What should Labour do in the next three years?

Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, October 25th, 2020 - 74 comments
Categories: election 2020, greens, jacinda ardern, labour, uncategorized - Tags:

Final results are still pending and I will stick to my prediction that Labour will pick up Whangarei on specials and a further list seat entitlement.  But the form of the next Government is clear.  Which opens up the question, what should Labour do in the next three years.

The coalition agreement is simple.  Here it is.  It is the party’s policy platform, endorsed by the party’s membership and approved in the election by the country’s voters.  A majority of MMP eligible votes have been cast in favour of it.  And the platform has a lot in common with Green Party policies, particularly those concerning the environment and support for struggling families.

There is an overwhelming mandate to address climate change, which truly is our nuclear free moment.  And a lot of work is required.  When you think of what has to be achieved in transport alone if there are no new petrol cars coming into the fleet by 2030 then we have to get moving.  Quickly.

To all of the MPs can I suggest that the Wellington focussed activities are not an optimal use of your time unless you are a Minister.  Especially to new electorate MPs can I suggest that you set up your electorate offices as soon as possible.  Plan school visits.  Work out the 100 most important community leaders and meet with them, whether they be Councillors or local board members, the chairperson of the local Rugby League club, the President of the RSA of the president of Play Centre.  New Zealand is a small place.  Build and cultivate those links and networks.

And this is especially important for our ethnic MPs of which there is a gratifying large number.  Their role should be to organise regionally as opposed to seat by seat.  National’s disaster of a result and its refusal to put ethnic candidates in winnable list positions has meant that it is now a very stale looking party, not reflective of the diversity of our country.  We should take advantage of this.  Our inclination as progressives is to be warmly supportive and welcoming of ethnic diversity.  We should continue to build and cultivate the party’s relationship with the many and diverse ethnic communities.

This will pose problems for new MP Vanushi Walters who is the holder of the Upper Harbour seat as well as being the country’s first Sri Lankan MP.  If I was a whip I would be giving her as much release time as possible so that she can be active in her communities.

The process of Government needs to be simplified and can be simplified.  For Ministers they have an opportunity to get things done more quickly.  The hand brake is gone.  And the country has delivered the mandate.  Let’s do this.

One thing that is almost unspeakable right now but Jacinda Ardern will not be around for ever.  She has already established herself to be one of our great Prime Ministers but I am sure that she is thinking of a life after politics.  Succession planning should not be a taboo subject.

This post is a quick collection of thoughts on a Sunday morning.  What should Labour be doing in this term?  Hit me with your thoughts.

74 comments on “What should Labour do in the next three years? ”

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  1. weka 1
    25 October 2020 at 10:16 am

    Work out the 100 most important community leaders and meet with them, whether they be Councillors or local board members, the chairperson of the local Rugby League club, the President of the RSA of the president of Play Centre. New Zealand is a small place. Build and cultivate those links and networks.

    Then go and find the marginalised and not well represented people in your community, because those mainstream institutions are missing a lot of people. Finding those people takes skill and work, figure it out. We matter too and we hold resources on how to solve problems that the mainstream just can't manage.

    • mickysavage 1.1
      25 October 2020 at 10:31 am

      Agreed this is important. My comment was focussed on the 2023 election. The tide must start to go out by then. The political imperative is to slow the pace of this which is why, from a political point of view, the networking is important.

      • weka 1.1.1
        25 October 2020 at 10:42 am

        Yes, I agree, I just think networking needs to go wider than the power holders in society.

        • Sacha 1.1.1.1
          25 October 2020 at 10:52 am

          Yes. Might have been better to just say "Work out the 100 most important community leaders and meet with them" full stop. Always going to be broader than civic office holders and bastions of (mostly Pakeha) tradition like RSAs.

        • mickysavage 1.1.1.2
          25 October 2020 at 8:07 pm

          Agreed. My comment was about slowing the tide of support going out and being on the right side of community opinion super spreaders.

          I should have included the head of the local marae, and they should be at the top of the list.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2
        25 October 2020 at 10:53 am

        The tide must start to go out by then.

        Not necessarily.

        If they work hard and actually improve the economy and people's well-being then they have a chance to increase the Labour Vote. If they work well with the Greens then they could also increase the vote there as well.

  2. weka 2
    25 October 2020 at 10:17 am

    "The coalition agreement is simple. Here it is. It is the party’s policy platform,…"

    What does this mean? That the Greens aren't needed and we can rely on Labour alone to get things done?

    • mickysavage 2.1
      25 October 2020 at 10:27 am

      It means that the party has been elected with a mandate and that is its policy platform. If you compare the two sets of policies there is a lot of overlap. I am suggesting they should just get on with implementation rather than formulation.

    • froggleblocks 2.2
      25 October 2020 at 10:35 am

      What does this mean? That the Greens aren't needed and we can rely on Labour alone to get things done?

      Yip.

      • mickysavage 2.2.1
        25 October 2020 at 10:45 am

        Here is an extract from Labour's policy platform on climate change:

        "The most critical sustainability issue is climate change. It poses a severe threat to the
        planet and to the future of humans and other species. Labour says that climate change
        must be tackled urgently and effectively, by way of a low-carbon economy in New
        Zealand and a comprehensive international climate change treaty."

        I don't sense that the Green version would be radically different.

        And this post is deliberately focussed on what Labour should be doing. Inter party relationships are important but something for a different post.

        • Sacha 2.2.1.1
          25 October 2020 at 10:54 am

          That very-broad statement says nothing about how to actually achieve the change it prescribes. That's where any relationship agreement could help.

          • solkta 2.2.1.1.1
            25 October 2020 at 10:56 am

            Yes, add a little more than BS.

            • greywarshark 2.2.1.1.1.1
              28 October 2020 at 1:28 pm

              I saw a line of moving lights in the sky the other night and in the blink of an eye they were gone. I think that this is part of an accelerating program by wealthy individuals with no understanding of responsibility to the rights and safety of all the other people on the planet. It poses a serious threat to our freedom and human life as we enjoy it, and this should be urgently looked into as a matter of urgency with a meeting and agreement of all the nations as to control and a treaty be set up outlining strict controls and targets for ending this, and also one for an international force to oversee the decrease in nuclear armaments.

              Is that a strategy, or a tactic, or a statement of concern, or…?

          • mickysavage 2.2.1.1.2
            25 October 2020 at 8:08 pm

            Accepted but hold Labour to is.

            • Sacha 2.2.1.1.2.1
              25 October 2020 at 8:43 pm

              Would just turn into an argument about what 'urgently' and 'effectively' and 'low-carbon economy' mean. Exactly as intended. It's a usefully-vague aspiration, not a plan.

        • Draco T Bastard 2.2.1.2
          25 October 2020 at 10:55 am

          Labour says that climate change must be tackled urgently and effectively, by way of a low-carbon economy in New Zealand and a comprehensive international climate change treaty.

          But what does that actually mean?

          What actions are Labour going to do to achieve those goals?

          • mickysavage 2.2.1.2.1
            25 October 2020 at 8:10 pm

            Parker has talked about there being no new petrol cars coming into the fleet by 2030. I agree this is the sort of detail that is needed.

          • mikesh 2.2.1.2.2
            28 October 2020 at 9:48 am

            It is a strategy rather than a tactic. The tactics to be used will depend on what is actually achievable, and this is probably uncertain at this stage.

        • weka 2.2.1.3
          25 October 2020 at 11:23 am

          I'm with Sacha on this, it would have been ideal if the Greens had been needed, because while there are policy overlaps there are areas where the Greens have done more policy development and are a useful resource.

          If Labour have a plan on climate that's a different thing, but statements of intention aren't sufficient. What does 'urgently' mean to Labour? From the outside it looks like a gap between the intention and actions.

  3. James Thrace 3
    25 October 2020 at 10:27 am

    Labour need to be cultivating future leaders like Kiri Allan and Kieran McAnulty to lead Labour from 2024 into the 2026 election. Grant Robertson should not be elevated to the leadership because, renewal, and the public will have seen enough of him by 2024 to not be convinced he represents "renewal"

    Although by 2024, there could just as equally be a better pair of faces to lead Labour. I just pick Kiri and Kieran today due to their rural networks, and their working class backgrounds which will resonate with many people.

  4. Barfly 4
    25 October 2020 at 11:03 am

    Well I would suggest organising a referendum in 2023 election on a wealth tax

    (set at parameters not catching as many people as the proposed Green one would have)

    One could even call it "tax neutral" by offering to return the funds raised by reducing the bottom end payments on PAYE.

    Structuring it in that manner would likely attract a hell of a lot of support and thus be hard to undo.

    • mikesh 4.1
      25 October 2020 at 1:17 pm

      Well I would suggest organising a referendum in 2023 election on a wealth tax

      Even with just a referendum she would be forced to congratulate Judith Collins on her perspicacity.

      She could do worse, though, than adopt the Greens' GMI policy.

  5. Mat 5
    25 October 2020 at 11:05 am

    I think dealing with the fall out from the pandemic and building a new green worker friendly economy is the number one thing. Things like Fair Pay Agreements, sick leave, just transition etc.

    Totally agree that list MPs need to map their communities and get stuck in with them.

  6. Brendon Harre 6
    25 October 2020 at 11:08 am

    Housing and climate change are the two key issues IMO. I have been fortunate to have had some free time since August (I had to travel to be with family). This has given me ‘clear air’ to undertake some systemic analysis of housing and the built environment (and the climate change implications of this). I published it online immediately after the election and it has received good feedback -including some positive comments on social media from some Ministers.
    https://medium.com/land-buildings-identity-and-values/if-not-now-when-f995dd596c1

    • Sacha 6.1
      25 October 2020 at 11:23 am

      That is a lot of thinking, thank you. I wonder if Glaeser's maxim has now evolved to “cities are the absence of time between people”? Ease of connecting is no longer mainly a function of space.

      • Brendon Harre 6.1.1
        25 October 2020 at 12:07 pm

        Maybe time not distance is the better metric but there needs to be a genuine connection between people. All the evidence from the internet, telecommunications etc is that these enrich connections but does not replace the value of in-person communication.

        • Sacha 6.1.1.1
          25 October 2020 at 12:11 pm

          Widespread Zooming may have added a dimension not previously included in the research. Seems to be shaping a significant ongoing increase in working-from-home that is shifting travel and retail patterns from CBDs to suburbs. And as the quality of video-calling and augmented reality tech improves, it will get closer to face-to-face.

  7. Grafton Gully 7
    25 October 2020 at 11:30 am

    "What should Labour do in the next three years ?"

    Address our declining birthrate, encourage, reverse or stabilise it.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2020/08/expert-urges-kiwis-to-have-children-before-falling-fertility-rate-leads-to-unbalanced-population.html

    Debate opinions like Lindsay Mitchell's that “Without population replacement or growth, economies decline. A nation's strength lies in its young: their energy, innovation, risk-taking and entrepreneurship. The new blood drives the exchange of ideas and experimentation. If these attributes aren't home-grown, they have to be imported. At an individual level, single person households are the fastest growing household type in New Zealand. Increasingly people face old-age with few or no family supports.”

    https://www.familyfirst.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/REPORT-Families-Ever-Fewer-or-No-Children.pdf

    Does Labour have a population plan ? Not obvious to me in the manifesto.

    • Sacha 7.1
      25 October 2020 at 11:48 am

      What people like them fear is a declining white birthrate. NZ's demographics feature a big surge of young brown faces over the next decades. And it's our overall wellbeing and enterprise that determine the nation's economic fortunes, not the number of bodies.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 7.2
      25 October 2020 at 4:25 pm

      Given the state of the environment – a declining birthrate is exactly what the globe needs. It leads to economic difficulty in the short term, but makes everything much easier in the long term (more resources for everyone). The world cannot provide a decent standard of living (and a diverse and robust natural world) for an unlimited human population.

      The current world population is probably at least double the sustainable level (matter of debate). This is a much bigger problem than whether or not can we have economic growth in the next decade. The view that we need ongoing human population growth is what happens when you disconnect economics from reality.

    • Obtrectator 7.3
      26 October 2020 at 8:06 am

      Why is a falling birth rate and population level always presented as something akin to a disaster? I'm with UncookedSelachimorpha 110%, and feel heartened when I read of fertility rates dropping in any part of the world.

      My personal theory is that planet Earth can support only a finite amount of biomass, and that the more of that amount that's tied up in units of humanity, the less there is for the supporting food chain – which is an essential, not an add-on.

      • Gabby 7.3.1
        26 October 2020 at 10:31 am

        Further, if we desperately need to increase our population, there are plenty of willing foreigners.

  8. RedLogix 8
    25 October 2020 at 11:30 am

    Climate change from a NZ perspective is actually pretty easy, at least for the next few decades. We already have a very high penetration of non-carbon sources in our electricity sector, and de-coaling/gassing the rest with more solar/wind is well within reach. NZ is one of the relatively few places on earth where this mix makes both economic and technical sense.

    Despite my strong advocacy for nuclear from a global perspective, I've always noted that NZ's (and Australia too for that matter) are uniquely positioned to be able to put that decision off until much later in this century. Or longer depending on our population growth rate. We can carry on being smug about our 'nuclear free' status for a long time yet.

    Transport will be driven by strong global trends; by 2030 EV's will dominate new car sales, and electrofuels will start to penetrate the heavy/long distance segment that batteries cannot fulfill.

    That really leaves agriculture and methane as the nut that needs cracking. In this Labour is not well positioned to drive real change on the ground. If we are going to see farmers, the people who matter on this, to engage effectively we need a re-think of the politics.

    NZ can and absolutely will play it's fair role in de-carbonising, but we still need to support global efforts, without which nothing will change.

    Housing on the other hand is where NZ really needs to reconsider. It's a very complex problem with no silver bullet solutions. I'd wager this is the one on which the govt will be judged.

    • Sacha 8.1
      25 October 2020 at 11:44 am

      Transport is simple enough for NZ to improve with bold enough leadership:

      • Integrate public and active (walking, cycling, scooting) transport infrastructure with concentrated urban form planning.
      • Make our public shared transport systems fully electric.
      • Create coordinated local capacity to manufacture and maintain electric bikes, scooters, buses, delivery vans and trucks.
      • Power it with repurposed Tiwai.
      • Invest public funding only in modes other than private cars.
      • Set carbon emission targets to sort those out and let the global market dictate what's left for us to buy. Electric cars are the smallest part of the answer.
      • RedLogix 8.1.1
        25 October 2020 at 2:27 pm

        Nothing wrong with any of those ideas. I'm a big fan of ebikes myself.

        Still if I'm reading you accurately I'm less sure NZ is going to abandon some form of personal car based transport soon. There are reasons why it became the dominant mode and none of them have really gone away.

        I recall my mother telling me what a huge transformation of her life it was when we got our first car. It was a baby blue Austin A30 and I can still remember Dad proudly driving it up to our home.

        Of course as cities become more dense PT becomes more effective and important, but I suspect people will continue to value some form of autonomous transport.

        • Sacha 8.1.1.1
          25 October 2020 at 3:46 pm

          They will, and that evolving value in climate change times will be negotiated pretty well by the market. Govt needs to be more focused. Provide proper public alternatives. No more tarmac splurges. Certainly no subsidies for personal cars.

      • Foreign waka 8.1.2
        26 October 2020 at 11:11 am

        Sacha

        All very worthwhile ideas but to be honest, and I am not alone by a long shot, the public transport system in NZ is practically non existent.

        I grew up in an European city where you truly don't need a car. To achieve this, you need a plan, good engineers, financial planning above board without vested interests and about 10 years to implement. None of this is true in NZ, traditionally or otherwise.

        Seems the idea of biking to work is based on a model on a flat Napier type of city, with a climate that allows you to bike at any time – is just plain statistical nonsense.

        I live a bit outside Wellington, the area is hilly with outdated roads, where pet projects by city councils over years trumped infrastructure maintenance. If I would bike to work, not withstanding the weather conditions which can be utterly atrocious, it would take me at least 3 or more hours one way. This is, for all intend and purposes not the healthiest way to travel for an over 60 year old lady. Add to it that most has to be on the motorway (now there is something that really is the most stupidest thing that seems to take hold, I can provide hair raising stories) and you sure have a life shortening recipe if there ever was one. Once at work, it will take me another hour to clean up (sweat or drench, take your pick). By the time I add it all up this becomes a full time job – a total of 8 hours. I fear groceries shopping or any other activity will just have to wait.

        Public transport: if I take the bus from the place I live to the train, adding waiting times (no matchy matchy there), ending up at central station due to the way the train stops, I have to go back 2 stops and walk up a hill. It will take about 1.5 hours if all goes to plan – one direction. You guessed it, don't forget anything on your groceries run, it really puts a spanner in the works.

        So these are the realities and given that it costs a lot to use public transport, I stick with the car. It takes me 20 min to work, I can make plans to meet friends, go to the cinema etc. and get groceries if I want to. I will NOT sacrifice my joie de vivre to some uncompleted thought process of someone who tries to manhandle me into living like in the 14th century.

        • Sacha 8.1.2.1
          26 October 2020 at 11:25 am

          Oh I agree. People need different options. Parents with young children is another case where public transit is nowhere near good enough compared with a private (or shared) individual car.

          I'm talking about what our governments do next. There are plenty of cars and roads around after decades of investment in them – and they will not be disappearing any time soon. All the other stuff is where the focus needs to go.

  9. Foreign waka 9
    25 October 2020 at 11:42 am

    Formulate a plan that addresses a framework for the economy under different scenarios, i.e. political shifts in the pacific, alignments, pandemic and impact on shipping – import/export. Look at the social impacts of developments in IT/Robotics on people and work, invest further in education other the Universities. Review tax structure and eliminate tax on tax, i.e. GST on rates, fuel tax etc. Look at our defense forces and their capabilities. Have a sound social safety net in place. Increase the years from 10 to 20 for applying for a pension for permanent residence.

    This is just off the cuff, but I think Labor has their work cut out either way.

  10. Byd0nz 10
    25 October 2020 at 11:50 am

    The origins of Labour Parties were based on socialism, a party for the working class.

    It was once the case and if it still is, then they better pull finger and install some socialism, forget about pandering to the traditional Nat voters that switched their party vote. Greens are sort of left wing but Labour were supposed to be The Socialist Party, so lets see that happen or are they just a soft side of crapitalism.

  11. Stuart Munro 11
    25 October 2020 at 11:51 am

    There's no shortage of things to be done. Some things relate to Covid.

    I'm involved in a voluntary group – about three hundred regulars and maybe a thousand occasionals. Our funding took a hell of a hit with Covid, and we've lost about 20 hours a week of engineering/maintenance support, and 20 of administration. This burden has been picked up by our voluntary folk as far as possible, but things are a bit fraught. Although we mostly produce art of one kind or another, we are a supportive community, and our contribution to the mental health of our region is also non-trivial. We could use some help – and, as a fence at the top of a cliff rather than an ambulance at the bottom, we're probably a pretty prudent investment.

    I think you've probably seen some of my views on exploited migrant workers and their pernicious effects of the local labour market before, but these matters should have been addressed long ago. The fraudulently obtained work permits for slave fishermen – detailed here – is gross systemic corruption. It was my objection to this illegal practice that made me unemployable by the handful of cryptofascist companies who control 95% or more of NZ fisheries. Of course, fans of laissez faire neoliberalism might claim that open slather for cheap foreign labour is economically wonderful and must be allowed – which is debatable – but acceptable if and only if the government make it legal. As it stands both Labour and National have been complicit in a massive systemic and ongoing fraud for decades. You really need this crap? Then change the law to make it legal. You'll shed votes like National on Covid, but you won't be actually corrupt, as you are now.

    Better however, would be to attach conditions to requests for numerous work permits. Make 20% of NZ staff a baseline – this will create a work culture cognizant of legal responsibilities. Employers regularly requesting large numbers of work permits should be expected to find locals so as to decrease their foreign employees over time – say 10% a year. And, companies or people like the Bottle O dude should permanently lose the right to obtain work permits. They can still do business with local employees – access to migrant workers is a privilege, abuse it and it's gone forever – no second chances on this – there are too many chancers already.

    The Covid response of backing so-called 'shovel-ready' projects will likely be recognized as a relatively poor set of stimulus priorities, a quick and dirty choice. As soon as possible, we should be looking at best practice stimulus priorities – investing in sustainable sectors with sound growth prospects. Hemp textiles – it's much harder wearing than cotton. Aquaculture – we need to be much more sophisticated than the salmonid cage culture reviled abroad. Gaming – the sector continues to show strong growth and our culture readily translates to the more lucrative markets. Restoration – our rivers are not merely in crisis, they represent a golden opportunity to develop ecological interventions that would be very welcome and thus marketable abroad – consistent with both our values and the clean green reputation that poor governance has gratuitously endangered.

    • Sacha 11.1
      25 October 2020 at 12:17 pm

      companies or people like the Bottle O dude

      .. should be forbidden from running a business ever again. Same for fishing companies with similar track records.

      • Stuart Munro 11.1.1
        25 October 2020 at 1:52 pm

        The fishing companies tend to get a free pass because govt. made such a bollocks of the Sealord Deal & QMS. Slave fishermen are a small price to pay to the self-serving scumbags in Wellington.

  12. Adrian Thornton 12
    25 October 2020 at 12:14 pm

    The only positive long term change that I hope will actually eventuate in the real world out of this one party Labour term ( rather that the many fantasies projected onto Labour about these parts) is that maybe a few more Lefties will begin to realize that any party be that Labour, The Greens or whom ever that are indoctrinated by and thereby make all their decisions informed by a liberal free market ideology will NEVER bring the social, economic and environmental changes that this country and this planet so desperately needs at this moment, and then maybe start advocating for a Labour (or Green) party that could actually stand for and advocate for these changes…instead of pragmatic incrementalism which has been proved beyond doubt for all to see, to be the false god of progressive change.

    • Foreign waka 12.1
      25 October 2020 at 1:07 pm

      A noble thought, but sticking to reality.. most will jump ship when the chips are down and historically, this is also what those in power (please note that I don't necessary mean politicians)count on. Fear, the oldest weapon of choice for suppressing the masses will be used and if need be a few examples made so as to "teach" a lesson. It will take indeed a brave person to stand his/her ground.

      There is the possibility of momentum and a generation that is angry enough to bring about change in a radical confrontational way. This is not necessary driven by good old fashion socialist ideals but by the spoiled assumption that all that has a couple of generation before worked for over decades, is now a right to have no matter what without any effort. The chasm is clear to see. This is the real issue of not getting any progress – divide and conquer, lack of proper education and tik tok – how befitting isn't it.

  14. Scud 14
    25 October 2020 at 2:15 pm

    First it’s needs to fix the Apprenticeship & Farm/Horticulture & Fisheries Cadetship Schemes that National & their Industry mate’s destroyed in the 90’s. As NZ is now facing the prefect Storm as those trained under the old system are retiring and thence the current problems.

    You can throw all the money in the world towards housing or infrastructure projects, but you can’t build anything without trained tradies, plant operators, labourers etc. It’s going to take at least 4yrs before you well start see any improvement in housing be private or state.

    Health

    Education at all levels

    Housing & Infrastructure Projects which must include speeding up the CHCH rebuild before the nexts major natural disaster hits NZ.

    CC, Environment ie Water, Arable Land and of course Fisheries which leads onto-

    Defence, Issue the tender for the Navy’s new Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel soon rather later as NZ will find out within the next 5-10yrs why this is important and a view of ordering a 2nd Vessel down the track. A mid life upgrade to the two current OPV’s for operations in the Nth’ern waters of NZ. Ordering 3 Tier 2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Broad Area Maritime Surveillance UAV’s, the 1st of the 2 new Landing Ships with a Docking Well and gaggle of Helicopters to operate of the Ships.

    Fix Defence Infrastructure deficit bill which is almost the total amount of the current Defence Budget. Two green papers (which I think Ronnie had commissioned) on a Naval Base & Southern Ocean Co-Ord centre in Port Chalmers and moving the bulk of the Navy including the Dockyard, but leaving the training units in Devonport to Whangarei Area.

    Also we must start to seriously consider a permanent Defence presence on the Chathams and in the Sth Pacific as the next 5-10yrs is going to get very interesting in our part of the world in regards to CC, Environmental concerns especially around Fisheries side of things, arable land and water especially drinking & irrigation for crops. Then we have the Southern Ocean & Antarctic to worry about in the lead up of the expiry of the Antarctic Treaty in 2047.

    Sorry to be rather gloomy with the CC, Environmental and Defence side of things, but from some what of I’ve read of late and my involvement in Plans & Operations IRT CC related planning it seems that some events are now speeding up. In regards to Water, arable land and the Fisheries/ other natural resources.

    • Descendant Of Smith 14.1
      25 October 2020 at 6:23 pm

      I'd argue most of the destruction of apprenticeships was because most were done in the public service. Apart from the large departments like MOW and railways places like hospitals also had their own electricians and carpenters and apprentices for those roles.

      Ask any group of older trades people how many did their apprenticeship in the public service and it is always plenty – in most cases more than 50% though one group I spoke with about this it was 90% – just wasn't something they knew about each other.

      Taking the functions away took the apprenticeships away. Certainly my trades-people family do not do any – they just pay top dollar for already trained ones. It is what they have done for over 60 years now.

      • Grafton Gully 14.1.1
        25 October 2020 at 7:33 pm

        Promote cooperative enterprises with in-house support staff. Prune out the subcontractors and do it ourselves. Think of business as supporting and supported by the community, not just a profit maximising risk game. Reverse corporatisation of states services. Is the Lange Government's legacy really that embedded ?

  15. Tony Veitch (not etc.) 15
    25 October 2020 at 3:10 pm

    If Climate Change is our 'nuclear-free' moment, then turning up with a box of band aids after Hiroshima is not going to be enough.

    Radical change, led by the Green party, in or out of coalition, is the only answer. And, 'unfortunately' agriculture is where most change is needed.

    Farmers can't be coerced, but they can be persuaded by liberal amounts of money, to transition into sustainable farming.

    This, and free public and widely available transport, is where I believe Labour should make the most effort.

  16. Kay 16
    25 October 2020 at 3:37 pm

    This term I would like to see Labour Ministers employ office staff who:

    a) know how to set up an auto-reply to emails. At least we know our correspondence has got there. How hard can that be??

    b) have the common decency to respond to correspondence from the citizens (you know the ones who elected you) even if said Minister has no intention of ever doing so. At least let us know the Minister is not going to engage. It's called politeness and common courtesy and it goes a really long way.

    Basically, interact with the citizenry. Of course they can't do everything personally, but that's why the assistants.

  17. RosieLee 17
    25 October 2020 at 3:40 pm

    Do something about residential property speculation and unaffordable rents. eg CGT. But they've already wimped out. Mustn't frighten the horses. BAU.

  18. KJT 18
    25 October 2020 at 5:06 pm

    Well. We will find out soon if the NZF, "handbrake" was a reason for the stalled progress, or an excuse!

  19. Brian Tregaskin 19
    25 October 2020 at 5:25 pm

    1: Cancel the talent visa for IT workers and give kiwis a chance to get employed in this sector, many students cannot get roles in NZ after graduating because of the Talent Visa. (retain the Talent Visa for other sectors)

    2: Remove tax from redundancy payments and enforce the two year standout period to employ someone else in same role. its not enforced and employees are having it all one way by changing the role title and description slightly

  20. Descendant Of Smith 20
    25 October 2020 at 6:26 pm

    Increase benefits along with rent controls that limit annual rent increases so landlords don't simply take the increases.

    If rent increase limits are good enough for places like the land of rampant capitalism they are good enough for a more socialist NZ.

    Do this with urgency.

    This will shift money from non-productive landlords to actual local economies.

  21. bwaghorn 21
    25 October 2020 at 6:36 pm

    Succession planning yes ,but ordaining the next leader doesnt work ,look at Goff and english

  22. WeTheBleeple 22
    25 October 2020 at 6:50 pm

    We need a comprehensive plan for rehydrating our landscapes and replenishing our aquifers. Not with large destructive dams, but a multitude of smaller earthworks. Catchment based strategies. Our economy will collapse in a heap within a few short years of prolonged summer drought. Each year it starts drier than the year before. We're in spring in Auckland and we're on water restrictions from last years drought, and it's almost November.

    Think about that. We entered last summer with shortages in the dams and this summer we see it was not an anomaly. Where's the clean green hydro coming from when the water isn't there. We hydrate the landscape to grow the crops and protect the trees which in turn generate rain which grows the crops and protects the trees.. you get my drift. The water in the land fill the stream and rivers and then we get power. No water strategy, less water, less crops, less power, till our land, economy, power and hubris are all dried up.

    Housing, obviously, and as pointed out, training to build said housing. Housing not designed by morons with no regard for the cost of heating and cooling, and water retention/land use.

    It is my not so humble opinion that if Labour ignore the skill set and knowledge in the Greens and associates we're going to wind up in very bad shape.

    Or we could build crappy overpriced boxes and pray for rain.

  23. Tiger Mountain 23
    25 October 2020 at 9:39 pm

    -Fair Pay Agreements, minimum wage is a living wage

    -Massive State House/Apartment build, set up a publicly owned training and supply/build entity, tiny houses for homeless, relocatable emergency housing

    -Clean out Public Sector of neo liberal managerialism, transform to service based

    -Fare free public transport, free Wifi nationwide

    -Seriously tackle institutional racism in Police, Corrections, Oranga Tamariki, Health care, Education and MSD-for starters.

  24. Mack 24
    26 October 2020 at 12:08 am

    What Labour WON'T do in the next 3 years is "rescue" the Bluff aluminium smelter next year. They'll let it go to the wall… and to hell with the the workers there… and Invercargill. The Greens will be pleased because that 13% of NZ's electricity can now be fed into the grid ,,,hey presto.. making NZ almost 100% renewable. Mission accomplished. Now we can be "world leaders" in sustainability… but we can really show the world and set the standard if we stopped eating meat and killed off all our highly potent "greenhouse gas" producing livestock. Most of us are going to have to make a few sacrifices…. I could imagine in winter one would need to huddle up in a blanket under the energy saving lightbulb… probably gagging on the one too many bowl of lentils….but the feeling would be good…. try not to think about AL Gore's heated swimming pool and blazing garden lights during Earth hour.

    [You know when it is a bad idea to attract the attention of Moderators?

    When you’re meant to be permanently banned here. See https://thestandard.org.nz/what-if-we-let-the-wilding-pines-grow/#comment-1644893.

    Never mind, banned again, permanently – Incognito]

  25. sumsuch 25
    26 October 2020 at 12:10 am

    I think their main regret will be having no one to blame for their lack of activity.

  26. sumsuch 26
    26 October 2020 at 12:15 am

    Jacinda is not one of our great prime ministers.

    The Labour Maori MPs should act for the people. But courage was winnowed out of them when the Maori Party separated.

  27. mosa 27
    26 October 2020 at 6:54 pm

    Labour's handbrake has been replaced but the car wheels are missing and its out of gas.