Goff needs generational change

Duncan, this issue is now as dead as Kevin Rudd's premiership. Speaking of which, can we now have a
blog over the drama across the ditch?

Okay, Chris Carter wasn't playing ball and he has a denial problem, but this was still a humorous example of how far over the top media harassment can go. Really, the reporters and cameras should not have followed him...but at least it's turned into a funny video sequence - real Benny Hill stuff - that should be shown for laughs, in all its glory, on a regular basis. Who says the NZ Parliamentary teams can't combine to produce top rate comedy ? This is a good excuse for TV-3 to do a full program of political comedy highlights, with Chris Carter in a starring role. Taking flowers to his house was also good comedy. You can even credit me with suggesting it ? Bob Beresford

the sooner this corprit socialist national govenment goes the better.

TV networks punished for Chris Carter coverage
Parliament's Speaker Lockwood Smith. Photo / Mark MitchellTVNZ and TV3 have been punished for their coverage of Labour MP Chris Carter in Parliament earlier this week, Newstalk ZB reports.
Parliament's Speaker Lockwood Smith has removed car park permits for all of the networks' cameramen, preventing them from parking under the Parliamentary precinct, said the radio station.
The news crews broke Parliament's filming rules by following the Labour MP down stairwells and along corridors in the building on Tuesday. They were trying to get comment from him about his use of his ministerial credit card.
HA BLOODY HA HA

Thanks to Craig for the rebuttal to my earlier comment (below) about "class politics vs identity politics" in the Labour Party. Of course you're quite correct that this ideological division within Labour is not clear cut, and that it has many contradictory features (such as Grant Robertson having feet in both camps to some extent - although, by the way, there is nothing intrinsically stopping a gay politician, or a female or Maori one, from taking a class approach, so the fact that Robertson is gay does not preclude him pushing class politics). The point is that many of these contradictory features between class and "identity politics" are currently in the process of being *partly* resolved. Political contradictions can not always last forever. Also, of course, Craig is correct that my one paragraph "class politics vs identity politics" analysis below can be seen as overly simplistic, but this is simply because of brevity. If you wish to explore my arguments on this topic further, have a read of some of my in-depth blog posts I've written on the issue here: http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/12/identity-politics-vs-class-politics-6-the-transformation-of-social-liberalism-into-neoliberalism.html http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/12/identity-politics-vs-class-politics-7-the-neoliberalsocialliberal-tradeoff-in-the-4th-labour-govt.html http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2010/01/identity-politics-vs-class-politics-8-neoliberalism-and-identity-politics.html

Phil Geoff had struggled to gain traction over the initial stages. Hardly surprising, labour had just lost the last elections, and Key was riding high.

Now, Geoff is comfortable in his position, he is showing marked confidence than he initially did. The handling of Carter et al has shown this.

The government is already looking a bit tired, nothing has materialised out of it recession busting policies, and people are now tired of going nowhere.

Suddenly now people are becoming sick of John Key smiling when the government appears to be sitting on its arse and doing really nothing for middle New Zealand.
Whilethe rich are getting richer, we have to pay more for childcare, GST , ACC levies and the rest. This is not what the voter voted for.
Labour does have a chance now to win the elections. Before hand I would have said "not a chance", but remember this is MMP, not FPP and the trend is showing a shift away from the right. The novelty of having a new PM is gone; the honey moon is over for National.

Er, Grant Robertson is gay himself. Maryann Street and Charles Chauvel were also promoted in the reshuffle. And as a gay social democrat myself, I question Bryce's simplistic analysis.

For instance, gay men certainly do want our public health system to survive due to the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, and we are also opposed to New Right proposals for welfare privatisation, which would probably be outsourced to homophobic religious groups. And Te Atatu is a traditional working-class Labour electorate.

Sorry, mate, straw person.

i AGREE!!! Come on Let set what you Goff umm got!!! Labour does need to be a stronger entity, but yet somehow they still seem to be wining more votes - but umm perhaps not enough to win next election. (yet) - I think the loss of votes is due to Nationals inability to lead our country out of the darkness. It seems that National are converting us RIGHT back into the dark ages again. GOFF needs to be loud and proud with new policies and more fresher way of thinking that will lead NZ back into the light again. I would like to see us a more unique, innovative country that also shouts "we are kiwi we look after all, no mater what walks of life". Discrimination dismantles society and causes a backwards reaction. I think education is a major hurdle of the country, GOFF needs to address public concerns in that area. Also health is becoming a major issue, which will cost the government a lot more in the long-run if not addressed accordingly. WINZ needs a kick in the butt, not so much the beneficiaries. Concerns about household costs, such as food, Mortgage interest rates, phone bills are creeping up steadily, while the average wage has almost remained stagnant. I think power companies and oil companies should bear the brunt of the ETS, not so much the consumer Im thinking incentives, (but I know Im dreaming on that one) - But Hang on National is subsidizing ETS for how many companies (from tax payers dosh)? I wonder how much those CEOS are earning? If we are taking on ETS, the government at the least should be investing more into research for cleaner alternatives. The majors are the OECD reports NZ being second last in children health and wellness. We are also pretty low in education spending and human rights, this is a MAJOR concern, considering we are moving for ever backwards under National, are they seem not slightly concerned or have attempted to address these problems.

This is a good analysis. You could add to a different dimension: the struggle in the party between “class politics and identity politics”. Traditionally, of course, Labour has been characterized by “class politics” i.e. a struggle to further the interests of working people. Since the 1970s this character has essentially been overshadowed by “identity politics” i.e. the struggle to further the interests of minority groups etc. and associated with the “nanny state” and political correctness” The Clark generation was firmly in the “identity politics” milieu. The people associated with Clark, all come from this tradition – e.g. Chris Carter and Ruth Dyson. But there seems to be an interesting shift going on inside the party at the moment whereby some sort of re-emergence of “class politics” is being pushed by people like Phil Goff (ironically, as he’s not exactly leftwing), Phil Twyford, Jacinda Ardern, and Grant Robertson. So it’s not simply a “generational shift” but also a realignment of that old “class politics vs identity politics” rift, with the latter being very much out of fashion.