Local Leadership

Written By: - Date published: 10:26 pm, February 4th, 2015 - 3 comments
Categories: activism, Andrew Little, community democracy, crosby textor, democratic participation, labour, local body elections, local government - Tags:

The Labour Local Government Council ran a hui last Friday in Wellington. I went along for the day and it was one of the better Labour events I have been to in a long time – good community organisers sharing and discussing what works and what wins elections. No surprise that what works is local – face-to-face enquiry about people’s own issues, and responsive communication. It was a great start to the year, and to the electoral cycles, local and national.

Andrew Little kicked it off and as usual he was open and direct. Paul McMahon LLGC chair spoke about how Christchurch was organised, Cr Paul Eagle about organising in Wellington, and Cr Penny Gaylor about Otaki as an example of communicating in provincial New Zealand. Local Board members Efeso Collins and Lotu Fuli from Otara/Papatoetoe and experienced hands Richard Northey and Robert Gallagher rounded things out.

I had meant to post something earlier about  how good it was but was reminded today when I received the first of the new Crosby/Textor blogmails titled “The Minder’s Guide.” In it they made three points – the headings were:

  • We won’t make any predictions about elections – and neither should you
  • Being aligned with the community will be more important than ever
  • Kim Kardashian nor anybody else will break the Internet, but some will try.

On of the titles they rejected was “Text said we should have a blog”. I take all this to mean that the past Crosby/Textor style has hit the buffers and Text thinks it needs a refresh. Elections are more difficult to predict, as the old Australian verities about one-term governmentnever losing disappear and FPP Britain heads for minority government.  Crosby/Textor are struggling with the Internet like everyone else.

But where I absolutely do agree with them is that being aligned with the community is more important than ever. That’s a message Labour needs to take to heart as well. There are some very good organisers in Labour’s Local Government Council and they know that already – it wins elections.

I’m not sure the same can be said for the Labour Party as a whole as we have been guilty perhaps of being too keen to tell people what we think, rather than listen to what they think and respond constructively. I think it is food for thought for Labour’s review – if that’s where Crosby/Textor are heading, then we’d better get there first.

3 comments on “Local Leadership ”

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  1. Penny Bright 1
    4 February 2015 at 11:59 pm

    When are Labour going to come out HARD and STRONG against the disastrous Auckland ‘Supercity for the 1%’ and the proposed Wellington ‘Supercity’?

    Penny Bright

    http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz

  2. Tiger Mountain 2
    5 February 2015 at 7:14 am

    The policies from from the likes of Penny Bright and ‘Minto for Mayor’ are what is needed to start the people taking Auckland back from the opaque unaccountable CCOs.

    While everything would have been well sold off now by Banksie or Pallino, Len Brown has been largely captured by the self serving business lobbies. Len has straddled the left (such as it is) /right divide on council because he is an opportunist and knows well now how to work the inner system. The wharfies dispute could have been settled in 5 min by a mayor with a political compass by sitting on Gibson and POA in no uncertain terms.

    So can the left come up with one serious candidate this time or will it be the usual monsters ball?

    • Ad 2.1
      5 February 2015 at 7:38 am

      – Lee is hard left and on the Auckland Transport board, as well as Council
      – Fletcher was responsible for Britomart and on the Auckland Transport board, as well as Council, and even Wood is extremely public transport supportive
      – Hulse is leaving it too late to run for Mayor, but is very progressive
      – Wayne Walker is a Councillor and Green Party member
      – Casey is a City Vision Councillor
      – Clow and Filipaina are Labour
      etc etc

      When you go through them name by name, there’s a very sold bloc of left, green, progressive or co-optable Councillors. And they have all just completed a thorough and substantial review of the CCOs.

      Their problem is their perpetual inability to organize themselves.

      Their only saving grace is that the right are even more disorganized.

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