Public Address | Cafe | Legal Beagle: Shirking their responsibilities?

Matthew Poole

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:49:14 +1200

So we'd quite likely end up with a situation where nobody could stand list candidates. How would that benefit the country?

Tom Semmens

Thu, 31 May 2012 17:31:52 +1200

That total of 56,000 includes affiliated unions. I am not sure if affiliated membership should count in terms of actual, signed up party members. My guess for both Labour and National is less than 10,000 each of those.

Matthew Poole

Thu, 31 May 2012 16:22:49 +1200

At 30,000 members I would strongly doubt Labour and National would currently qualify either!

Labour's reportedly got over 56,000 members. Cannot find figures for National, but you may be right that they won't qualify.

Sacha

Thu, 31 May 2012 16:02:32 +1200

a mass membership party

I'm not sure that means what you think it does.

their bourgeoise complexion

and I'd welcome that translated into common English.

Rich of Observationz

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:44:27 +1200

you mean do it roughly like the Greens do

People have the option of voting Green. If they choose to vote for another party, they're endorsing whatever means that party uses to select list candidates (and indeed the resulting list).

(Having said that I just submitted in the MMP referendum…

Tom Semmens

Thu, 31 May 2012 14:25:36 +1200

Given that only two of our parties would qualify, you're basically saying that only National and Labour should be allowed to offer MPs for list seats.

At 30,000 members I would strongly doubt Labour and National would currently qualify either! But the idea that you would suddenly say "righto chaps,…

Martin Lindberg

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:46:58 +1200

Spare a thought for those that have to.

Just to offer some balance: AKL public transport is getting better and it does actually work in a lot of areas. I catch the bus pretty much every day and I can't see how my particular needs could be better met. Still,…

Matthew Poole

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:43:16 +1200

requirement for a mass membership.

Given that only two of our parties would qualify, you're basically saying that only National and Labour should be allowed to offer MPs for list seats. IOW, we effectively would get SM by stealth but with the added insult that the likes of the Greens…

Tom Semmens

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:31:28 +1200

You mean do it roughly like the Greens do.

Last time I suggested something like this there was a great whine from the Greens on here, who regarded being asked to come up with a mass membership party as something akin to a plot aimed specifically at them – an…

Matthew Poole

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:25:17 +1200

Why would the Air Bus not be allowed?

It’s not contracted to Auckland Transport. If we’re making him take public transport it needs to actually be public transport.

ETA: Basically, make him feel the full pain of Auckland's public transport "system", complete with zig-zag routes, un-integrated transfers, and non-existent rapid…

Matthew Poole

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:23:35 +1200

An upper house is an abomination for the ANZ parliamentary system- we select candidates from just which group?

Bunch of ways of doing it, though all of them would need to have terms of six or nine years – two or three parliamentary cycles, depending how many seats were renewed…

Martin Lindberg

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:06:54 +1200

from the airport to the CBD by public transport (no Air Bus allowed)

Why would the Air Bus not be allowed?

Matthew Poole

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:05:24 +1200

Spare a thought for those that have to.

I know the pain, don't worry. Which is why I'm firmly in favour of requiring the Minister to know precisely what it is that he's denying when he refuses money to make Auckland's public transport better.

Matthew Poole

Thu, 31 May 2012 13:04:28 +1200

insist that list candidates are selected by regulated, democratic means from within the ranks of mass membership parties

You mean do it roughly like the Greens do. Their entire party list is constructed by the membership, but with some weightings inserted to ensure that the co-leadership has a gender split.

Tom Semmens

Thu, 31 May 2012 12:42:50 +1200

The modern media environment all but rules out meaningful secondary employment for MPs beyond the most gimmicky or apple pie. Accusations of rorts, double dipping and undue influence with sinister undertones of corruption would fly thick and fast at any politician who had a serious job outside the house.

It…

bmk

Wed, 30 May 2012 18:45:31 +1200

An upper house is an abomination for the ANZ parliamentary system- we select candidates from just which group?

We could elect them at a General Election (similar to the US Senate System) vote. So you could have an Upper House made up of less politicians covering a broader area. And…

Steve Barnes

Wed, 30 May 2012 16:05:46 +1200

Brownlee should spend a couple of days riding Auckland’s public transport at peak hours,

Spare a thought for those that have to.

Matthew Poole

Wed, 30 May 2012 09:53:24 +1200

I think many MPs are less accessible now than 30 or 40 years ago as they have drivers, security guards and staff to keep them from interacting with the public apart from stage managed occasions.

Some senior ministers, maybe, but ordinary MPs, especially those in Opposition, have none of those…

Steve Barnes

Tue, 29 May 2012 22:37:24 +1200

I once sat and chatted with the late David Lange at Waikaraka Park Speedway.
I had only been in the country a week and didn't know him from a bar of soap.

Hilary Stace

Tue, 29 May 2012 22:02:44 +1200

Walter Nash and Norman Kirk were two Prime Ministers who regularly took public transport (without security guards) and meeting constituents that way was a normal part of the day. I think many MPs are less accessible now than 30 or 40 years ago as they have drivers, security guards and…

Islander

Tue, 29 May 2012 21:04:33 +1200

do wonder how many commentators have ever been an elected representative at any level of governmen

Yes. At very local level. And, because it was very local level, I got a really good introduction as to how the job should be done.
Be available.
Have your politics and aims well…

Moz

Tue, 29 May 2012 20:47:37 +1200

today, MPs are constantly in touch with their constituents. 30 years ago, communication was limited to mail and telegram.

Hahahaha. Oh, how I laugh. I remember being at Kaiteriteri beach when I was about 7 or 8 and seeing Bill Rowling spend most of the day chatting to constituents. For…

Islander

Tue, 29 May 2012 19:34:38 +1200

An upper house is an abomination for the ANZ parliamentary system- we select candidates from just which group?
I totally agree with Graeme -most MPs have some kind of workforce (=ordinary work experience) but this has grown much less over the years. Time -I think- to suss out those who…

Wilbur Townsend

Tue, 29 May 2012 18:10:24 +1200

I've often thought that, if we ever do get an upper house, it should be part-time, House of Lords-style. A more diversely-skilled upper house would complement the professional-politician style of our House of Representatives.

andin

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:16:47 +1200

parliamentary parties would benefit greatly from MPs who were more directly involved in “the real world”,
or "all walks of life" ya know a-l-l of them. Its all a world, and reality lets not GT

And today, MPs are constantly in touch with their constituents. 30 years ago, communication was…

Steve Barnes

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:11:26 +1200

It is not that dissimilar to actors taking on a real life role to gain understanding of a trade or skill in my humble opinion, it brings depth to the performance.
Of course we would have to draw the line if, for instance, a Minister of Broadcasting were to have…

Phil Lyth

Tue, 29 May 2012 11:54:56 +1200

The casual reader of this post might infer three things: that MPs arrive at Parliament bringing no life experience with them (which is of course nonsensical); that in 2012 MPs generally do not get involved in work or other experiences while in Parliament; and that while in Wellington they are…

Rich of Observationz

Tue, 29 May 2012 11:36:44 +1200

It should be up to the voters. If they feel an MP isn't working appropriately, then they have the option of not voting for them or their party.

All that's needed is a disclosure regime of attendance and outside commitments.

AFAIK Westminster has no attendance requirement. Many MPs are working…

Public Address

Tue, 29 May 2012 11:36:44 +1200

Discussion from blog post.