‘Is that the best that Labour could come up with?’ This seems to be the collective question asked by political commentators – and MP Damian O’Connor – about the party’s new list for the 2011 election. In particular, there’s a lot of analysis of who are the ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ to come out of the ranking exercise. In this regard, it’s worth having a look at the calculations and comparisons done by No Right Turn (Labour's list) and David Farrar (Labour's list). It seems pretty clear that the winners are people like Ruth Dyson (#5), Parekura Horomia (#6), Sue Moroney (#10), Nanaia Mahuta (#12), Darien Fenton (#18), etc. while the ‘losers’ are seen to be Shane Jones (#16), Phil Twyford (#33) and Stuart Nash (#27).
Today’s political focus has quickly shifted to the controversy over Damien O’Connor’s rather poorly expressed exasperation about the creation of the party list and his allegations of bias. Many commentators have been quick to dismiss the unfortunate and bizarre wording of O’Connor’s outburst, while suggesting that the substance of his allegations does, however, deserve some credence or investigation. David Farrar was very good on this point – see: O’Connor attacks labour list domination by gays and unionists, saying that ‘O’Connor could have made the point that straight white males struggle to get good list rankings, due to the identity politics in Labour, without labelling people as a “gaggle of gays”’ and that ‘Damien has a legitimate gripe, but the way he has gone about expressing it does him little credit’.
Patrick Gower has also delved into Labour’s identity politics, with this post: White men can't jump the Labour list. Meanwhile Grant Robertson has essentially called for calm over the list, saying Its bigger than all of us.
There are two must-read satirical accounts of Labour’s new list (and the commentary surrounding it):
• Will de Cleene (Gonzofreakpower): Newborn Labour Party Messiah given high List placing for 2029 election
• Imperator Fish: Critics Slam Labour List Selections
[Continue reading below for a full list of the highlights of NZ Politics Daily]
The Labour Party List
Vernon Small (DomPost): Labour MP leaves list to ‘gaggle of gays’
Claire Trevett (NZH): Labour betting on fresh blood
No Right Turn: Labour's list
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Labour’s List
NZPA/NewstalkZB: O’Connor defends Labour list criticisms
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): O’Connor attacks labour list domination by gays and unionists
Patrick Gower (TV3): White men can't jump the Labour list
Morgan Godfery (Maui St): O'Connor on Labour
The Dim-Post: That took a lotta class
Martin Kay and Kirsty Johnston (Stuff): Labour MP leaves list to 'gaggle of gays'
No Right Turn: Goff fails on bigotry
The New Tasman: Damien O’Connor said a silly thing
Jeremy Elwood (TV3): "Gaggle of gays" all part of the political collective
Big News: Labour’s list
RadioLIVE: Louisa Wall passes on Labour’s list
Tamara McLean (Sydney Morning Herald): NZ opposition a 'gaggle of gays', says MP
Matt McCarten (NZH): Labour losers must take axe to dead wood
Morgan Godfery (Maui Street): Labour’s underwhelming list
Grant Robertson (Red Alert): Its bigger than all of us
Editorial (Listener): Noticeably listing
Judith Tizard (NZH): Waving, not drowning in stormy political waters
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Tizard on Tizard
Imperator Fish: Sunday Snippets
TVNZ: National well ahead but Labour survives scandal
Claire Trevett (NZH): Goff boosted in latest poll
Dene Mackenzie (ODT): Dunedin North candidate low on the list
Homepaddock: Only National wants the provinces
Will de Cleene (Gonzofreakpower): Newborn Labour Party Messiah given high List placing for 2029 election
Imperator Fish: Critics Slam Labour List Selections
English’s low wage comments
NZPA: Low wages ‘advantage’ for NZ – English
NZPA: English’s wage gap comments defended
TVNZ: Low wage comments ‘dangerous’
Patrick Smellie (Stuff): Hang on, Bill English is right
Imperator Fish: Incompetent Or Just Desperate?
Government bailouts
Alex Tarrant (Interest): AMI would have gone into receivership without government support for credit rating, Prime Minister John Key says
TVNZ: English defends finance company guarantees
Offsetting Behaviour: Insurance bailouts
Hone Harawira: When rich people fail, poor people pay…
No Right Turn: Crony Capitalism III
The Standard: Is Joyce too big to fail?
Trevor Mallard (Red Alert): Mediaworks sweetheart deal – more to come
National’s economic cuts and restructuring
Bernard Hickey (NZH): Deeper into mire as tax reforms fail
Susan St John (NZH): Opinion: Family tax credits vital
John Armstrong (NZH): Govt in hot seat over limo’s optional extra
Chris Hipkins (Red Alert): Heating car seats a ‘nice to have’?
The Standard: Poverty Trap!
Brian Fallow (NZH): Equity tax differences remain real transtasman sticking point
TV3: NZ singled out for not fighting tax haven abuse
Vernon Small (Stuff): Merger of research institutes on the cards
TVNZ: Government cautious on market reforms for water
TVNZ: John Key Interviewed By Petra Bagust
David Fisher and Jonathan Milne (NZH): Governor-General’s $3.5m bill prompts inquiry call
Candidate selection
NZH: Scott Guy’s sister puts political career on hold
NZPA: National names Northland candidates
TV3: Rodney a thorn in National’s side (VIDEO)
Other
Morgan Godfery (Maui Street): Goff, Maori wards and Te Ururoa Flavell
NZPA: Maori Party not contesting Harawira seat, for now
Jonathan Coleman (ODT): Opinion: Government takes broader view of television
Vaimoana Tapaleoa (NZH): Apology over ballot box lapse
Dave Armstrong (Stuff): SIS continues its comedy act
Colin James (Dom Post): Tree-huggers unite: you can also profit
