CHRIS TROTTER follows-up on many of the issues canvassed in the previous posting in this interview with Paul Henry, broadcast on Thursday, 17 March 2016.
This posting exclusive to Bowalley Road.
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Ruminations of an Old New Zealander
About Me
- Chris Trotter
- Chris Trotter has spent most of his adult life either engaging in or writing about politics. He was the founding editor of The New Zealand Political Review (1992-2005) and in 2007 authored No Left Turn, a political history of New Zealand. Living in Auckland with his wife and daughter, Chris describes himself as an “Old New Zealander” – i.e. someone who remembers what the country was like before Rogernomics. He has created this blog as an archive for his published work and an outlet for his more elegiac musings. It takes its name from Bowalley Road, which runs past the North Otago farm where he spent the first nine years of his life. Enjoy.
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2016
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March
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- God Save The Royal Republic!
- Whoops And Cheers For Democracy's Flag.
- Republics Of This World: A Meditation on Rome, The...
- The Future Of Work And The Future Of Labour Are Cl...
- Yes, He Can! Why So Many Americans Are Voting For ...
- The Eyes Of An Absent God
- A Wee Nip Of "Shooglenifty".
- Shock Therapy?
- Picking Apples
- Protecting The TPP.
- Blurred Vision: The Interview.
- Blurred Vision: Why Labour Isn’t Trusted To Govern...
- Vita Continuat.
- For Dad (A Poem)
- Anthony Alexander Sinclair (Tony) Trotter: 1924 - ...
- An Alibi For Absence.
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March
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7 comments:
The real problem is, although I of course don't regard it as problem, but enlightenment is that a lot of Labour and Green MPs are intelligent and more middle class than the Nats. The Nats are a collection of stolid police MPs and token Maoris, Women and Asians and the always interesting, Southland MPs who look like dangerous libertines and party animals to me. And generally turn out to be. Ive always thought their's potential to usefully corrupt Bill English with wine, women and song. The core Nats today are either just PR, selected to look like Nat Cabinet Ministers of the Past, eg Ann Tolley or are pretty much identikit, milk fed LabNats, English, Smith, Grosser, Finalyson.
Half the Green MPs are probably to the right of half the National caucus, listen to Genter this morning outlining her take, on the unproductive, inefficient nature of Nationals economic and by implication immigration policies, although she denies it.
Most leaders today aren't really politicians, Cameron, Millibrand (2) and Turnbull and Abbott.
"The real problem is, although I of course don't regard it as problem, but enlightenment is that a lot of Labour and Green MPs are intelligent and more middle class than the Nats. "
The real problem is that people make these general statements without the slightest bit of evidence.
Fantastic interview Chris. Although I often disagree with your analysis (but almost never your political positioning), I thought that was a wonderfully measured summary of Labour's current problems.
You don't quite go as far as to say that Little is hopeless and without substance entirely, but that he could do with intelligent guidance.
This is the first time I've heard something in the media that isn't a hatchet attack on Labour.
What do you make of the fact that as of last polling Labour+Greens+NZF outweighs the government and it's allies?
Quite a reasonable interview I thought. Certainly Labour are barking at every passing issue so that they get traction on none. I absolutely agree about the lack of a strong opposition and we suffer all the time from that. So many people think that National's policy on Maori privilege - water, co-governance and thereby their attack on democracy is terribly wrong but where is the opposition? All Labour do is push forward Kelvin Davis whose policies are even more extreme and designed for him to be able to appeal in a Maori electorate. And that's just that issue. I realise that you don't think that Labour can change leaders yet again (and who is there?) but without a change they have just got Angry Andy blundering on and on....
Manfred- I you really think that Labour and the Greens could work together then I think that you are seriously delusional. What on earth would support that idea?
Well they have a lot in common in principle. I support a Labour-NZ First coalition with Greens outside of cabinet.
Judging by your consistent racist comments I would contend that you are the one who is delusional if you think you can hold those kind of resentful opinions and live in this multicultural society in peace.
It really amazes me when I read Thedailyblog and Thestandard that you Chris are rounded upon by the Left, vilified for saying what is obvious. If I was to take it a step further my comment is that the "diversity" of opinions and the authoritarian attitudes in which they are held on the "Left" is precisely what stymies any ability for Labour to gain traction.
Keep telling it how you see it Chris, even when we disagree we atleast know that it is from the heart, and probably has merit enough to consider carefully and debate. if thee Left wants to be a broad church it needs to bury sectarian conflict and recognise the common enemy.
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