Nanaia Mahuta

Written By: - Date published: 8:18 pm, December 12th, 2011 - 21 comments
Categories: labour - Tags:

We asked the candidates if they want to post here. We have received Nanaia Mahuta’s post earlier today

Teenaa Koutou. I want to thank everyone at The Standard for an opportunity to lodge this post the day before the Labour Caucus votes on who will lead it to 2014 from now. Our overall ambition to reconnect and re-energise people who did not feel the urgency to get out and vote will be central to our efforts this term. Yet we must not take our core vote and constituencies for granted as they more than anyone recognise that a Labour-led Government will provide better opportunities for everyone. It’s an important decision where personal interest should not affect our real goal to push for victory in 2014.

I have valued the opportunity to speak to our members about the ideas and plan I share with David Cunliffe to bring about real change in the Party over the last week. I want to acknowledge the overwhelming support I have received from those in and around Labour.

That won’t happen unless there is a willingness to reset our compass and charter new waters. David Cunliffe and I spoke about this at the Auckland leadership forum. We are committed to the first challenge of getting our house in order. Building on the strengths and talents of the caucus team will be a major task. This can be a sensitive time and with change there can be some resistance to trying and doing things differently ­ but we must if we want a chance to win in 2014. We know that the whole team must be prepared to hit the ground running, holding the opposition to account, leading on issues from the front and ensuring that Labour is recognised as a strong and credible alternative. We also need to strengthen our ability to work with others, issue-by-issue in the centre-left political field.

The next task will be to ensure that as we require change from our Parliamentary caucus, it should be accompanied by the effort to rejuvenate our Party organisation. The Review is a real opportunity for members to get involved to ensure that our vehicle is future fit for purpose. We are a party of ideas and we must be a party of growing membership as well.

The challenge to reconnect will be to diverse communities, the provinces, to young people, working families, Maori, Pacific and ethnic communities. A well-integrated party and parliamentary team can create the type of  ‘buzz’ in the community to generate interest and get people talking about Labour people and ideas more often.

The people we represent urge us as candidates to put their interests above our own, whatever the outcome on Tuesday I am committed to working in a Labour team.

I was raised in the small town of Huntly. Many families who grew up in the homes of miners and freezing workers were encouraged to pursue education or get a trade to make a better living for themselves. I believe that a strong platform of investment in education, skills and training makes all the difference for many hard working families.

We need to be relevant to aspirations in the provinces, this means that we need to support our provincial candidates more effectively so that they are not having to fight an election on a single issue and not without the resources and support of the party. As a provincial member myself, I understand the need to communicate our policy and our people through our community networks. Regional economic solutions to grow jobs, support local innovation or further clean-tech solutions are but some of the real opportunities to assist. Similarly the role of small and medium sized businesses are important and we must ensure that Labour policies reflect the important contribution they make to our regional economy.

Our communities are diverse. We need to harness the creative energy of all our young people so that they can contribute to a thriving and vibrant new economy. Better paying jobs in new industries must be articulated in policies that optimize the potential of our young people, drive science and innovation, r&d investment and look towards our export potential.

As Deputy Leader, I would also take responsibility alongside the Caucus for really reaching out across New Zealand. I want to focus on how we rebuild our relationships with youth, Maori, Pasifika, Women and importantly right across New Zealand, not just Labour strong-holds. We must accept that over a million New Zealanders didn’t vote and they didn’t consider Labour as their alternative, we must know why and address that.

I want to make a contribution to a Labour leadership team to reset our compass, to move forward with energy, conviction and passion for the people we serve. The aspirations of Maori, Pasifika and Ethnic communities are at a critical juncture. The values of Labour assure us that there is space for diverse communities to see themselves reflected not only in the party, but really helping to steer the Labour waka in a purposeful direction where there is a clear choice for change where everyone benefits!

Kia Ora Nanaia

lprent: As a word of warning – I will be moderating and all comments on this post will auto-moderate. I apologize about the late posting – I wasn’t expecting it, and so wasn’t reading my e-mail.

21 comments on “Nanaia Mahuta ”

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  1. dancerwaitakere 1
    12 December 2011 at 8:22 pm

    Brilliant Nanaia, I strongly believe that you would make a very competent and inspiring Deputy.

    “I want to focus on how we rebuild our relationships with youth, Maori, Pasifika, Women and importantly right across New Zealand, not just Labour strong-holds” _ that line summed it up to me!

    I hope for the sake of the party and the country that your caucus colleagues listen to the members who are extremely supportive of yourself, and Cunliffe, and deliver accordingly.

  2. Colonial Viper 2
    12 December 2011 at 8:25 pm

    Kia ora Nanaia! Good luck to you and your team mate tomorrow. You guys deserve the leadership and have all that it will take to lead Labour to a stunning victory in 2014!

  3. hush minx 3
    12 December 2011 at 8:29 pm

    your words move me to real optimism that together we can set NZ on a different course – and that a win in 2014 is but a step in the journey. kia kaha and may your colleagues listen to you with an open mind and heart.

  4. Anthony 4
    12 December 2011 at 8:33 pm

    Great post, I like what I’m hearing from both Nanaia and David C, seems like they have a great vision for both Labour and NZ going forward.

    Really like the acknowledgment of education as a core investment required for any future success, it’s incredibly underfunded and I hope that the funds and resources will be allocated to back up these words.

  5. Blue 5
    12 December 2011 at 8:40 pm

    Best of luck, Nanaia and David C. This is a great post – probably my favourite out of all of those submitted so far.

    This is the change Labour needs.

  6. Craig Glen Eden 6
    12 December 2011 at 8:43 pm

    Inspiring is indeed what you were yesterday in Auckland. Your genuine desire to be inclusive was palpable and so was your Mana, are thoughts are with you and DC for tomorrow.

  7. fender 7
    12 December 2011 at 8:48 pm

    Hope you and David C are successful Nanaia. It’s clear to most that you two are the better qualified.
    Good luck tomorrow.

  8. dancerwaitakere 8
    12 December 2011 at 8:50 pm

    I believe that Duncan Garner was wayyyyyy off the mark tonight when he said it would be a Shearer/Robertson landslide. All you have to do is read a post like this to understand where the heart of the party is.

    Mallard has been hard at work leaking the ’20 votes’ line to the media. Absolute crap.

    • hush minx 8.1
      12 December 2011 at 9:37 pm

      I didn’t see the video but I did read this comment – made me think Garner has a degree of skepticism over whether now is the time for Shearer:

      “But for my money Cunliffe is the “ready now” option. Shearer is the “ready soon” option.
      And how’s this for irony? After years of bagging John Key for being ‘Mr Smile and Wave’ and the everyday man – Labour is lining up their own version in Shearer. It’s a case of ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’….

      Shearer’s nose is ahead – but as this year has proved – 24 hours is a long time in politics.
      It’s a lifetime when you’re confused about who should lead your party.”

      More here: http://www.3news.co.nz/Cunliffe-vs-Shearer-Who-will-win/tabid/1135/articleID/236185/Default.aspx#ixzz1gJ7kMosj

  9. RedLogix 9
    12 December 2011 at 8:58 pm

    We need to be relevant to aspirations in the provinces, this means that we need to support our provincial candidates more effectively so that they are not having to fight an election on a single issue and not without the resources and support of the party. As a provincial member myself, I understand the need to communicate our policy and our people through our community networks. Regional economic solutions to grow jobs, support local innovation or further clean-tech solutions are but some of the real opportunities to assist. Similarly the role of small and medium sized businesses are important and we must ensure that Labour policies reflect the important contribution they make to our regional economy.

    Now this is the real deal!!!

    There are a number of regional electorates, Wairarapa being the one I’m thinking of, that could easily tip if they were handled right.

    Now I’m sure that everyone thinks these seats to be safe National strongholds; John Hayes(Nat) had an electorate vote of about 17,000.. Michael Bott (Lab) pulled almost 11,000 and Sea Rotman (Grn) nearly 3,000. That tells us that these seats aren’t the homogenous sea of blue many assume they are.

    Moreover it is these regional rural seats where social and economic inequality are most stark… one of the most wealthy men in the nation; living cheek by jowl to a town with the lowest average pay in NZ; where small businesses are pretty much the only employers. The majority of people in these electorates are very, very working class people who know that their own fortunes are directly and intimately linked to the fortunes of their employers… yet many feel neglected and shut out entirely from the political process… no party showing any apparent sign of interest in them.

    Bravo.. the first Labour person I can recall willing to say something about this opportunity.

    • Colonial Viper 9.1
      12 December 2011 at 9:09 pm

      Yep. There is much gain to be made in rural electorates. Even in hard blue seats enough additional votes can be won that when added across the country, 2 maybe even 3 extra Labour MPs will get into Parliament. And this year, that could have won Labour the election.

      • ak 9.1.1
        12 December 2011 at 9:42 pm

        Yep. There is much gain to be made in rural electorates.

        Quadruple yep. Reflect that the Alliance won Stratford and Bolger’s home town of Te Kuiti in 98 if in any doubt. More importantly, find out how they did it (tip – don’t rely on McCarten’s book) and get cracking now.

        Wonderful words, Nanaia, read them again regularly and you’ll go far, no matter what tomorrow brings.

  10. Olwyn 10
    12 December 2011 at 9:44 pm

    Good luck for tomorrow, Nanaia – your talk yesterday was inspiring, I think having you two at the helm is a brilliant idea and I wish both you & David well.

  11. Cin77 11
    12 December 2011 at 9:49 pm

    I would like to see more of her around; she seems quite grounded. A quality that a some politicians seem to be lacking.

    • RedLogix 11.1
      12 December 2011 at 10:02 pm

      I would like to see more of her around; she seems quite grounded.

      I’ve never met Nanaia, but this quality you mention is something I’ve met in certain Maori women; they’ve been around the block a more than a few times and they KNOW what’s up and what’s down in the world. Grounded is exactly the word..

      • lprent 11.1.1
        12 December 2011 at 11:56 pm

        That was what came across to me as well watching her yesterday. Impressed me more than the other candidates if only because it is not a quality that I associate with politicians.

        I usually find them charming. That is why after 30 years of being around them (and a few other bods who are charming as well), I now automatically equate charming as being quite suspicious.

        In fact I usually start checking to find out what I lost as I leave their august presence. 

        She either limits her use of it, or prefers forthright and honest instead (because that is how I read her).

  12. seeker 12
    12 December 2011 at 11:09 pm

    Inspiring post Nanaia – wonderful wording. Your aims and ideas give me hope for the future of all New Zealand. Know you have the correct compass setting. Here’s to you and David C. being given the task of charting our course tomorrow.

  13. Damos 13
    12 December 2011 at 11:47 pm

    Wow. 

    Labour MPs have got to be seriously self interested if they don’t vote for you both. This… this is what it’s about.  

  14. Ari 14
    13 December 2011 at 12:24 am

    Of all the people in this race, Nanaia is the one I’m most interested in, and I’m sure she’d do a stunning job as deputy leader if she and Cunliffe are elected by the caucus. It was great to see straight up the top that she thinks Labour needs to re-energise voters and grow the vote while still staying true to their core constituency. This recent election was only really National’s because so many left voters stayed home, it was well within reach if there had been something to motivate the vote to grow. I hope Nanaia will be hard at work on that regardless of the outcome of the leader vote.

  15. aspasia 15
    13 December 2011 at 1:30 am

    Kia ora Nanaia. As a long time party activist I hope to see you and David as our new leaders. Substance and competence are what we really need. I can’t believe the caucus can be so blind as to rely on the media’s appetite for novelty as the main mechanism to attract support for Labour. We all know how fickle the commentariat’s support and attention span can be. Thank you for giving hard-working party members a better alternative–let’s hope enough of your colleagues can also see it this way. Kia kaha!