Party Blog
Labour’s 2011 candidate selection underway
Jenny Michie | 31st January 2010 | 7:47 pm
The Labour Party's candidate selection for the 2011 general election is underway with nominations having closed last Friday for the first five electorates scheduled by the Party for early selection.
Labour Party President Andrew Little confirmed that electorate organisations with only one nomination must now hold a confirmation meeting to finalise the candidate selection.
Waitakere, with four nominations for the Party's candidacy, will hold a selection meeting on Saturday, 20 March.
"These are all battleground seats for Labour were we believe we can win back the confidence of our supporters and regain the seats in 2011, and early selection will allow us to get our organisation and campaigning in place straight away" said Andrew Little.
"These nominations show we have an excellent talent pool to draw from and will help set the Party up well for a hard campaign in 2011 and an excellent Parliamentary team under Phil Goff."
The Party will hold another round of selections for 35 electorates in June and July 2010 and it plans to have all remaining electorate candidates for 2011 selected by the end of the year.
Contact: Party President Andrew Little 0275 513467
Summer School 2010
Jenny Michie | 9th December 2009 | 11:38 pm
What's next? Labour in NZ and Social Democracy after the financial crisis.
If this sounds like a discussion you'd like to be part of come and join us at Bridge Lodge in Otaki just an hour north of Wellington. And it's not all serious discussion like the 7 summerschools before, there's swimming, games, hikes, guitars and parties.
We're asking people to register by 20 December so the organisers have a clear idea of numbers for catering. Costs are:
$100 - unwaged
$130 - waged
$160 - Solidarity Fund
For more information download the programme or send an email to summerschool@younglabour.org.nz
Statement from Labour Party President
Jenny Michie | 7th December 2009 | 10:59 pm
Following a report in today’s edition of the New Zealand Herald, some may have gained the impression that I was not supportive of the views expressed in Phil Goff’s recent speech.
Following a report in today’s edition of the New Zealand Herald, some may have gained the impression that I was not supportive of the views expressed in Phil Goff’s recent speech.
That is not the impression I attempted to convey in the interview and I feel it is necessary to state for the record my views on the matter.
Phil briefed me on the contents of the speech before he gave it and we specifically discussed both the ETS and the foreshore and seabed issues.
The issue of the ETS and the impact that deal might have on any deal on the foreshore and seabed legislation is an important one.
Phil was right to express his concerns that the deal between National and the Maori Party opens the way for Treaty settlements to be reopened whenever government has to change policy to deal with new circumstances.
In relation to the foreshore and seabed, there has been an announcement that the legislation is to be repealed. The question now is what to replace it with.
Phil has correctly raised this issue for discussion and debate and he would be negligent as leader of a major party and as leader of the opposition if he did not lead the debate on these issues.
There has been a range of reaction to the speech amongst the party membership and these reactions have been fully canvassed at last weekend’s New Zealand Council meeting. Like any major speech on a controversial issue there will continue to be discussion and reactions which is what needs to happen on these two crucial issues.
I support the stance taken by Phil in the speech and encourage ongoing discussion and debate about the issues that matter to New Zealanders.
Andrew Little
Labour Party President
