Your country needs you

76 comments on “Your country needs you ”

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1. Rogue Trooper 1

   29 June 2013 at 1:19 pm

   oooh, Game On! on The Standard; been a while since a kick-off post like that one karol.
   • Colonial Viper 1.1

     29 June 2013 at 1:37 pm

     😈

     As everyone knows, I was and remain a strong Cunliffe supporter. However, the ball is really in the court of Shearer, Robertson, Parker, and to some extent Little. I suspect that Cunliffe is more than happy being a good electorate MP, working his relatively minor revenue role to the max, while spending more time with the family.

     Further, there need to be a lot of retirements in 2014 to make way for not just new faces – but new thinking. Remember, Robertson is chronologically young – but his thinking and his attitudes are as old school as the rest of them.
     • karol 1.1.1

       29 June 2013 at 2:09 pm

       I agree that, come next year’s election, there needs to be renewal of, and a real change of direction by Labour MPs as part of the largest (at the moment) opposition party.

       However, the opposition needs to be as effective as possible NOW. At the moment, parliamentary Labour seems to be drifting (or a bit “loose”, as Tim Watkin puts it).

       They need to be much more as a focused and cohesive team, with Cunliffe part of the front bench.
     • Treetop 1.1.2

       29 June 2013 at 2:44 pm

       The reality is that were it currently 2014 Labour would be defeated. The Labour caucus have a choice to make and the clock is ticking.

       What are the Labour caucus waiting for?
2. North 2

   29 June 2013 at 1:41 pm

   Thanks for that Karol. I’ve voted Labour 14 times in 15 successive general elections. 15th not, for tactical considerations.

   Number 16 ? No way !

   Unless……….DC.

   ABC………you’ve truly stuffed up with your arrogance and your careerist Beltway styles. You don’t see that ?

   No……..of course not……..ABC (arrogant, Beltway, careerist).

   FU !
3. Mr Burns 3

   29 June 2013 at 1:43 pm

   But that Shearer fellow is much more likely to preserve things the way they are. This Cunliffe fellow looks far too dangerous. He probably holds communist ideas like taxing the rich and requiring nuclear power stations to meet minimum environmental standards.

   *Splutter*
4. Rogue Trooper 4

   29 June 2013 at 1:52 pm

   From Te Aroha, to Te Kuiti, to Pleasant Point…
   “I must study Politicks and War that my (children) may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My (children) ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine”. -John Adams.
5. Jimmie 5

   29 June 2013 at 1:54 pm

   Well it looks like spring is coming early this year – I hope Shearer has got a beanie on….
6. Blue 6

   29 June 2013 at 1:57 pm

   Indeed. It is time for the children to stop playing with their ABC blocks and grow up.
7. muzza 7

   29 June 2013 at 1:57 pm

   I suppose DC is about all their is left to *hope for*, which is unfortunate situaiton this country find itself in, so bereft of integrity, etc.

   My concern about DC, however, is his path through Botson International Consulting, which is where the likes of Netanyahu, and Romney have rinsed through. The, *whose who*, of international *crime* on the alumni of BIC, should in itself raise an eyebrow.

   Time will tell, tick tock!
   • muzza 7.1

     29 June 2013 at 2:19 pm

     *All there is left*….
     • North 7.1.1

       29 June 2013 at 10:46 pm

       Moz…….your purist stuff is akshilly strangling me baby.
   • marty mars 7.2

     29 June 2013 at 4:44 pm

     Fair point muzza – my concern is all this expectation is being set (up) on cunliffe as if he is the great hope to save the labour party and to me he doesn’t seem to have it or want it. He may be the ‘chosen one’ but to date he’s been sorted out very effectively by those who most call, and by their actions reveal themselves as, idiots and dumbarses.

     We do need a strong opposition to combat the gnats – but I’m not holding my breath that some of the politicians there will pluck up their courage and go into bat against the disgusting gnat agenda – other than those politicians who have already shown that courage and sadly less than 10 fingers is needed to count them, probably 5 if truth be told.
   • Tamati 7.3

     29 June 2013 at 5:00 pm

     *Boston Consulting Group, BCG.

     Remember these were the guys that advised Wall Street, prior to the global financial crisis. Not much of a true socialist upbringing is it?

     Andrew Little knows what it’s like to work with real people, in my mind he’s the man. Let DC use his intellect as Finance Minister, not leader.

     Little -Leader
     DC- Finance/DPM
     Shearer- Education
     • Pete 7.3.1

       29 June 2013 at 5:09 pm

       When all is said and done, Shearer must step down and open up the contest for a new leader under the newly established rules. Little, should he stand, will have to make his case to the wider party. Just as Cunliffe or anybody else standing.
     • Colonial Viper 7.3.2

       29 June 2013 at 5:11 pm

       BCG, good consulting outfit that one. Only hires the best, and only does the best work.
     • Craig Glen viper 7.3.3

       29 June 2013 at 6:17 pm

       Little couldnt even win New Plymouth for pete sake let alone be the PM. Wake up have you not seen how the inexperienced Shearer has failed. Shit some people have no bloody idea what makes a good leader!
       • Colonial Viper 7.3.3.1

         29 June 2013 at 6:30 pm

         Putting up another inexperienced MP over the trenches to be cut down in 2014 would be stupid. Someone who has Little’s ear: remind him that he has a 20 year political career ahead of him. And not to risk being turned into a flash in the pan. He will have his turn. In Cabinet first for one or two terms, then he will have his turn.
     • Shona 7.3.4

       29 June 2013 at 9:12 pm

       Unfortunately, Little has all the charm of a freshly laid dog turd despite his intense decency and admirable values.
8. BLiP 8

   29 June 2013 at 2:06 pm

   ‘

   Great stuff well said.

   I’m not sure, though, that Labour really has the credentials to be talking about the economic predation of Aotearoa and the on-going erosion of our civil liberties. You might want to swap that first video for another Cunliffe address on the economic situation . . . slightly firmer ground, and Cunliffe does bring a piercing insight which makes clear the John Key influence on the magicification of our national accounts. If this bankster fiscal fiddling trend continues, I expect to see National Ltd™ bringing in credit default swap options to Kiwi Saver to confirm its mythical “balancing of the books”.
   • Rogue Trooper 8.1

     29 June 2013 at 3:23 pm

     Top of The Pops CDs.
   • karol 8.2

     29 June 2013 at 3:39 pm

     BLip, I wanted one video of Cunliffe addressing concerns related to his west Auckland electorate. That was a more recent one I could find fairly easily on that.

     Of course, Cunliffe has a major strength on the economic situation.
9. Treetop 9

   29 June 2013 at 2:23 pm

   Cunliffe attacks the problem with such vigour, he is consistent, self assured and convincing. All of these qualities are what I look for in a leader.
   • Colonial Viper 9.1

     30 June 2013 at 1:31 pm

     It’s certainly not what the Labour hierarchy looks for in a leader. What they look for in a leader is exemplified by David Shearer.
10. weka 10

    29 June 2013 at 2:28 pm

    Great post Karol.

    It does beg the question of what can be done. In other threads today there have been many comments along the lines of “Labour needs to…” or “Labour should…”. All probably true in one way or another, but knowing what Labour should do and how to get them to do it are two different things.

    How to solve the problem that is Labour? The pan-left needs a strategy….
11. gsays 11

    29 June 2013 at 2:35 pm

    wouldnt the labour party play much the same game with slightly different rule interpretations.

    what society needs is a totally different sport.
    perhaps a vote for hone?

    last election i encouraged my friends to vote act so that we could get the collission with the iceberg over with and start rebuidling at a grass/flaxroots level.

    dont look to wellington for leadership.
    • Colonial Viper 11.1

      30 June 2013 at 1:34 pm

      Hone needs 2-3 MPs alongside with him next election. Time to make that happen.
12. bad12 12

    29 June 2013 at 2:37 pm

    i have often said this, and, at the risk of becoming repetitively boring i will repeat, if Labour are a socialist party they espouse the socialism of, for and by the middle class,

    This can best be seen by two major policy areas, Working For Families where the Clark Government insultingly told beneficiaries that They would not share in such largesse as an incentive for them to ‘get a job’,

    At that point in it’s history Labour lost my votes something that even the excesses of ‘RogerNomics’ had thus far not provoked from me,

    We have had some hard-core debates here at the Standard about Labour’s flagship housing policy and correct me if i am in error but i believe the consensus with that was simply more of the modern Labour principle of ‘for, by, and of the middle class’,

    Do i think that such policy will change under another leader other than David Shearer, well no anything David Cunliffe has so far said has not lead me to believe there will be any such change,

    When Labour changed it’s cloth cap socialism for the comforts of being middle class social democrats they simply left behind their previous representation of the least well off in our society and the 2 major social policy i highlight above add the proof to this assertion,

    Did anyone in Labour watch Campbell Live when He highlighted the plight of Mene Mene, or did the TV channel get changed with haste,

    Mene Mene, not an undeserving bene-bludger works part-time hours every day while He, his 3 kids and Wife share ONE room in a boarding house,

    What got me when i watched Mene Mene on my TV was his lack of anger, He was happy to have the chance to explain that with the amount He earned there was nothing left to save for the Bond and Deposit needed to even look for a HOUSE, not that Mene Mene could have afforded today’s Auckland rents,

    Have the Davids, any of them, Shearer,Parker, Cunliffe even, got a plan, a FUCKING CLUE if you will excuse the emphasis, about how to achieve something for the 1000’s of Mene Mene’s out there in our society who’s wages, who’s hours of work cannot and do not deliver to them a life lived not in one room in some cruddy fucking boarding house but something like a State rental where Mene Mene and the 1000’s of disadvantaged working New Zealander’s just like Mene Mene who have families can afford to live,

    When any of the Davids can come up with such a plan or that fucking clue i for one will start considering Labour as a viable option for my votes….
    • karol 12.1

      29 June 2013 at 2:51 pm

      Yes, that’s part of the depressing picture right now, bad, and some of the reason I stopped voting Labour. But I’m not sure how to get from here to there.

      Apart from anything else, we need the biggest opposition party to be focused and working well together,

      I am also concerned about Russell Norman pulling the Greens to the centre. But the Greens do have a housing policy that includes increasing state house provisions.
      • Colonial Viper 12.1.1

        29 June 2013 at 3:09 pm

        But I’m not sure how to get from here to there.

        This problem is actually not that big a one. The broadbrush strokes are already there. Problem is, the last few centimetres might as well be a light year, at this time.
        • Rogue Trooper 12.1.1.1

          29 June 2013 at 3:27 pm

          an Unfinished Symphony
          “how can you have a day without a night”.
        • karol 12.1.1.2

          29 June 2013 at 3:53 pm

          Well, it may be a matter of will and/or leadership from one or more key core people.

          And to get renewal, it needs not just the caucus to be more cohesive, but they need to be prepared to work with the wider membership (at least from my outsider perspective) – rather than doing the soft neoliberal think of courting the centre-ground with the MSM as their main focus.
          • Colonial Viper 12.1.1.2.1

            29 June 2013 at 9:05 pm

            karol. We forget about the MPs. They are irrelevant in re-energising the party.

            $200,000, 60 volunteer activists, 10 key electorates, a core co-ordination team of 3 or 4. We help the Labour MPs we like and will be assets to a strong moderate left party, and we deselect and move on the ones we don’t and aren’t.
      • bad12 12.1.2

        29 June 2013 at 4:27 pm

        Aha, of course when viewed from a marketability perspective, of the Davids, Cunliffe has that certain x factor that would make people want to tick His box as opposed to the other David’s, and it seems a shame that Labour’s housing policy is now set in stone where the beneficiaries of such magnificence will be aided onto the Auckland property ‘ladder’ via the taxpayer only to go on in a further 5 years time once they have accrued sufficient equity to join their parents as part of the problem looking for that second house as a ‘rental’,

        The attention then goes on the Green component of a Labour/Green government to wrest from the larger party sufficient funding for State Housing which may not be forthcoming considering budgetary constraints which will then beg the question who gets punished electorally if such funding isn’t forthcoming,

        The Green Party in my opinion has a solidly middle class core,(and my votes), who see where we as a country have gone wrong with 3 decades of Neo-liberalism, i wouldn’t describe Russell’s backing away from ‘quantitative easing’ as a move to the center from the Greens,

        Most voters do not understand the economics of ‘quantitative easing’ and therefor can be swayed by the ‘Zimbabwe’ argument of runaway inflation being the end result of such a policy,(despite the contrary evidence from 5 years of US money printing), what most fail to understand is that at the point of a recession/depression there is a loss of income to the government of X dollars,

        Once the extent of this X dollars is fully understood that X amount of dollars can be printed and spent in exactly the same policy areas as was the Government spending of tax dollars prior to the recession/depression,

        IF the X amount of monies printed does not exceed the Government losses of revenue caused by the recession/depression and the X amount of monies is spent in the same policy areas as the lost tax dollars were there can be NO inflationary push in the economy simply because there are NO extra dollars entering the economy over and above what was supplied prior to the recession/depression as tax dollars and government expenditure,

        The inflation of those dollars occurred prior to the recession/depression as tax revenue and government spending rose to the point where the Government accounts were negatively effected by recession/depression,

        Having said all that, it is pointless for the Greens to be proposing monetary policy as a possible junior coalition partner that the major partner in such a coalition would never agree to while giving the likes of Slippery’s tame mass media ammunition to chisel away at the Green party’s credibility,(as if the Slippery little shyster had any),

        Dr Norman has saved himself some ‘face’ by seeing that the obstacles to ‘quantitative easing’ are a direct contrast in size to the average voters intellect on monetary matters and has it would seem willingly taken the flak now for backing away from the policy rather than find himself in election year having to fight a rear guard action against the Slippery little ‘cheque writer’ on the issue,

        i don’t expect a hugely ‘radical’ Green component to a future Labour/Green coalition government but i do expect that Green component to seriously push Labour on 2 social issues, low cost rental Housing and Child Poverty and although i believe it is demeaning to not put the monies necessary into the hands of the parents involved so as to enable them to carry out their responsibilities, directly enabling those kids in the school enviroment would ensure those who’s taxes must ultimately pay the costs that such monies are going straight into the kids tummies or on their feet…
      • Lefty 12.1.3

        29 June 2013 at 5:51 pm

        Don’t despair Karol.

        Organise!

        And don’t get sucked into the social democrat compromises of either Labour or the
        Greens.

        They offer no more than neo liberalism in the long term, but they are bloody good at pretending they do by coming up with fancy policies that they never deliver on.

        The time to take any political party or movement seriously is when they start talking about transferring power and wealth from one class to another.

        The fuckers in the tory and social democrat parties are running out of steam and people around the world are rising up in anger.

        We can build our own little revolution right here at home.

        Its just going to take a little more time.
        • anarcho 12.1.3.1

          29 June 2013 at 8:52 pm

          +1 Sense at last
        • Colonial Viper 12.1.3.2

          29 June 2013 at 9:07 pm

          Democratic socialism and distributionism FTW!
13. Rich the other 13

    29 June 2013 at 2:48 pm

    Dumping shearer and parker will help but for me the biggest obstacle to voting labour is the green factor.
    Vote labour get green.
    Not for me, never.
    • karol 13.1

      29 June 2013 at 3:06 pm

      For me, the problem is the reverse: Vote Green (or Mana), get Labour. Hence why I would like Labour to shape up.

      And with Labour being the biggest party, they tend to have the dominant influence.
      • Colonial Viper 13.1.1

        29 June 2013 at 3:10 pm

        You might have to view this over the next 2-3 election cycles. The biggest danger for the Greens and Mana – that they stay clear outside of any Labour blast zone and don’t end up another Lib Dems.
        • karol 13.1.1.1

          29 June 2013 at 4:34 pm

          yes. The Lib Dems is a cautionary tale. Glad there’s also Mana on the scene.
      • Rogue Trooper 13.1.2

        29 June 2013 at 3:31 pm

        Excellent summer’sault karol. 😀
14. left of right 14

    29 June 2013 at 2:57 pm

    When it comes to dealing with Key and his clones or clowns you have to realise there is next to nothing in the way of middle ground, time after time in parliament we hear the same spin from national trying to convince us of their centre right position but as we can see its all BS .Their agenda is the same slander the Labour party and anyone else who doesnt buy their insidious self righteous belief in capitalism being the saviour of the nations woes .How blind we are, a stones throw away from the deplorable position that the Brits are in except worse because we are about to loose more of our sovereignty to TPP and China’s economic machine in order to go forward .As Key put it “the business of Govt ” which immediately cancels any morality in democratic governance , the almighty dollar is the only doctrine that is of value in governing the country all the rest is just a way of filling in time in parliament sittings.
    With the limited ability of the speaker to allow debate is it any wonder Trev spat the dummy and hes right Parliament is a farce.
    LABOUR has to load it guns and give these policy stealing Tories both barrels of every its got if its going to win the next election.
    • Colonial Viper 14.1

      29 June 2013 at 4:49 pm

      Both barrels, a reload, and another two barrels. Problem is, with this caucus, the two barrels will be some bullshit law and order hang’m high policy, and a smash-the-lazy-benes policy. Oh yeah, I forgot the housing policy designed to bring affordable $450,000 houses to the masses.
15. Penny Bright 15

    29 June 2013 at 3:34 pm

    Whoever expected the DEFENDANT John Banks to end up in Court?

    Will Prime Minister John Key be next?
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    errrr….who is potentially in BIGGER trouble?

    Labour Leader or David Shearer or Prime Minister John Key?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8851945/Shearer-in-trouble-Key

    “Prime Minister John Key has added to rumours of a leadership coup in the Labour Party, saying leader David Shearer is in “a lot of trouble”. …”
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Really?

    David Shearer doesn’t have informations for alleged criminal charges filed against him in Court, as does Prime Minister John Key.

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0087/latest/DLM308531.html

    55 How vacancies created

    (1)The seat of any member of Parliament shall become vacant—

    (d)if he or she is convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term of 2 years or upwards, or is convicted of a corrupt practice, or is reported by the High Court in its report on the trial of an election petition to have been proved guilty of a corrupt practice; …
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8845031/Litigant-launches-more-cases

    “An amateur litigant who has a court case against MP John Banks under way and plans one against MP Peter Dunne is now advancing the process against Prime Minister John Key.

    Graham McCready, a retired accountant, of Wellington, has filed informations with the Wellington District Court against Key alleging that he broke the Crimes Act by using or authorising illegal surveillance on internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom. …..”
    _____________________________________________________________________________

    – Copies of the ‘Informations’ filed by private Prosecutor Graham McCready are available here:

    http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/?p=179

    Penny Bright

    ‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaigner

    2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
16. Lanthanide 16

    29 June 2013 at 3:56 pm

    http://catsthatlooklikedavidcunliffe.tumblr.com/
    • karol 16.1

      29 June 2013 at 4:01 pm

      it’s more Mallard dogs and Joyce eggs, than C’s cats.

      This is quite cute though.

      And no snakesthatlooklikekey?
      • Huginn 16.1.1

        29 June 2013 at 6:31 pm

        No snakesthatlooklikekey, Karol, because it is well known that Key, a member of the Babylonian Brotherhood, is really a reptilian humanoid who eats live foals and kittens.

        You can see him in his cameo performance for the James Bond Skyfall movie where he pops out from under the patio in the Macau Casino scene.
    • Rogue Trooper 16.2

      29 June 2013 at 4:02 pm

      just the ‘whiskers Lanth.
    • Huginn 16.3

      29 June 2013 at 6:11 pm

      Ooooooh! That Sad Cunnliffe Kitty is so cute!
17. Santi 17

    29 June 2013 at 3:57 pm

    Game on: my money is on D. Shearer!
18. Chrissy 18

    29 June 2013 at 3:58 pm

    karol.Thank you for this post. It is exactly how I feel but unable to articulate. I have two children in good jobs which I am grateful for but I worry more about my two grandchildren(5&3) and what things will be like for them when they come to leaving school and finding good jobs.If the organ grinder and his monkeys are kept in power for even the next three years there is huge potential for them to do irretrivable damage to NZ given the way they are selling us out,and selling us off. What will it be like for the coming generation as it seems that even if the Govt changed it will take decades for it to remedy the damage that key et al have wrought.
19. Chooky 19

    29 June 2013 at 4:28 pm

    Thanx Karol…

    Cunliffe is seriously good! He has a social conscience. He is super smart and a great speaker.!…and he connects with the common man/woman…..no one else in caucus comes within a bulls roar as the best leader for the Labour Party.

    The Labour Party rank and file want him!

    Why wait until 2014?!!!!!!
20. Sam 20

    29 June 2013 at 4:52 pm

    I reckon that the good thing about Cunliffe has been that he has really learned from the past 12 months – I have noticed a huge shift in his attitude and manner. I saw him out in the region where i am and he was awesome. Listening, humble and intelligent. Completely loyal to the leadership. Not something we usuallyl see! No daylight between him and the leadership. Was impressive.

    Also seems to be unusual for his colleagues. I heard Shane Jones was dissing his colleagues – including Cunliffe – in a regional meeting recently. Unprofessional to say the least.

    LP needs someone who is going to bind the factions not exacerbate them like Robertson, Little and the rest.

    Shearer has to show some balls and bring Cunliffe up and stop being the lackie of Robertson, Mallard, King and Goff!

    Bring it on is what I reckon!
    • RedLogix 20.1

      29 June 2013 at 5:17 pm

      Yes. While disappointed in Shearer, it’s Robertson, Mallard, King, Hipkins and other sundry deadwood who are the real problem.

      What gets me is that when Shearer loses the 2014 election he will have to resign, while the parasites who are the root cause of the failure will hang on regardless.
      • Rogue Trooper 20.1.1

        29 June 2013 at 5:25 pm

        say it aint so Red!
21. JK 21

    29 June 2013 at 5:12 pm

    Karol – are you also sending this post direct to the Labour MPs ? Remember – some of them (so they say) do not read blogs.
22. AmaKiwi 22

    29 June 2013 at 5:49 pm

    I am disgusted with a LP whose ruling cabal cares less about winning the next election than about stopping their best best vote getter from leading the party.

    Can it get worse? Yes. Judith Collins will be National’s next dictator PM.

    I hope there is a special place in Hell for the likes of Goff, King, Mallard, Shearer, Robertson, & Co.
23. Don't worry be happy 23

    29 June 2013 at 6:00 pm

    Thanks Karol. Maybe also on your list could go anyone who would rather the Government was not able to spy on them NZ is one of the original signatories to the to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 1948. Article 12 states ” No-one shall be be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence”. Privacy is a human right, not a privilege. This Government (and the Labour Party by it’s quisling like silence) is becoming more fascist by the day. As the saying goes, ‘Governments should be scared of their people…not the other way around.”
24. hush minx 24

    29 June 2013 at 10:59 pm

    Is anyone else remembering last time this momentum of commentary built around the need to be realistic about the current leaderships limitations? Mainstream media portrayed the party conference as a failed coup and the reverberations continue today. It still comes down to enough MPs in the caucus voting to open up a contest. No one will have the final result of the three voting blocks sown up in advance. Its new territory and its going to take a lot to get MPs to commit. Mind you, questions like this on stuff help-Who will be leading the Labour party at the next election?
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/
25. Saarbo 25

    29 June 2013 at 10:59 pm

    Thanks Carol, I think anyone who follows politics closely (on the Left) know that Shearer’s leadership is never going to end well, either for him or Labour. Shearer come in with little experience, he had spent a large part of his recent life outside of New Zealand and his communication skills are shithouse. But the real concern from my point of view is why have so many from Labour’s caucus chosen to back him over Cunliffe. The motive I suspect is because Goff thinks his 2011 election failure was because of Cunliffe, and since then he along with Mallard and others in Labour have been prepared to sacrifice Labour in their personal vendetta against Cunliffe. This group are a powerful lot within Labour and despite being as self serving as a member of the Act party, they still seem to be able to influence their followers including many from caucus. When you discuss Labour leadership with these people you tend to get some really irrational and vitriolic attacks against cunliffe, you realise that if this ABC crew put the same amount of energy into attacking National the polls could be quite different.

    I have worked with Cunliffe back in the late 90’s when he led a group from BCG in the organisation I worked for and my impression was that he was very clever and his leadership across a broad spectrum of people was outstanding. So when people say that he has Leadership issues, in my opinion its bull shit. Even Hooten admitted recently that when he worked with him on some tax work he realised that he had made a mistake re not backing his leadership bid.

    So who the hell pulls the ABC f%$#wits back into shape, that seems to be the challenge. These people have a cause and it isn’t Labour Party success.
    • Colonial Viper 25.1

      29 June 2013 at 11:09 pm

      +1
    • xtasy 25.2

      1 July 2013 at 12:11 am

      +100
26. North 26

    29 June 2013 at 11:35 pm

    I feel obliged to offer this re Cunliffe’s persona: some 15 years ago I had occasion to contact Cunliffe on behalf of a young Polynesian man to whom I owed a professional duty. He’d been badly disfigured when petrol ignited in his face as he tried to fix a mate’s car. After months and months of repeated insult and ill-treatment from the Kelston branch of WINZ he blew his stack and gave the robotic, soul-less bastards their cheap pedigrees. His restraint even when he finally lost it was commendable.

    Result: he was trespassed from the WINZ premises on the grounds that they “feared for their safety”. Jesus ! I would have turned their shitty premises upside down and called my boys in to give them a bloody good hiding if they’d incessantly treated me like they did him.

    Anyway, as I observed him through that Cunliffe was sorely concerned personally, not just faking it, and quite devoid of hubris. Which strikes me as one who’s had dealings with a number of politicians over 40 years as somewhat unusual.

    I satisfied that Cunliffe is pono.

    That’s all. He’s got all the other stuff. That’s why we need him. Betcha that simpering little bitch ShonKey Python nightly thanks God Mammon for the fact that Cunlifffe’s been hobbled by the very people I used to vote for.

    Ugly Boy Gower played a major part in that for which he should never be forgiven. Guess he got his karma before he even did it.
    • Murray Olsen 26.1

      30 June 2013 at 2:14 am

      That’s the impression I get with Cunliffe – what you see is what you get. I think this is the real reason why all the fakes hate and fear him. I also felt this with Helen Clarke, even though I think she was more bound by what she thought was possible, allowed, and acceptable. We seem to have very few real people in politics and, given that the real Tories are like Gilmore or Brownlee, it’s a good thing the right are fake. It’s a disgusting thing that apart from Hone and Cunliffe as the most notable exceptions, so many on the left also are.
27. North 27

    30 June 2013 at 9:40 am

    “Brothers of the Left…….”.

    “Beltway” brothers in the main.
28. chris73 28

    30 June 2013 at 5:36 pm

    My two cents is Cunliffes smarmy with a condescending air about him, hes also well-spoken and gives off an air of confidence

    Labours best chance of winning 2017 is with Cunliffe, though I’d like to see Shearer get another three years after the election because he might have grown into the position by then 🙂
    • Colonial Viper 28.1

      30 June 2013 at 5:51 pm

      My two cents is Cunliffes smarmy with a condescending air

      Oh god, right wing message re-runs from 2011.

      Frankly, I think Cunliffe would be nuts to bother leading this lot in a 2014 machine gun charge. My advice to him – focus on holding the NATs to account through your spokespersonship (stupid PC languaging), look after your constituents, and spend more time with the family.

      The leadership can go to Robertson, who actually wants it.
      • karol 28.1.1

        30 June 2013 at 5:54 pm

        Whoever is leader of the Labour caucus, they should make the best of the talents in the current caucus, and lead the team to work together.

        At the moment there seems to be a degree of drift and lack of focus. It’s thoroughly depressing to see, for this outsider.
      • BM 28.1.2

        30 June 2013 at 6:08 pm

        I agree, Labour need to lose the next election.
        Can you imagine if Shearer managed to scrap over the line, it would be an absolute joke of a government, he’d be the NZ dubya.
        If there was a positive for the left, Key would go, but he’d be replaced by Collins and Labour would be turfed out after a term and you’d get a Collins lead National government for the next 3 terms.

        Keep Shearer for the long term health of the Labour party but put a bullet in him, Goff, Mallard and the rest of the ABCs after the next election.
        Start afresh with Cunliffe and go from there.
        • xtasy 28.1.2.1

          1 July 2013 at 12:08 am

          BM – You sound like one of those cold blooded farmers down south, who leave their lambs out in the frost an snow to die.

          Get a heart and life, if you want Shearer to go somewhere, call Helen at UN, and tell her, you can recommend a man for a job in the field somewhere, all done. No more hassles, a humane end to a depressing drama. We would all be so bloody happy here!
        • felix 28.1.2.2

          1 July 2013 at 12:11 am

          erm, we’ve already got a “NZ dubya” BM and you love him to bits.

          ps Collins 3 terms lol. Three months more like. Peter Principle writ large.
      • Neoleftie 28.1.3

        30 June 2013 at 6:39 pm

        My take… Robertson has a plan within a plan, so either take the car ride with cunliffe again in the spring BBQ season or else it will be 2017 before we see the real labour team on the rise due to the electoral cycle and a win assured by any labour leader. Cometh the man cometh the saviour.
        Look which way Little rolls as he is king maker in the coming struggle.
        My pick we, the common people, are stuffed both ways.
        If the labour coalition sneaks home in 2014 then we have shearer as leader…Gillard repeat and of a spluttered a splintered mess and if labour under anyone loses then we get John key for another three years.

        what a mess…shearer or key.
        Do we want to sacrifice Robertson and cunliffe early or outwait the old labour hands after the next election..dilemma for robertson, always the cautious carefully planned one.

        Pull the trigger I say…go early, go hard and hold the line.
29. xtasy 29

    1 July 2013 at 12:01 am

    Karol, this is a STATEMENT of conviction!

    I have not visited this thread before, nor have I ever been a Cunliffe fan, to be honest. I detect in him some rather right of centre trends and also self serving interests, but on the whole I still see, and admit, he is likely to be more capable of being inclusive, at the same time smart, leading and convincing for all of us.

    Cunliffe is a talent, he is well qualified in various fields, certainly economics, he can hold hitting speeches, he is capable of being a leader (provided he gets the remaining essential team skills), and he would be the only one in Labour, who could be a true challenge to the over smart bastard John Key! Although he is to my opinion not really solidly “left”, he is prepared to reach the left branch, and talk to all.

    So I would agree, game should be on, and it is totally overdue, and we all need it, we are there suffering, from the lower ranked beneficiaries, the poor workers and the middle class betrayed and divided, now uncertain where they should turn to. It is a high principle that must be adhered to, that is one of seeking UNITY, amongst all diverse social, ethnic, cultural and belief groups. We need bloody UNITY, and one that can bridge the divisive gaps. We need someone capable to send the message, but also listen and be understood. We need one leader that is not mumbling, stumpling, incoherent, unconvincing and frail or weak. Yes we need a LEADER of sorts, and that is what this post is about, I presume.

    So I again join others, to damned well raise your voices, within and without Labour, we NEED and WANT a true leader, a competent and strong voice, that combines and unites. So where are you leaders within Labour taking us. If we will not be heard, we will carry our votes elsewhere, and so many have been doing it. Got the damned message???
30. Saccharomyces 30

    1 July 2013 at 9:32 am

    Bravo Karol, an excellent post. Not said lightly, as at the present time the incumbents are somewhat closer to my personal leanings. As the saying goes, “competition improves the breed” and a good opposition is vital in government. Unfortunately it’s not something that we’ve had recently.

Links to post

1. The Daily Blog Watch Monday 1 July « The Daily Blog: posted on 2 July 2013 at 8:04 am

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