Jim Anderton is expected to announce tomorrow that he will be running for Mayor of Christchurch in this year’s local body elections. Jim has a wealth of experience and is a hardened campaigner. It will be a two horse race between him and Bob Parker and my money will be on Jim. Substance trumps celebrity.
I think had I been involved in the Labour Party back when Jim left to setup the NLP I would have struggled to stay too. I’m proud of the fact that Labour has come a long way since the divisive days of Rogernomics. We’re now a unified team committed to the progressive values upon which the party was founded and it was great to see so many former NLP members welcomed back into the party at our conference in Rotorua last year.
Jim is a true pragmatist founded on a deeply held philosophy. Not sure what Parker stands for but you certainly know, and admire what JIM stands for. Go Jim!
My only worry would be his age – but good luck to him, he has a decent chance of knocking off Parker.
We need the centre-left to unite behind a new candidate in Wellington too in an effort to get rid of Kerry. Annette should follow Jim’s example – she would totally win and would provide the sort of leadership that Fran Wilde did in the 90s.
As a Cantabrian I really hope he doesn’t run or win, we’ve contained him in Wigram for now but if he’s unleashed upon Christchurch who knows what the horrific consequences maybe
@Despair
Wellington will fall to the might of Bob Jones’ Puppets- It’s far too late to do anything, even Prendergast will be trapped
An honourable man or woman would resign from Parliament to puruse the mayoralty of a major city.
I guess we are about to find out how honourable Jim Anderton is.
Chris, maybe you can tell me were this fits in with Jim’s thinking that the compulsory age for MP’s should be 60? Y’know, the same idea he tried to push through when he was President of the Labour Party? But that was way back in the early 80’s, so I guess the idea of being in public service 30 odd years later seem so far away, that the 60 cut off age seemed like a good idea at the time.
Or, is this idea (60 upper limit) just for MP’s, and doesn’t rule out Mayor’s and the like?
Looks like Bob will have to Park himself somewhere else!
Go Jim! 
Go Jim! Local government needs a good dose of progressive polticians.
Mr Hipkins, it doesn’t look like your lefty bro concurs over on Tumeke!I say Selwyn has nailed it.
If you are such a unified party how come Jim (remind me again how he is different from Labour) can steal $100000 from the tax payer as a party leader
Goff is already your leader or did you forget
Labour should have learnt from the Winston Peters debacle to be careful who it will cosy up to gain power
Responding to Raymon A Frances. Jim is the leader of The Progressive Party. The Labour and Progressive Partys continue with the coalition arrangement which were created as the government from 1999-2008. Remember those years of stability, economic growth, low enemployment and all the rest of the good stuff. They are the Labour-Progressive Coaltion opposition. That is they can and do work cooperatively and collaboratively but also retain the right to differentiate.
Vivienne – also add to the + list, budget surpluses and paying down our national debt therefore allowing us to ride out the WFC smoothly unlike Greece, UK and many others. If English and Key had their way a few years ago (cutting taxes instead of running surpluses) NZ would be hit by the same financial shock waves right now. Labour = smart macro-economic managers, NACT = short term thinking *always* coming back to tax cuts for the top 10%.
Yes Loota.
And seeing we are talking about Jim and smart ideas. NZ has a national teeth disaster. Watch 60 minutes T.V. 3, Wednesday, 12 May, 7:30pm for The Progressive Party view on this with smart, pragmatic policy for the benefit of the people. That is pragmatic PROGRESSIVE style and not Nact style.
@Vivienne
Oh come on, They no longer even have a party list
@stephensmikm
Progressive Party List http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0809/S00661.htm
@Andrew
From what I understand the Progressive Party announced at some point last year that they were not going to seek continuance of a party list for the next election
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/3667383/Andertons-move-puts-party-on-shaky-ground
@Stephen LOL
Hey, a guy standing alone drinking a few beers by his stereo under his disco ball is still a party. 
@Andrew
– There’s a list! 
Well, I guess that’s great that there are some good people willing to follow Mr Anderton’s policies.
Show me the money. Back up your predictions on ipredict and give me yours. Jim is going to win.
stephensmikm
I am not sure what you see as scary. Have you followed Jim for long. Your references allude to criticism which is fine but certainly not a balanced view of Jim’s capability and depth of understanding about the driving forces in communities.
When the Douglas takeover of Labour took place jim stood his ground while the rest ran or caved in.
Douglas’s destructive moves effectively undermined NZ export and small business export growth for more than 15 years but assisted the growth of international capital consuming much of our financial market place.
We will never turn this back and so slid downhill further with Nationals neglect of NZ’s long term interest.
Remember it was Jim who launched the KIWIBANK which is now the only competitor for the offshore bankers who would love to run a cartel without KIWIBANK to compete and keep them honest.
Of course he is hated by this sector so more power to him and NZ.
Jim has the experience and background to see the bigger and long term picture for people and communities.
Thanks John I forgot that he launched Kiwibank! Woo hoo!
JIM!!!!
G
@spud
Lol!
@john w
Douglas did what had to be done at the time due to a stupid stupid stupid idea in the preceding years
the thing is you can’t represent the Nation and a city council without bias – you just can’t regardless of salary the work that will be done in Wellington will be influenced and he will be able to inside trade with his council on what happens within parliament
stephensmikm
Fine.
What insider trading do you see could be on happening with Jim.
Do you approve of insider trading within Christchurch Council and the Chamber of Commerce.
obviously not, if any councillor or MP does it it’s pathetic and they should be resigned
Jim, as “in coalition” with Labour could very easily make sure a parting gift was put into their manifesto for the 2011 and 2014 elections
sweetd
I suggest the time put in, and burden of being Mayor of Christchurch would be significantly less than being a Cabinet Minister. I certainly hope so anyway. Mr Laws and Mr Banks seem to be able to do their jobs while holding down other jobs or having down time.
Stephen – I agree that holding an electorate seat and being Mayor presupposes a particular political bent. However, Anderton’s is actually thereby declared. Everyone voting in Christchurch will know it going in.
Did Bob Parker or any Mayor declare their political leanings, who they voted for in the last election etc? Political leaning or bias is inherent in any political position and Mayor is a political position.
Tracey, isn’t Sideshow Bob an old tory? Can anyone confirm? Agree that the honourable thing for him to do is to declare his party political allegiance, just as Jim has done. It’s like poor old Bankie. A tribal, died in the wool tory who pretends to be an ‘independent’. Or Kerry in the Windy City. She’s an old tory too, right?
Tracey, I could not disagree with you more. Local bodies work better when they are apolitical, and each issue is treated on its merits. Division into political spheres such as we have seen in the Auckland City Council is totally unnecessary in local body affairs. In these circumstances decisions follow the political will and not commonsense for the good of the community. The last thing I ever want to see is National and Labour contesting local elections in ‘tickets’. Maybe it happens already in our major city, but keep it away from the rest of the country. We prefer to have councils of individuals, whose political leanings are irrelevant to the job we require them to do.
Jennifer, you do a lot of name calling….not very constructive in my opinion