So... a pending announcement that a new left wing party, the Mana Party, is to be formed...
... and a creaking sort of wobble-stumble-charge from Don Brash towards the cadaverous remains of the ACT Party, which has expired due to the political management skills of its current leadership team...
... and the promise that the hard-right Dr Brash, who seems entirely out of touch with humankind most of the time, will set up his Very Own Party should he not succeed in taking over ACT...
... and the intriguing campaigning that Winston Peters has begun to do again this year...
... and the ongoing implosion of the Maori Party ...
... and National's possum-in-the-headlights response to global economic crisis and the Canterbury earthquake...
It seems Brash won't get ACT and will get his VOP after all. I hope that he runs Banks in Epsom and finishes off Hide and ACT, simply because they have outlived their origins and no longer stand for anything. (The personal satisfaction that would come from rump-ACT meandering on isn't worth the risk.)
The extremism of such a party is clear for all to see. It will be a great thing to highlight to voters wondering what a second term National government would bring.
The challenge of a new left party though is a different kettle of fish. The big fights between Labour and Alliance people happened before my time - I was at the kiss-and-make-up conference in 1998 where Jim and Helen publicly signalled they could work together.
The scars of that time are still there. I hope that whatever new party emerges can spend its energy joining a broad coalition for change, and I hope that we don't see a descent into intra-left warfare like we did in the early 90s.
Who said this would be a boring year in politics?
I think labour will have to do a lot more on climate and poverty issues if it wants a broad grouping and alliance to happen.
Keen to hear what Charles, Parker and Brendon Burns think re labour's environment and climate policy.
Brash and Act are 100% anti environment, so Labour might as well pick up where the anti mining march down queen street with 40-50,000 people left off. Labour needs to create a way to support green jobs and greening the economy - in essence environmental, climate and social justice.
A government that can tackle poverty and environmental issues- in essence reduce emissions and unemployment.
Posted by: Green Jobs | Tuesday, 26 April 2011 at 04:35 PM
Brash and ACT are 100% anti Green anti-human stupidity.With Global warming now discredited (don't try a con like that in the age of the Internet..you get fisked bigtime)bio diesel causing starvation amongst the worlds poorest and peak oil discredited by every new discovery of oceans of the stuff its in fact the Greens who are now searching for relevance...
Posted by: James | Tuesday, 26 April 2011 at 10:50 PM