Maori Party caucus divided on ETS?
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1:00 pm, November 25th, 2009 - 12 comments
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Maori Party whip Te Ururoa Flavell is doing what he can to play down internal divisions that suggested the party could vote against John Key’s Emissions Trading Scheme.
But in light of the divisions that surfaced on stuff, one must wonder why the Maori Party on this crucial piece of legislation is only casting four votes?
The Maori Party need at least 4 MPs in the Parliamentary complex to cast 5 votes, and apparently last night were casting all five. Now they’re casting four votes, making me wonder which two MPs are away or abstaining?
We know Tariana Turia is likely away for medical reasons. But who’s the other MP who’s either buggered off or refusing to vote for the ETS?
PS. Does anyone know if Labour or the Greens have started filibustering to give the Maori Party’s ETS opponents time to organise?
12 comments on “Maori Party caucus divided on ETS? ”
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Parliament’s at lunch at the moment, then there’s question time, which can hopefully be dragged out for an hour and a half, but that still leaves 7 and a half hours to fill to ensure the ETS doesn’t pass tonight.
Last I heard, there were lots of labour and green amendments being voted down but I don’t know if these are new filibusting amendments or what.
It’s Hone.
As a general comment, I like when MPs are allowed to disagree with their parties. They are their to represent their constituents as Members of Parliament, not as members of Parties. We should allow more disagreement.
I agree in this case, where it’s an MP actually representing his constituents, but I’d hate to have a situation like the US where the loose party discipline means special corporate interests can bully and bribe individual representatives to vote their way – see for example the troubles the Democrats are having getting the healthcare bill passed.
It’s a tricky one I reckon. I completely agree that an MP has the right to vote however they want, and the duty to vote in the way they think best.
The question for me is rather, What obligation does a party have towards an MP who votes against the caucus view?
Do it too often, or on core issues and the party has the right to ditch the MP, surely?
So what’s a core issue and who decides that? The party caucus? And around we go.
PB,
So what’s a core issue and who decides that? The party caucus?
The party membership decides this, in a strategic sense.
L
Yeah, that is the downside. The other one is when you get serious porkbarrelling – a key member with a marginal seat means that 10,000 people ca have vastly disproportionate influence.
Everything in moderation.
So he was abstaining? How is that disagreeing? If you disagree you take a different position. He’s just put his hands over his ears.
I’m not a fan of abstaining in Parliament. Voters put you in there to stand for something. MPs should make that stand.
It’s symbolic. Crossing the floor would likely get him expelled, given his current position in the party.
It’s also braver than most Labour MPs. I can’t remember the last time any of them ever crossed the floor or even abstained, even on things they privately oppose very strongly and consider important.
Ashraf Choudhary abstained on a number of votes.
I should have clarified that I meant for things other than those considered ‘moral’ issues. Perhaps he abstained on other policy too – I do miss some things.