Opinion: Cunliffe backs off, demotion imminent

10/03/2013 12:21:31 a.m.

Tehi wrote:

Your dead right about old farts hanging around my friend. But Cunliffe being a thoun in Labour's aspirations to gain momentum and ground from the present government. Not so, man's a straight shooter and he's not holding back either. He's the one for Labour if they're going to do any good in nest years election.

30/12/2012 2:14:31 p.m.

Antony Cotton wrote:

Labour are full of the Old Guard Trevor Mallard Annette King Phil Goff Darien Fenton Maryan Street Lianne Dalziel Ross Robertson and list goes on. If Shearer he needs to kick some List M.Ps out past there use by date i.e Street Fenton Prasad Moroney and Jones. I bring back people Stuart Nash and Carol Beaumont if he wants Labour to win Shearer needs wins February and get Frontbench to can take New Zealand and Kick some deadwood Out Caucus I.E ones from the List. The Frontbench should look like this Shearer Robertson Parker Wall Cosgrove Curran Chauvel Ardern. Only Parker and Cosgrove have been Minister from that Frontbench the other top 12 are O Connor Little Mackey Hipkins Beaumont Davis Nash Clark Sepoluni Twyford Lees Galloway. Labour looks much more refreshed than they do Mahuta Dyson Goff Dalziel King Mallard Robertson all on the Backbench.

22/11/2012 4:29:24 p.m.

Alison wrote:

To demote someone of this calibre to the back benches is totally wasteful. David C has served as Health Minister and Minister for Communications and Information Technology. Before entering Parliament David worked as a business economist and strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, based in Auckland. He was a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School, where he graduated with a Master of Public Administration. He then served as a New Zealand diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was posted to Washington DC from 1990 to 1994. This man has the skills to take any post. No wonder he was frustrated with Shearer's appointment. If Labour misuse him, I hope another party will use him or an overseas organisation. However David Shearer also has an impressive resume on humanitarian aid and intervention in very dodgy nations and got certain awards for his work. In these areas I would say he is fantastic. But running the finances of a whole nation and other portfolio experience -maybe not. He has the soft side that was needed for such great work on the 'mission field' for sure. His ego is less than Cunliffe's too. Cunliffe did misbehave somewhat at the conference, but still the writing is still on the wall -most believe Shearer is not a good leader choice. Good leaders always have a love/hate following -they need both sides of human nature. NZers have the psyche where they all agree on the problem, but the person who is the eventual whistle blower is literally 'killed off'. That person does what most won't do, but should. Cunliffe might be Labour's convenient skapegoat. What a waste of talent and experience if he succombs to back bench territory.

21/11/2012 5:42:23 a.m.

katubaldy wrote:

Can the real opposition leader please stand up? After last weekend. For Dave C, in political circles this would be a 'self-administered' shot to the foot, with a few of Shearers lot steadying his hand to ensure he didn't miss....I think in the end Dave C would have done just fine on his own and Dave S wins to play another day. Just when the Labour lemon looked like it had got its new WOF and was set for a good run, it ran over a nail, DOOOH!. (and I vote for Labour.... but REALLY?!... What doesn't kill them will make them 'stranger'). Red herrings for the media to go fishing for. Could we just bypass that angling trip and get back to whats going on in the real world. Will the real MOE paymaster please stand up?Is Talent-less-2 ever going to get its crap together? Will it be before Xmas? Teachers get too many holidays anyway right? Can we just not pay them til Jan '13? Can the real kiwi dollar please stand up? At least come down for a while so our exporters can have a better shot at the international markets? Then the new year might start with some jobs for NZers THIS side of the Tasman. Could the real National policy please stand up? Then we could side-step all the 'cute' spin and cut to the chase. Where are the JOBS you promised(?), and please don't hold up the CHCH rebuild as your great economic comeback. Why don't you gather up some extended Capital Gains Taxes from your wealthy voting base so they can share in National's mesmerizing master plan? What have all these concerns got to do with the Dave Cuniliffe debacle?....EXACTLY! Keep your eyes on the prize people, Christmas is just around the corner. Lets hope we all get to enjoy a piece of the cake with that yummy 'take home pay' topping. Fingers crossed the New Year is a happy one. A New Year where Labour, Talent-less-2, Jonkey and his admin all get their act together so the average kiwi can get on with their lives.....(you think?!). Here's hoping huh?

20/11/2012 8:44:34 p.m.

Ruz wrote:

Expelling Cunliffe is unlikely simply because his nod at a possible challenge has not bought the party into disrepute. And of course right now he has not actually challenged which of course at the right time is within the rules. Besides if I read the situation correctly, the wider party membership support Cunliffe and not Shearer. So who does the work at election time and what would their reaction be if their views are ignored? As I write Cunliffe has been stripped of all shadow portfolios and pushed to the back bench. But in the end he may have the last laugh because Shearer is who he is and while a nice guy is not capable of leading Labour to victory in 2014. Gordon Campbell compared him to Bill Rowling - a nice bloke who lacks the leadership strength to counter a popular John Key. In Parliament Winston Peters and Russell Norman show mettle than Shearer. One thing is certain no matter how good a party's policies are New Zealanders won't vote for a leader that appears to be a wimp.

20/11/2012 2:12:15 p.m.

AnnaL wrote:

Cunliffe has been a loyal MP with a huge majority and was a very effective Minister. Cunliffe is the best policy strategist and communicator. Cunliffe gave the membership hope while Shearer bumbled and stumbled. Shearer does not have the political capital or the moral authority to demote Cunliffe. The membership expressed an insistence on involvement in the running of the party: Shearer's first reaction is to thwart the. Think VERY hard Mr Shearer before you act.

20/11/2012 9:37:30 a.m.

jan.. wrote:

The people of New Zealand are growing very fond of Labour Party Leader David Shearer to stands highly on all ground and to remain the Leadership of the Labour Party and to continue his good efforts towards the Prime Minister‘s seat in the next election date. What this country need is for David Gunliffe to follow Mr. Golf good words of wisdom and support David Shearer in every each way possible.

20/11/2012 9:36:26 a.m.

jan.. wrote:

The people of New Zealand are growing very fond of Labour Party Leader David Shearer to stands highly on all ground and to remain the Leadership of the Labour Party and to continue his good efforts towards the Prime Minister‘s seat in the next election date. What this country need is for David Gunliffe to follow Mr. Golf good words of wisdom and support David Shearer in every each way possible.

20/11/2012 6:26:01 a.m.

z540Steve wrote:

The Labour Party is certainly not under control and has no direction. They would be better off with Shane Jones, David Parker or David Cunliffe running the show. All I can say is you guys keep up the infighting and show your true colours - blue! With all the fighting your doing, the only way I can see you getting in to the hot seats is with the tree huggers and then we'll see this country go down the drain faster than a rat up a drain pipe.

19/11/2012 8:48:25 p.m.

Siena wrote:

Labour is obviously a divided party and will still be divided come election time. I am not interested in cat clawing inhouse comments like above,“His political career has reached its pinnacle, he has committed treachery against our leaders over 4 years, even if he spends years in the wilderness he will only ever get back to the mid-benches. He is a fink that ruined the conference," says the MP. I as a voter, wants a government that is unified, transparent, accountable, and will put my interests first, not foreigner's interests that the current government puts above us, the NZ citizen. I take a maximalist position in that an authority and in this case the political party should choose candidates who are not just good enough, but who are the best available, with the best skills across the board irrespective of race, gender, professional background, or any other consideration. I also want value for my money as in channel 94 Telstra cable network, Parliament Q & A time...Not being exposed to a band of buffoons who we pay through our tax dollars...I want to see the business of parliament doing business as they are required to do so by you and me. I make no apologies to the 2 Davids but I want a Goliath who I can be proud of and its neither of them, as all I see is a lot of 'Much Ado About Nothing' Comedy by William Shakespeare