the state housing stock.

          That’s for starters and i reckon shouldn’t take more than 100 days 🙂 after re-election

  69. Varity 69
    15 September 2013 at 6:37 pm

    while you are all being very humble … i’m fucking laughing my arse off and dancing for joy david won!!!! yAY, YAY, YAy !!!!!!

    • big bruv 69.1
      15 September 2013 at 6:44 pm

      So am I Varity, so am I.

      Silent t’s win means that the dirty stinking socialists will not get their hands on the countries cheque book and for that we should all be thankful.

      This nation will never vote for a millionaire who pretends to be a man of the people yet does not live among them. This nation will never vote for a man who is so transparently an extreme narcissist. This country will never vote for a man who wants to give parasites more money for doing nothing simply in return for their votes.

      The biggest laugh of all is on the scum union movement. I imagine that the entire union membership thinks that we are about to return to the days of union power, how wrong they are.

      • Jim Nald 69.1.1
        15 September 2013 at 6:50 pm

        Especially this: “a man who is so transparently an extreme narcissist”

        – excellent description of John Key! Brilliant!

      • JK 69.1.2
        15 September 2013 at 7:13 pm

        Are you talking about John Key, big bruv ? The millionaire who pretends to be a man of the people and doesn’t live among them, nor for that matter take holidays with them.

        • big bruv 69.1.2.1
          15 September 2013 at 7:18 pm

          JK

          Was that not a lot like Clark?…or in true left wing fashion have you forgotten that?

          Look, don’t get me wrong. I am ecstatic that silent t won the election. The sooner the nation gets to see what he is really like the sooner the Nat’s can really get down to passing some legislation that will finally kill off the scum union movement for good.

          • Macro 69.1.2.1.1
            15 September 2013 at 7:29 pm

            gezz bruv what are you on tonight? can i have some?

            • big bruv 69.1.2.1.1.1
              15 September 2013 at 7:46 pm

              Nothing like what you lot are on if you really think that silent t is going to be the next PM.

              I repeat, the Labour party has today done this nation a huge service. For that we should all be thankful.

              • felix …
                15 September 2013 at 7:51 pm

                Hahahahaha! Vagina!

                Classic. You should draw a cock and balls on your desk. Don’t forget the stubble and jizz.

              • red blooded …
                15 September 2013 at 8:10 pm

                Is there some reason why you see vagina references as insulting and unpleasant, BB? Most people quite like vaginas. They give pleasure to men and women. Find another joke, arsehole.

                • Macro …
                  15 September 2013 at 8:18 pm

                  bruv thinks he is being Churchillian.. you know the “country gentleman” snigger snigger thing….

                  All he demonstrates is his immense stupidity for he has no rational argument at all – but then he never has – nothing but a clanging cymbal and a windbag.

              • Macro …
                15 September 2013 at 9:10 pm

                “Nothing like what you lot are on..”

                well u will drink cheap plonk you mean ol bugga! didn’t ya get a crate of Uncle John’s special reserve at xmas? 🙁

          • PJ 69.1.2.1.2
            15 September 2013 at 8:03 pm

            So ecstatic that you jumped right on here to let us know. Well thank Christ! How would we possibly have ever known just how mistaken we were without you jumping right online to let us know, you authoritarian dipshit.

            Why don’t you toodle off and celebrate your ‘victory’ with your kin in a right-handed circle jerk, no doubt laughing your heads off at how insanely clever the jokes that you can make about the man’s name are.

            Don’t you get it folks? If you put another letter in the middle there it makes an offensive slang term for female genitalia! Get it!?! OMG I laughed so hard.

      • Neoleftie 69.1.3
        15 September 2013 at 7:38 pm

        State level accords will come to pass over the next ten years.

      • QoT 69.1.4
        15 September 2013 at 7:40 pm

        Lol, vagina, am I right?

      • Tangee 69.1.5
        15 September 2013 at 9:24 pm

        Why not there’s plenty to go around and they will be taxed to make up the difference

      • Psycho Milt 69.1.6
        15 September 2013 at 9:32 pm

        This nation will never vote for a millionaire who pretends to be a man of the people yet does not live among them.

        Bruv, do you read this stuff before you post it? That line is worthy of the Dim Post…

      • Murray Olsen 69.1.7
        15 September 2013 at 10:19 pm

        “This country will never vote for a man who wants to give parasites more money for doing nothing”

        That sounds a lot like Key and his corporate welfare to me.

  70. Jim Nald 70
    15 September 2013 at 6:41 pm

    Any chance of getting David’s speech given sometime after 6pm?

    I thought TV3 was going to broadcast it and the speech looked like it was under way but David must have been giving a really good speech because TV3 has not covered it.

  71. karol 71
    15 September 2013 at 6:43 pm

    Stuff has a video of him speaking after the announcement in New Lynn.

    • Jim Nald 71.1
      15 September 2013 at 6:57 pm

      I meant I would like to have listened to the speech that was underway about 24 seconds into this TV3 piece:

      http://www.3news.co.nz/Cunliffe-pledges-to-unite-MPs/tabid/1607/articleID/313294/Default.aspx

      • karol 71.1.1
        15 September 2013 at 7:01 pm

        I think that’s the same speech that is on the Stuff link – Gower says it’s Cunliffe’s victory speech. That is what is on the Stuff video. It probably wasn’t a live report from Gower.

        • Jim Nald 71.1.1.1
          15 September 2013 at 7:47 pm

          Not sure if we are seeing the same things. The Stuff one is the speech given in David’s New Lynn office around mid-afternoon.

          The TV3 link I posted at 71.1 is at a different venue most likely just after 6pm.

          I believe David gave a different, or slightly different, speech early evening for the 6pm news (cf. his speech at his office right after the results were publicised).

          • karol 71.1.1.1.1
            15 September 2013 at 8:10 pm

            You may be right, Jim. One News did the same thing, with Dan reporting in front of the alleged victory speech.

            • Jim Nald 71.1.1.1.1.1
              15 September 2013 at 11:00 pm

              (Thanks for the One News link!)

              I am sure, knowing what David is like, that his early evening speech was not identical to, but continued to build on, his mid-afternoon one. He doesn’t just repeat the same speech but keeps on refining and developing his messages for the audience, the occasion and also for his own benefit.

              If David or a member of his campaign team is reading this, and if the speech is different in important ways and should be available (or if the notes can be quickly written up in presentable form), it would be great to see that posted somewhere (like on The Standard!).

              If the tv stations are not doing their reporting job, then let him speak directly to the rest of us around the country via the web.

              • karol …
                16 September 2013 at 7:22 am

                It may be that the 6pm News decided not to play it live – may have taken too much of their bite sized news reports – may decide to play clips at a later date.

  72. North 72
    15 September 2013 at 6:43 pm

    I see Potty Gower on TV3 News just now pushing the narrative that Cunliffe got slayed in the caucus vote.

    Is that nonsense because Potty understands he has the right to maintain a narrative against the facts ?

    Or is that nonsense because Potty fails to understand preferential voting ?

    The vote completed according to the rules: Robertson 18 Cunliffe 16.

    That’s a slaying Potty you knob ?

    My God, still on TV3. According to TV3 newsreader “David Cunnliffe has stormed to victory……”.

    Potty the unguided missile/missal !

    • karol 72.1
      15 September 2013 at 6:57 pm

      Yes, though the stats that were shown as Gower was saying Cunliffe got slayed by caucus vote, showed it was pretty close – depends how much viewers take note of that.

      Gower still going on about the painting. He must have been pissed it was removed from Cunliffe’s electorate office wall, so Gower couldn’t keep going on about it… well except to say it’s gone.

      When will Gower get voted off the island?

    • big bruv 72.2
      15 September 2013 at 7:06 pm

      North

      Gower is telling the truth. Would your rather that Gower and the rest of the media simply spun the labour parties lies as they did in the Clark days?

      • North 72.2.1
        15 September 2013 at 7:20 pm

        Big Bruv – can you not read ? – ditto for you what I addressed to McGrath @ 73.2 below.

        My goodness it’s tea time. I better be off. Have a Snickers bro’………you’re mean when you’re hungry.

      • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 72.2.2
        15 September 2013 at 7:23 pm

        Are the sour grapes tasty, Big Bruv?

        • big bruv 72.2.2.1
          15 September 2013 at 7:27 pm

          No sour grapes from me at all. I wanted silent t to win. I am just as happy as you lot are.

          • felix 72.2.2.1.1
            15 September 2013 at 7:35 pm

            OH NOEZ!! bruv wanted this and so did Key!! That means it’s all gone wrong and we’ve fallen into a cunning trap!!!!

            oh hang on, no-one gives a shit what bruv thinks and Key is a compulsive liar shitting his pants.

            Carry on.

          • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 72.2.2.1.2
            15 September 2013 at 7:37 pm

            “No sour grapes from me at all” ~ Big Bruv

            Sure Big Bruv, I believe you.

            (muffled snigger)

          • QoT 72.2.2.1.3
            15 September 2013 at 7:42 pm

            LOL VAGINA.

            • Rogue Trooper 72.2.2.1.3.1
              15 September 2013 at 8:29 pm

              Mighty deciphering there; does a career in State Security interest you QoT

              • QoT …
                15 September 2013 at 8:47 pm

                I hear it involves little accountability. I’m in!

                • Rogue Trooper …
                  15 September 2013 at 8:59 pm

                  ssshh, Korn has ears, could be a promotion to ‘the top’ for you. Please excuse the brief exchange, not enough cache on this free notebook, and the carrier pigeons, well, it has been a lean winter at times, only so much red-meat a retriever can eat. However, I must tell you about the three ‘gifted’ desktops that are yet to have a trial run on my new Vodafone (multi-port) Station; and to think they would have been in excess of, probably 2K each retail when new, such wastage. I feel a poor-mans I-Cuppa could be established. NO Rogue, people in your home, making noise, cluttering up the place, it just won’t do! (I’m just gonna decide each day, which is the lucky screen to get attention. 😀

        • Macro 72.2.2.2
          15 September 2013 at 7:53 pm

          more like fermented grapes and lots of them!

      • Tangee 72.2.3
        15 September 2013 at 9:29 pm

        Big bruv loves fantasy sorry but the reality is different big bruv

      • Macro 72.2.4
        15 September 2013 at 10:32 pm

        “Gower is telling the truth”

        Yes bruv this is a truism…
        What paddy says is always the truth… its on the news therefore it must be true.
        And when he refers to it again at a later date – well that makes it even more true!

        It just isn’t reality.

        • big bruv 72.2.4.1
          16 September 2013 at 4:51 am

          The funniest thing of all re silent t is that he has so many of you convinced that he is some left wing messiah. If you couple that with the way you guys have chose to overlook the mans many and obvious faults means that the fall is going to be that much harder and that much funnier to watch.

          • felix 72.2.4.1.1
            16 September 2013 at 8:07 am

            If you really believed what you’re saying about how funny it’s going to be to watch the fall, you wouldn’t be saying it. You’d be quietly encouraging so as to ensure maximum height and maximum lolz. But you don’t.

            Also, I haven’t heard anyone say he’s a left-wing messiah.

            Also also, VAGINA LOLZ! Never gets old, eh bruv?

          • Macro 72.2.4.1.2
            16 September 2013 at 9:59 am

            “overlook the mans many and obvious faults”

            just as you choose to overlook those of your messiah – Shonkey
            and pray tell me bruv – who hasn’t got a few faults – some are worse than others – like consistently lying to the electorate and and arranging backroom deals for your mates with taxpayers money – but hey that’s ok! – except you of course – i mean your perfect! Oh! wait a minute you think it’s funny to make a laboured obscene pun at someones name….

    • Dan1 72.3
      15 September 2013 at 7:30 pm

      Potty’s summary was so far off the reality! Even the TV3 news reader had it right but Potty kept on with his nonsense. That is the problem with interviewing your own typewriter.

  73. McGrath 73
    15 September 2013 at 6:49 pm

    How stable will things be though? Cunliffe only got a 3rd of the caucus vote, which is not exactly a recipe for stability…

    • felix 73.1
      15 September 2013 at 7:10 pm

      And if either of the others had won you’d be saying exactly the same thing I presume.

      e.g. “zomfg Robertson didn’t even get a majority in caucus, how unstable etc etc”

    • North 73.2
      15 September 2013 at 7:15 pm

      So McGrath you’re another one who (1) insists the facts are what you want them to be even when they’re not, or (2) doesn’t have a bloody clue about preferential.

      The voting complete in caucus: Robertson 18 Cunliffe 16. Just chew on that dickhead. Oh by the way my bovine beauty, I’ve called off milking in the morning. Mr Farmer’s on the piss celebrating Cunliffe. You’ve got heaps of time to chew and chew and chew and chew until you finally get it !

    • JK 73.3
      15 September 2013 at 7:17 pm

      You’ve got Jones sounding a warning to the Labour caucus not to muck things up, and also a large proportion of his second preference votes went to Cunliffe – I think that’s a very telling message to the ABCs to shut up, get in behind or get out.

      • Neoleftie 73.3.1
        15 September 2013 at 7:31 pm

        That I agree is a fair summary…jones sick and tired of the crap, I wouldn’t mess with that man ah,

    • mickysavage 73.4
      15 September 2013 at 9:57 pm

      Things will be very stable. The caucus will see the wishes of the membership and the affiliates and then respect these wishes …

      • big bruv 73.4.1
        16 September 2013 at 4:55 am

        Ha ha ha…

        Oh Micky, you really are delusional.

        The public are not stupid (despite what the left think of them) they know that Labour is not united, they know that silent T is hated by most of his caucus colleagues and yet you seem to think that the public will be fooled by false statements of “I fully support the leader”.

        The public were not fooled by that statement when silent T offered it so why the hell do you think they will be fooled when it is offered by the majority who despise silent T?

        • bad12 73.4.1.1
          16 September 2013 at 7:32 am

          Keep you up all night grinding your front and rear lobes together did it, putting together the comment i mean,

          i reckon David Cunliffe is worth +2% for the Labour Party even befor He has taken His seat as leader in the Parliament,

          Oh plus 2% is the ticket Slippery the current Prime Minister needs to ride…

        • karol 73.4.1.2
          16 September 2013 at 7:50 am

          Silent T: A leader that listens, and will hasten the end of the NAct plutocracy.

          So fasten your seatbelts…… the Key-loaders can just go whistle . For them the end is nigh.

        • felix 73.4.1.3
          16 September 2013 at 8:25 am

          “they know that silent T is hated by most of his caucus colleagues”

          lolz, I wonder how the evil genius fooled so many of them into voting for him.

          Also, THREE hilarious vagina lolz in one comment? Why do you hate women so much, bruv?

          lprent, perhaps you could script something that replaces bruv’s repetitive boring misogyny with “btw I am a giant turd”.

  74. locus 74
    15 September 2013 at 7:06 pm

    David awesome and thanks to grant and shane for bringing labour support back! Heres to us ridding NZ of the anti social self serving muddleheads ineptly trying to run things at the moment

  75. Conlan 75
    15 September 2013 at 7:08 pm

    Will it be possible for the ABC tribe to work with him?

  76. jaymam 76
    15 September 2013 at 7:15 pm

    Goodness me, is it true that two thirds of caucus voted against Cunliffe, which is not at all what the party members and the public think?
    I think those MPs should reconsider whether they are doing what is best for the Labour Party. They are clearly out of touch. Unless they have some particular skills to offer, they should not stand for re-election.

    • Tiger Mountain 76.1
      15 September 2013 at 7:31 pm

      You are way too polite in my opinion jaymam old chap. The scallywags that wanted to keelhaul DC are scabby rogernome dregs, bye, bye in a decent world surely.

    • felix 76.2
      15 September 2013 at 7:31 pm

      That’s a gross misrepresentation jayman. At most, 2/3 of caucus voted against what 60% of the party thinks.

      And to put that “2/3” in context, the caucus is 34 people. I make it:

      GR 16
      DC 11
      SJ 07

    • Dan1 76.3
      15 September 2013 at 7:35 pm

      I would phrase that as more than half voted against Robertson, and once the preferences were considered, more of Jones’ supporters transferred to Cunliffe.
      The ABC group need to pull head in and work for what the membership want.

    • Fisiani 76.4
      15 September 2013 at 7:36 pm

      When over two thirds of caucus fails to recognise and vote for David Cunliffe they are seriously misguided and unrepresentative. They need to be deselected in the next six months and replaced with people who are loyal to the Party and to Cunliffe.

  77. Blue 77
    15 September 2013 at 7:48 pm

    What if he doesn’t win ? Who can be blamed then?

  78. Lionel 78
    15 September 2013 at 7:56 pm

    Great result got it right time to stuff Key and his inept regime

  79. marsman 79
    15 September 2013 at 7:58 pm

    Congratulations David Cunliffe, you represent new hope for the Labour Party and for New Zealand.
    May you succeed in vanquishing the enemy of our country, John Key and his gang of lying, stealing, scamming traitors. And may you succeed in rebuilding our wonderful country for the good of ALL New Zealanders. Kia kaha.

  80. muzza 80
    15 September 2013 at 8:06 pm

    Ok, now we all get to find out if DC is the only hope messiah, the believers wish him to be.

    No pressure David, you will have to piss off a heap of your buddies from B.I., should you end up in the big seat.

    I’ll settle for David tearing strips out of Key and the NACT cronies, which is something that, if no immediate change from what the LP strategy’s been until now, will set the tone for massive disappointment, for the believers!

  81. felix 81
    15 September 2013 at 8:07 pm

    I wonder why red alert has nothing about the result…

  82. Dan1 82
    15 September 2013 at 8:14 pm

    Pardon my ignorance but who are Red Alert? The ABC club? Mallard? Kiwiblog?

  83. JonL 83
    15 September 2013 at 8:37 pm

    Now, let the real shitstorm begin from the media and the right……..

    • Rogue Trooper 83.1
      15 September 2013 at 8:44 pm

      here at The Standard, we are bunkered in for the blitzkreig Bop; even Brian Edwards has acknowledged the role of blogs now in ol’ NZ, cos, Man! our local paper…sigh…all Money, Methamphetamine, and those “uppity Maaris”, oh and water, and, what’s that Lusk fellah’s strategy again? Oh yeah, run a ‘negative campaign” targeting the incumbents; ffs

  84. Princess 84
    15 September 2013 at 8:51 pm

    Such wonderful news, congratulations David Cunliffe.

  85. red blooded 85
    15 September 2013 at 9:11 pm

    A result well worth celebrating. Let’s remember the euphoria that gripped the US (and spread through the world) when Obama was elected, though. A leader with huge potential can still be stymied by entrenched interests (and sometimes we look for a hero when no matter whom we elect they will still be a human being). Don’t let’s get too unrealistic. There’s plenty of hard slog ahead.

  86. Nicolas 86
    15 September 2013 at 9:12 pm

    Jones is supposed to be given a top spot in the “new” Labour caucus. Should be in the top 5, apparently… http://www.3news.co.nz/Jones-leaves-Labour-election-with-mana/tabid/1607/articleID/313298/Default.aspx

    Why the fuck would Cunliffe do this? And I get you’re supposed to be polite and all, but calling Jones one of the finest politicians of this generation? Isn’t that a bit too much?

    I’m not gonna lie, I want the likes of Jones and the SkyCity VIP box kids far from any future government.

    • Rhinocrates 86.1
      15 September 2013 at 9:39 pm

      Personally, I’d like to see Jones being [insert absurd, humiliating and gruesome fate here], but realpolitik dictates that in order to have a unified opposition, the rivals will have to be pacified. It’s unfortunate, and not exactly karma, but I’ll expect to see Beltway Grant and the various Brides of Our Blessed Lord Roger getting their baubles too, just to shut them up. Sad, but necessary.

      Helen Clark knew that and fortunately she had people with talent like Michael Cullen. Alas, David Cunliffe has ballast like Goff, Jones, Duck and that yuppie snot Hipkins. Good luck to him!

  87. Saarbo 87
    15 September 2013 at 9:21 pm

    Congratulations David Cunliffe and The Labour Party, great process leading to a great result.

    I will kick of a Victory for Labour because we now have a leader capable of communicating a narrative that is meaningful to me as a member of Labour.

    After this whole process, I also think more highly of Grant Robertson (although fair to say he was coming off a low base). I think we still have some talent issues in our caucus, on that I saw Kate Sutton on q&a, she was outstanding…putting barnett in his place. Imagine if Mallard left and Kate Sutton took his place…increases brain power and gender equality in one hit ( I dont know if she is available but she is a talented speaker!). Glad that 16 in caucus ended up supporting David, a little disappointed that 18 didnt, I hope this lot can show more intelligence and strategic foresight between now and the election.

    I’m now keen as mustard to roll my sleeves up and help get rid of this abysmal National government.

    • Rogue Trooper 87.1
      15 September 2013 at 9:28 pm

      Kate Sutton (Q&A)
      -after being in the ‘states recently; “the appetite for intervention (destruction) is not there (American public).
      -laid some of the reasons for the dairy product contamination at the hooves of this government and their cutting MPI / MFAT budgets and staff.
      Reminded me of that other dusky beauty of the left and trade union movements… 😉

  88. Outofbed 88
    15 September 2013 at 9:30 pm

    thank fuck for that

  89. Craig GlenEden 89
    15 September 2013 at 9:43 pm

    TRP will be happy folks he must have been out celebrating and is to tired to congratulate DC.

    Well done DC.

  90. Don Franks 90
    15 September 2013 at 9:50 pm

    ” he carries the strongest mandate of any leader in the party’s history”

    Yeah right, half his workmates in the department cant stand him.

    Wet yourselves while you may Labour fantasisers, custard is coming fast.

  91. Puddleglum 91
    15 September 2013 at 9:58 pm

    Congratulations to David Cunliffe. I thought the whole process came across well and the final result was quite clear. A win on first preferences is very good in a preferential system, especially with strong candidates.

    I read this piece about Cunliffe’s ‘South Island Roots’ tucked away in yesterday’s The Press. I was reassured by the comments of locals about him and by this anecdote:

    “Their debating coach, Wendy Hurst, 59, says they had time to kill in Wellington on their way to one of the final rounds of the competition in Masterton.

    Steven and Feasey were keen to go shopping in the capital but Cunliffe wanted to go to Parliament. So did Hurst. They headed to the public gallery where then minister of health Frank Gill was casually reading a newspaper during debate.

    “David was livid. He said: That’s who is running our country? He was quite upset.

    “He was interested in the country’s affairs.”

  92. billbrowne 92
    15 September 2013 at 10:03 pm

    Hard to believe this:

    http://thestandard.org.nz/is-shearer-gone/

    only appeared just over three weeks ago.

  93. Pascal's bookie 93
    16 September 2013 at 7:33 am

    Well, the righties are certainly showing their hatred. “Silent T” indeed. What a pack of bell-ends you all are.

    Seems you’ve all forgotten what the country thought about you all whhen you raged and ranted at Helen for lo, those 9 long years.

    If you look at how you all reacted to Goff and Shearer when new on the job, you’ll see there was much more of the ‘good man, honest bloke, good choice really’. But you just can’t help yourself with Cunliffe.

    I’m sure he welcomes your hatred.

  94. Pascal's bookie 94
    16 September 2013 at 7:36 am

    As for bruv having one clue about what the people reckon, it is to laugh.

    Bruv me old china, what did you think would happen when Brash took over Act? Be honest now.

  95. Craig 95
    16 September 2013 at 8:40 am

    O-kay. So if the Nats get desperate again in 2014, as tends to happen at roughly nine year intervals at which point things then turn pear-shaped for them thereafter (1987/1996/2005?) so what’ll happen this time to derail their plans to spin themselves as “centre-right?” I’m picking an attempt to parachute the Conservative Party into Parliament through an electorate deal, which then backfires because the Con Party is prehensile, opportunist and an unknown quantity. Ergo, the Christian Coalition/United Future all over again…

    • chris73 95.1
      16 September 2013 at 9:35 am

      Not required because:

      A. The MSM will focus more on the Greens this time as they have a chance of getting into parliament and the general population of NZ will actually hear specifics from the Greens such as they want people to lose money in their homes (which will wake up a number of their middle-class supporters)

      B. Unless Cunliffe does a massive blood-letting (which IMHO he should) he’ll have the same snakes in the grasses that did for Goff and Shearer and will do for him

      C. JK is still popular and has the chequebook so he and English will cook up a bribe (sorry no thats not right the right term) they’ll come out with something along the lines of “NZs done it tough but now we can loosen up the purse strings thanks to the sacrifices we’ve made

      At the very least I hope National doesn’t do a stitch up deal with Colin Craig

      • Craig 95.1.1
        16 September 2013 at 3:19 pm

        One wonders what is ticking in the back of Muzza McCully’s mind at this time. Given that the Nats tend to get themselves in this predicament like clockwork every nine years or so, here’s what could unfold:
        a) Banks gets tired of the ACT one-person band rotunda, or;
        b) Catherine Isaacs gets rid of him in an electorate committee coup
        c) Dirty linen related to Banks’ abortive Auckland mayoral term bid
        d) Further United Future shenanigans
        e) Adverse polls showing that that Ohariu Belmont and Epsom are going to end up in Labour/National hands respectively over a long duration due to prior cumulative damage
        f) Muzza has short-circuit- forgets events of 1996/2005, and mistakenly believes public has too;
        g) Key and Colin C spotted with a cup of tea in a certain café
        h) Strange electorally unviable utterances from Conservative Party candidates
        i) Public realises that Conservatives are not ‘centre right’ but religious social conservatives.
        j) Centre right poll dive as result
        k) The Keypocalypse happens. A Labour/Green government is elected, Colin Craig is blamed by the Nats, JK resigns as Nat leader and a Collins vs Joyce contest arises.

        • Clement Pinto 95.1.1.1
          16 September 2013 at 3:39 pm

          l) Dunne gets a haircut.
          m) Banks lies in jail, but still lies.
          n) Key gives another three way handshake and quickly escapes to Hawaii with a lot of easily generated public troty in his own private blind trust.

  96. Sable 96
    16 September 2013 at 3:28 pm

    Whether its a great day for democracy remains to be seen….

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