One News has just revealed that Shane Jones is standing down as an MP. Apparently he will not be standing for any other party.
More as news comes to hand.
NZ Herald – Jones to leave politics at the end of next month.
He has been in talks with Foreign Minister Murray McCully for some time about a possible role in an international fisheries management role and expected that to go through.
He said he would leave at the end of next month after reflecting over Easter about his future.
I’ve never been a great Jones fan, especially when he has made some misogynist comments, or support anti-environmentally sustainable activities like mining.
However, he has had his supporters on the left and among Maori. He did an excellent job of raising issues about dodgy practices by Aussie owned supermarket chains.
I can’t help but wonder how much this decision was impacted by the news this morning that he was given a donation for his leadership bid by a National Party minister the husband of a government minister.
New Zealand Herald reports Mr Jones was given $1000 by the husband of a National Party minister.
Education Minister Hekia Parata’s husband Sir Wira Gardiner says the donation was intended to encourage Maori leadership, and is not an indication of his political allegiance.
[…]
NZ Oil and Gas board member Roger Finlay was also revealed to have donated to Mr Jones’ failed leadership bid.
Labour list MP Shane Jones is set to quit Labour and politics to take up a job as “Pacific economic ambassador” for the Government, 3News reported tonight.
Jones did not immediately return calls.
3News said nothing was signed but Prime Minister John Key was aware of the move and Foreign Minister Murray McCully was designing the job.
If Jones steps down immediately, the next person on Labour’s list – Kelvin Davis – will step into his place.
Jones missed out on Labour’s leadership last year and has set himself up as the critics of the Greens this year.
Davis, Labour’s candidate for Te Tai Tonga, said he was “picking [himself] up off the floor.”
“I had no idea at all and I actually have to check out if it is kosher or not.
Well, for those of us that have thought Jones would fit into the National ethos, that is not surprising.
Kelvin Davis as a replacement ahead of the election, is a win for Labour. He has an excellent background in education: His candidacy for the Tao Tokerau rematch was announced last month.
Mr Davis, 47, a former Kaitaia Intermediate School principal, has since been employed by the Ministry of Education in Kaitaia, where he is working with iwi on their education plans.
He declined to discuss his renewed candidacy before he takes leave from the ministry, probably around the end of the financial year on June 30, to concentrate on the election.
Labour’s Te Tai Tokerau electorate chairman, Haydn Edmonds, said he and other party officials had sought out Mr Davis because of his capabilities and the contribution he had made as a list MP.
“Kelvin is a seasoned politician now. We are very excited he has put his name forward again because we think he will bring a clear direction for Northland’s economic development and education,” Mr Edmonds said.
It’ll be useful to have him as an MP when he is campaigning. And his background will be useful in the face on Harata’s mis-management of the education portfolio.
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