Blogging can get pretty boring at times, especially when you only write analysis. I feel like a bit of a change so I’m going to offer my opinion on what the Mana Party list should look like. In no way is this any indication of what the list will look like, just my personal wish list I guess. It is important to have an ethnic, gender and age mix. I am curious to know what readers think as well.
- Hone. Obviously.
- Annette Sykes. Annette is heavily involved in the Mana Party and will, if she stands, win Waiariki.
- Jane Kelsey. Professor Kelsey is, I think, involved with the party. Kelsey is intelligent, articulate, successful, left and an advocate for Maori.
- Martyn ‘Bomber’ Bradbury. Yup, I said it. Bomber is opinionated, funny and, despite what others may say, intelligent. He would make a great MP.
- Meng Foon. Meng is serving his fourth term as Mayor of Gisborne. He is a New Zealander of Chinese descent and speaks fluent Cantonese and fluent Maori. Pretty impressive if you ask me. A man of broad appeal.
- Helen Kelly. Helen is clearly to the left of Labour. My natural inclination is to say she is better aligned with Mana than the Greens. But that is speculation. She would make an outstanding MP nonetheless.
- Moana Jackson. Moana is almost the anti-Hone. Moana is dangerously composed, softly spoken yet authorative and he enjoys a massive amount of respect among Maori.
- Keisha Castle-Hughes. Apparently Keisha is something of a Greenie these days. She already enjoys a positive connection with New Zealanders and she knows more than a thing or two about politics – especially environmental issues.
- Matua Parkinson. This one has come out of left field, but I think Matua has a lot to offer. He is something of a politico these days and, as a former sportsman, he enjoys an existing and non-political connection with many voters.
- Efeso Collins. This fulla was suggested by Pollywog. I think it is important to have a Pasifika presence in Te Mana. Efeso is the perfect candidate as well – educated, an experienced broadcaster and a man not afraid to ask the hard questions.
- Annabelle Lee-Harris. Annabelle is Native Affairs lead reporter and the daughter of former Cabinet Minister Sandra Lee. No doubt she knows politics. I guess the question is would she consider standing?
- Rawiri Taonui. I am pretty sure Rawiri is a Mana Party supporter. He is accessible, enjoys a national profile and is politically savvy. The perfect profile really.
- Robyn Malcolm. Admittedly Robyn is more of a Green Party girl, but she is a strong unionist I assume. She is too late to stand for the Green Party list, why not stand for the Mana list?
- Reuben Wiki. Slim chance, would be cool though.
- John Minto. I’m not sure about this one. I respect John for sure. But I don’t know…
What are your thoughts... ??
I would be hugely surprised if Helen Kelly is on the list, would totally compromise her position with the CTU and she has actively engaged with Labour during her time at the helm. The union movement remains firmly in the pocket of Labour, despite some fraying at the edges as a result of Green/Mana challenges.
ReplyDeleteKeisha Castle-Hughes and Robyn Malcolm are as Green as they come, and I doubt either one would jeopardize their acting careers with a stab at politics.
Considering the publicity that Hone and the MSM gave the announcement of Minto joining team, it suggests to me he would be much higher on the list, maybe even top 5. His activist credentials would surely see him placed higher than Wiki?!?! I strongly doubt Reuben will give up his water-boy duties.
All in all if it went Hone, Sykes, Minto, Kelsey, Meng Foon, Jackson, for the top 6 I wouldn't be too unhappy. I personally would love to see Bradford, McCarten and Tanczos in there, but maybe that is because I'm a middle-class white boy. I just can't escape my heritage!
Mana Out
Nandor has said hes staying in the Greens, anyway.
ReplyDelete....jeez everyone will have an opinion on this. I would like to see...
ReplyDelete• one of the Popata boys Wi or Hone on the list, Annette taken as read.
• Celebs are a mixed blessing, Robyn Malcom has credibility in spades but is probably eking out a life as an actor. One celebrity/sports person perhaps.
• Jayne Kelsey and John Minto immense experience and knowedge-back room or bear pit? up to them I would suggest.
• Sue Bradford has been there done that, but could be prominent in the backroom ‘central committee’ along with Matt and others from the hard left parties. This is one party that will not lack idealogues. Give them media roles on this and that maybe. Mana can make up the supra parliamentary rules as it goes along really.
• promising new faces from regions mentored by the older guard.
• Māori led with Pākehā and Tau Iwi support turning the usual model upside down.
Angeline Greensill, Cherryl Waerea i te rangi Smith, Moana Sinclair
ReplyDeleteNo to the celebs they're out of their depth. Fronting an ad campaign is different to actually having anything vaguely authoritative to add.
Nandor because he knows the political machine. He won't re-enter though. The Popata boys would get eaten alive in the political environment, they need some years on them to handle it. Helen Kelly for sure, Annette hmm not sure, Meng is a great choice and he'd bring all the central government experience,Jane Kelsey for sure, Matua Parkinson? Anabelle Harris? if you're going the way of journos Tina Wickliffe.
Don't underestimate Robyn Malcolm...there's a lot more to her than meets the eye; a celeb definitely not out of her depth. Put Matt McCarten in the engine room and generating policy, and all will be well :-)
ReplyDelete9. Matua Parkinson-I was actually surprised he didn't stand for Labour in Waiariki, I think he would've been a shoe-in IMO. I recall the news story that announced possible intentions from Matua to stand for Labour; I wonder if Labour turned the idea down due to his drink-driving convictions.
ReplyDeleteMeng Foon? Seriously Mr Maui? Our local mayor is a useless fence-sitter with zilch imagination, total self interest and, oh grief - do you even know the man?
ReplyDeleteSykes will not win Wairikir
ReplyDeleteGood list and I agree with many. If they believe in the kaupapa then awesome. I would like to see the Mana Party select a leader who is a maori female, a toa wahine. It will broaden the support base and free Hone up to do what he does best. Be good to do it nowish - when the list is put out - rather than wait too long. The Mana Party can offer a political voice for many, we need it to and it is happening.
ReplyDeleteAnnette will win Waiariki - that's the word on the ground in Rotorua.
ReplyDeleteI can't see Keisha Castle-Hughes, Meng Foon, Jane Kelsey, Robyn Malcolm, or Reuben Wiki joining. Although they say the right things about Maori and Class, I think they're more Labour & Green; safer ground.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good list which is representative of the interests that Mana should target. The inclusion of Moana Jackson and Jane Kelsey is excellent because of the need of intellectuals to articulate an ideological basis to the public rather than relying on activists.
ReplyDeleteEsfeso Collins and Meng Foon will give Mana a cross racial appeal to potential class allies in the Pacifika and Asian communities left behind by neo-liberal economic restructuring.
However I question the inclusion of Martyn Bradbury in your list. He was hopelessly compromised because of his collaboration with Michael Hooton who run right wing public relations firm with strong links to the National party and the tobacco industry in fronting a corpoate spin campaign. Mana needs to come with clean hands and to have Bradbury on board may sully that image.
My only concern is the monied and power status of many of the choices. Of course all of the people on your list are worthy to a degree. But I always worry about power, privilege and position and how these affect people with plenty of it - I look forward to the day when a party for low-income, poor, disengaged populations can be brave and try to recruit, develop and put into the mix good-hearted, seriously committed ordinary people, workers who have experienced struggle in life.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about Meng... He had a go at me for stating the Ngati Porou boundary ended in the middle of Turanga river and the matatini was actually being held on Mahaki territory, he was worried about hurting Ngati Porou feelings... but dam it's not a secret, every time they get up to speak the pretty much confirm it but Meng thinks he is mayor of Ngati Porou... Meng is only worried about Meng and Mengs mates... As for Minto... BANG ON... I don't know about him
ReplyDeleteMana, yes pretty impressive air time for a new party on the block. As a middle aged Maori I am relieved to see another Maori option on the block. I see thier kaupapa represents the needs of the poor, speaks for low paid workers, raises the seabed and foreshore issues and keeps the discussion about Tino Rangatiratanga. All good I say. Well, I do remember but dont know JOHN MINTO, but I had a good katakata when DR PITA SHARPLES recently said, "JOHN MINTO, HOW CAN YOU TALK FOR THE MAORI PEOPLE, YOU'RE A PAKEHA?" Well, if MR MINTO is representing the poor, the dispossed, and the most vunerable in Aotearoa, he is clearly representing Maori, or has DR PITA (part of the emerging Maori Middle Class) forgotten all this. By the way, did the Maori Party not stand a good Pakeha by the name of Constindine in the last electons. Kia kaha Maori ma, ma te mahi ka kitea te tangata!
ReplyDelete