New lineup for Labour Leader’s office

Written By: - Date published: 5:15 pm, September 21st, 2016 - 49 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, labour - Tags: ,

Via Scoop:

Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little has today appointed Neale Jones as Chief of Staff and Mike Jaspers as Chief Press Secretary.

Neale Jones presently works in the Leader’s Office as Political Director.

Mike Jaspers currently works for New Zealand Rugby in a senior communications role. He previously worked for Sir Michael Cullen as press secretary and before that worked in the Parliamentary Press Gallery for TVNZ.

49 comments on “New lineup for Labour Leader’s office ”

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  1. te reo putake 1
    21 September 2016 at 5:22 pm

    Excellent appointment for Chief of Staff. I’ve known Neale for years and he is a top bloke and good value for the job. I know he also worked with Andrew Little at the EPMU, modernising that union’s comms, and, clearly, they both work together well. I predict good things for Labour.

  2. Colonial Viper 2
    21 September 2016 at 5:26 pm

    Looking forward to seeing those sharp comms and PR skills from NZ Rugby put to good use.

    • Lanthanide 2.1
      21 September 2016 at 6:55 pm

      Wonder how much, if anything, he had to do with the Chiefs imbroglio.

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1
        21 September 2016 at 7:07 pm

        indded. Being one of the senior comms team, at the very least he would have been in the same meetings.

        • Sigh 2.1.1.1
          22 September 2016 at 7:49 am

          I’m reliably informed he was on leave at the time of the Chiefs fiasco. Honestly, you do nothing but smear CV.

        • dukeofurl 2.1.1.2
          22 September 2016 at 9:33 am

          You did notice it was a Chiefs issue, so ‘it just might be’ all concocted in Hamilton with the media people at NZRFU in Wellington rolling their eyes.

          ” Chiefs Rugby Club itself is 50% owned by the provincial unions within the Chiefs’ catchment and 50% by a group of private investors .”

          We could see a hint of the disaster to come when the woman who was running the comms in Hamilton came out with some awful comment about the incident.

          • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.2.1
            22 September 2016 at 9:37 am

            So, now the NZRFU can be considered independent of the incident? So the investigation by the NZRFU senior lawyer was independent, then? No not really, right.

            • dukeofurl 2.1.1.2.1.1
              22 September 2016 at 10:51 am

              Its not the NZRFU who is you are pointing the finger its their media advisers

              The lawyer wasnt mentioned but is this a hint ?
              “Andrew Golightly is a former Northland Rugby Union Chairman (2008-2014) and board member since 2007. He also served five years as a Director of the Blues (2008-13) and is an experienced lawyer and advisor, specialising in employment, disputes resolution and commercial matters. Andrew joined the New Zealand Rugby Board in 2014.”

          • Grant 2.1.1.2.2
            22 September 2016 at 10:23 am

            “We could see a hint of the disaster to come when the woman who was running the comms in Hamilton came out with some awful comment about the incident.”

            Comer isn’t comms for The Chiefs. She’s management with Gallaghers who sponsor The Chiefs

            http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11687082

            “The Chiefs’ major sponsor has supported the franchise following allegations of inappropriate contact with a stripper.

            Gallagher Group corporate services executive Margaret Comer said she was “reluctant to say that the boys were out of line” after a stripper accused unnamed Chiefs players of touching her during the team’s Mad Monday celebrations.”

            • dukeofurl 2.1.1.2.2.1
              22 September 2016 at 10:44 am

              I understand she was on ‘secondment’ to the Chiefs at the time

              • Enough is Enough …
                22 September 2016 at 12:09 pm

                Your understanding is completely incorrect.

                She works for a sponsor. She does not, and has not been engaged by the Chiefs in any capacity at any time.

                • dukeofurl …
                  22 September 2016 at 1:55 pm

                  Here is some pics of here with Chiefs executives when Gallagher Group was announced as the Chiefs ‘principal partner’
                  Chiefs Licence Press Conference, 10 December 2013
                  “NZR Chief Executive Steve Tew, Chiefs CEO Andrew Flexman, Margaret Comer from Gallagher (new principal partner), Sir William Gallagher, Chiefs Chairman Dallas Fisher, and Taranaki Rugby Football Union Chairman Lindsay Thomson”
                  All the top table seems to include Comer !

                  Her face does appear (behind the camera) at media standups with the Chiefs CEO over the the Scarlett incident.

                  Its clear she was the person running the media show for the Chiefs – all the while employed by their ‘principal partner’

                  Gallaghers are more than a sponsor , they are a major owner of the franchise

                  • Enough is Enough …
                    22 September 2016 at 3:19 pm

                    Where are you getting this bullshit from

                    The chiefs owners are publicly known. And guess what, none of the owners have any connection to Gallaghers.

                    Please do some basic research before making stuff up. The Companies Office can be a great tool

                    • dukeofurl …
                      22 September 2016 at 4:32 pm

                      Gee I forgot the link the media event where Gallaghers were announced as the ‘principal partner’
                      http://photosportnz.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/131210-Chiefs-Media-and-Training/G00004U4Yb8q.dy8/I0000lfe3xGv1K6k/C00006aXHvbatRU8

                      But I gave the text !
                      Yes the The companies office is opaque. It just lists two limited partnerships as owners . One was the regional rugby unions and the other were ‘private investors’ Its clear from their media appearances at the time Gallaghers were ‘principal partner’- their words.

                      My bullshit actually connects to publicly known facts, what bullshit are you spouting that Gallaghers have ‘no connection’

                      When the Chiefs CEO fronts the media Comer is there too
                      http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/82888863/chiefs-ceo-widens-inquiry

                      Who do think that is behind him to the right , head partly down.
                      the picture byline was interesting
                      “Chiefs franchise boss Andrew Flexman shut down a brief press conference…” No doubt on Comers signal, thats why they have these people there

                    • Enough is Enough …
                      22 September 2016 at 5:04 pm

                      Lets dig down another layer of that ownership…

                      Who are the private investors?…if you try really hard the Companies Office will tell you.

                      I know the answer but this is fun drawing it out of you.

                      I will give you one answer though. No Gallaghers or Comers have any ownership interest in the Chiefs.

                      Now go out there do some reasearch

                    • dukeofurl …
                      22 September 2016 at 6:33 pm

                      The entity is
                      Chiefs (Waikato Investors) Limited Partnership doesnt disclose who the partners are. Public information at the formation gave Gallaghers as a principal partner. They used that term rather than sponsor – which they announced later with other sponsors

                    • Enough is Enough …
                      23 September 2016 at 10:07 am

                      You are getting very close now my friend.

                      Have a look at those Waikato Investors….

                      Still no Gallaghers

                    • dukeofurl …
                      23 September 2016 at 1:51 pm

                      Thompson Wake Trustees, a law firm trustee company, is listed as trustee for 22% of the Chiefs Waikato partnership.

                      Thomson Wake Trustees is also linked to 3 Gallagher family members( John , Alice and Keith), part owners ( nearly 50%) of Gallagher Holdings

                    • Enough is Enough …
                      23 September 2016 at 4:00 pm

                      So assuming that this law firm is holding Gallaghers interests (which it is isn’t), what percentage of the Chiefs do they own…?

                      Does that make Gallaghers as you said “a major owner of the franchise”?

                    • dukeofurl …
                      23 September 2016 at 6:06 pm

                      So you said
                      ‘No Gallaghers or Comers have any ownership interest in the Chiefs.’

                      Doesnt look like it. Seems you didnt dig deeply enough.

                      The phrase ‘principal partner’ when announcing a new ownership with a series of partnerships means only one thing. It is what it is.

                      They may well have reduced their share since 2013 as the rest of the private partners are tiddlywinks.
                      Maybe Comer should stop running the press conferences for the Chiefs CEO if she has no connection

                    • Enough is Enough …
                      26 September 2016 at 5:16 pm

                      You have still not shown me anywhere that Gallaghers have any ownership interest, let alone a major owner as you spouted.

                      They don’t.

                      They are the principal sponsor

  3. Chuck 3
    21 September 2016 at 5:27 pm

    “Mike Jaspers currently works for New Zealand Rugby in a senior communications role”

    That won’t go down well with many on this blog…the evil corporate Rugby Union spin doctor is now the new Labour party spin doctor 🙂

    • Gangnam Style 3.1
      21 September 2016 at 6:38 pm

      Talking out your arse again shit stirrer.

      • adam 3.1.1
        21 September 2016 at 6:43 pm

        Chucky is not a shit stirrer, he’s a conspiracy nut…

        • weka 3.1.1.1
          21 September 2016 at 9:57 pm

          No reason he can’t be both.

          • In Vino 3.1.1.1.1
            21 September 2016 at 10:54 pm

            He is a semi-literate, trolling muppet, like Pockish Rogue and Maninamuddle. Their new tactic is to derail by being friendly and matey. Why else are they constantly cackling away on nearly every thread on this site?
            A new form of Peter George.
            Don’t respond to their apparent friendliness. Study the ways of One Anonymous Bloke. He identifies these sleazebags early in the piece and gives them hell. We all need to. Tell them to fuck off.

            • Garibaldi 3.1.1.1.1.1
              22 September 2016 at 7:29 am

              Yes In Vino. These right wing twats are ruining/derailing too many of our threads. Case in point…. I was going to put in a comment( when there were only nine) on Kevin Hagues fine contribution to parliament but the comments had been overrun by Pockish Rogue( I like your none too subtle alterations to their names).

            • Red 3.1.1.1.1.2
              22 September 2016 at 7:52 am

              must keep the echo chamber intact eh in vino, mate

            • Chuck 3.1.1.1.1.3
              22 September 2016 at 8:27 am

              “Don’t respond to their apparent friendliness.”

              LOL…you are really quite a paranoid fella, ain’t you In Vino!

            • Puckish Rogue 3.1.1.1.1.4
              22 September 2016 at 8:29 am

              That’s Puckish if you please

              • In Vino …
                22 September 2016 at 3:17 pm

                If the cap fits, wear it. In deference to Chuck, however, I agree with the guy who at some later stage calls you ‘Pockish Rouge’.
                Red: Echo chamber?? Haven’t you seen the internecine way that lefties fight one another? I respect honest disagreement and debate. You right wing trolls are not providing that. Constant diversion and derailment need to be made a banning offence.
                Chuck: I know I’m paranoid, but the big question is, am I paranoid enough? In your case, definitely not. You are far from being our affable mate.

          • Leftie 3.1.1.1.2
            22 September 2016 at 9:03 pm

            Agreed Weka, that’s what I was thinking too.

      • Chuck 3.1.2
        22 September 2016 at 8:39 am

        The other day the NZ Rugby Union typified the old boys network, rape culture, evil corporate monster (re – stripper issue) according to most on this blog.

        Then yesterday the senior NZ Rugby Union spin doctor became the new Labour Party chief spin doctor.

        It seems pointing that out to you Gangnam Style has made you feel a little uncomfortable.

        • dukeofurl 3.1.2.1
          22 September 2016 at 9:34 am

          Chiefs Rugby is not owned by NZRFU. Its 50:50 private investors and 6 provincial unions.

          • Nessalt 3.1.2.1.1
            22 September 2016 at 4:59 pm

            Where does it’s primary funding come from dukeofurl? The NZRFU thanks to lucrative deals with gasp, NewsCorp!

            so Mr. Jaspers has been running the positive spin for an organisation with proven close financial links to of the primary mouthpieces of the deep state. And now he’s in the labour leaders office. John key’s time is up as he’ve moved away from serving his puppet masters. Andrew’s time has arrived.

        • I Feel Love 3.1.2.2
          22 September 2016 at 10:33 am

          Are things really that black & white for you Chuck? I mean do you actually believe what you say or stirring poo? I think the latter, but whatever rocks your boat little man.

  4. mosa 4
    21 September 2016 at 7:23 pm

    With rugby always being right up there in the popularity stakes Mike Jaspers has done an outstanding job.
    Lets see him do the same for the Labour party… he has less than 12 months and it will be one hell of an assignment.

  5. James 5
    21 September 2016 at 8:50 pm

    Do you think he will do a better job than the “game changer” McCarten in the Chief of staff role?

  6. Bill 6
    21 September 2016 at 9:11 pm

    Fair to say “Neale Jones good, Mike Jaspers…jury out”?

  7. Richard Rawshark 7
    22 September 2016 at 12:36 am

    Fiddling while Rome burns is what I think this is.

    Angry Andy

    A subtle brilliance in it’s stifling the oppositions leader in two words.

    Since then smiles and niceties.

    Working well.

    So when the opposition leader is too worried about his polling and position/job to rattle the ceiling with his voice in the beehive, at the outrageous antics of these, these, imbeciles, he smiles and meekly shows outrage thinking of how he’s coming across.

    No ones actually going to believe your passionate about the direction and actions of the present buffoons if you photobomb Canadian PM’s or show a half arsed conviction in what your saying.

    So change crap all we like, it’s not going to make enough difference in my honest opinion.

    The party needs to step up, get the word out. This lot are bad for NZ and do it with passion.

  8. Richard Rawshark 8
    22 September 2016 at 5:40 pm

    Such awesome news 7 threads so far this might crack 8. /sarc

    Labour is not getting media time, what’s with that?, lack of media announcements heading out that’s newsworthy? What are Labour doing?

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