Don’t normally post things about caucus here but this is going to lead the news so I figure it is ok.
Made it clear in the past that Chris Carter and I were never that close. We argued. West coast snails probably the worst.
But I’ve got to know him pretty well over the last couple of years. We go to pump classes together. The Labour Party and Parliament have been Chris’ life for the last 17 years.
Chris has been under a lot of pressure around the expense issue. He hasn’t found it easy to take that pressure. I haven’t supported him well.
Today he did something incredibly stupid (made stuff up and circulated it to media in a failed attempt to be anonymous) which I think has ended his political career. He has been suspended from our caucus. Quite a few of us who can sometimes be pretty hard had tears in our eyes as we did it.
But as with sport when there is an extremely bad breech of team discipline you are dropped from the team. Our teams decision was unanimous.
Where is Chris’s medical certificate. If I am away longer than three working days I must produce one albeit at my employers cost if forced.
However this of course will never happen as it is a sweet deal worked out between Carter and Labour to make him shut up and go away. Shame on all of you.
Yet another display to voters its ok to suck on our taxpayer breast. Promoted by Mr Little a key Union figure the King of fairness and rights. Yes, there is due process and natural Law, however this is just an absolute slap in the face for all of us hard working, union paying members.
Exactly why I am moving away for Labour. My parents voted Labour all of their life, funny really as looking at the pictures I know why – Sleeves rolled up and working for the workers.
Yes times change, however never forget who you are representing or who and what you stand for, and every morning tell yourself “its not me, its the workers”!! Maybe that’s just perception? But its a very real one.
Offensive and personal. You are banned. Clare
I must disagree with your analysis Robin.
Mr Carter is no longer in the Labour party caucus, therefore his sick leave is purely up to the Speaker of the House, Dr Lockwood Smith. So if the National MP for Rodney approves the leave, Mr Carter gets the leave. The Labour party caucus has no say in the matter.
Mr Carter is the elected representative of the people of Te Atua until the next election. So, unless he resigns, Mr Carter will be in parliament, again, this is nothing to do with the Labour party caucus.
Mr Little efforts to resolve where Mr Carter’s relationship with the Labour party stands, with due regard to natural justice, indicates the correct use of the power of his position.
I have no doubt he could get a certificate if he asked. I also object to people having a problem saying he is off because of a mental health problem. So what. Stress is actually covered under the OSH provisions. We need to stop saying its ok to have a broken leg and need 2 months off, but not hes struggling with work and pressure and stress so for his health he needs 2 months off. Little fudged his way round this as though it is a bad thing to have a mental health issue. We really need to grow up as a nation.
In the old days it was called a nervous breakdown, which is what I suspect is happening to Carter, so it’s not a 2 month holiday he will be having.
Nice show of compassion by some here. Politics is different to some jobs. When I make a mistake it’s not on tv for weeks, I am not hounded by cameras and microphones etc. It’s all very well saying “he chose it” or “it’s of his own making” it might be an occupational hazard but it cant be nice.
John Key’s dig about him getting a medical certificate I thought was tasteless and a kick when someone is down.
Robin, if you dont mind my asking, if not labour, where are you headed with your vote?
@ tracy – Why not be able to ask for a certificate – are you saying people should be able to take 2 months off without seeking any professional assistance.
As for not tasteful – his own party calling him unwell and balance deleted Trevor
Excuse my ignorance but what is this natural justice thing I keep hearing about?
Natural Justice is a principle of law which is about the PROCESS od decision-making. These rules govern HOW a decision is made rather than looking at the actual outcome.
It includes the right to decision-making free from Bias
The right to know what you are being judged by
The right to be heard
The right to appeal a decision
the right to have the known rules applied to your situation
and so on…
it’s part of a method of ensuring the outcome, or decision, has integrity because you know the correct process was followed to reach that decision.
It includes things like
the person who made the decision which affected you actually had the authority and power to make the decision at all.
Thanks Tracey
@Tracey,
I need to analyse my position and vote to gain the maximum value for me as an individual and us as a great country. One benefit of MMP. I believe I’m Centre Left.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not a single issue nutter! What Chris did is, and appears to be just one of the many [perceived] failings of late within the Party.
My biggest bugbear is the continual effort to drag up ‘the dirt’ on the Opposition – It never sticks, backfires and makes the entire party look bad. The effort used could/ should be used to positively attack the real issues that face us every day – IMHO
Would I vote National? Not sure, however the alternatives are no great and I am slowly becoming more disillusioned with the Party! What I have found is that while I believe they [National] have not got it ‘right’; their efforts are trending upwards (their tactics are questionable, but that’s Politics)
Guys, a little bit of a rant – I draw your attention again to the older pictures posted here on the site. There is nothing more powerful of the images of former PM’s and MP’s supporting the hard working Kiwis’ with their sleeves rolled up.
I hear people in my workforce and around the traps ranting on about Labour supporting beneficiaries.. Yes they are important and yes there is a genuine need for some. However the vast majority of these individuals should or could be contributing to our society (I was a snr manager with MSD so know the stats).
Real workers, like my mum working long hours in a factory and my late father a linesman in north Otago helped to build Labour and this country and did it with very little support. No one in my family of eight has ever been on a benefit or not worked. We have all worked from the floor up, yet after 25 plus years in Govt with the Military, MSD and Police I am becoming disillusioned. I strive forward to improve my life while others [non genuine] throw the hand out and ‘expect’ to be taken care of. “Give a Man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach him how to fish, he will eat for life and provide for others”.
I guess Tracy; the point of my rant is that I sometimes wonder if this what the early architects of the Labour Party envisioned or was it to support those who build and support this great country we have? I certainly hope it is the approach of the current architects, it certainly does not feel like this.
We need to focus on the positives, not be distracted with side issues, be transparent, honest and open but never forget where we came from and who we are working for.
Rant over – sorry it was a tad long I’m just passionate about what we should be doing to shift the balance of power our way.
Well I had the pleasure of dealing with a couple of obnoxious university students today, if you are looking for a ‘sense of self centred entitlement’ you don’t need to look at beneficiaries nor people who come from underprivilged backgrounds. That much is clear.
How centre left are you again? Is trying to raise young children on the DPB contributing to society, in your opinion? And if there were decent paying jobs available don’t you think that most (though unfortunately not all) of the 6% unemployed would prefer to be working instead of rotting on the dole?
No one in your family of 8 has ever been laid off and had time inbetween jobs, gotten caught in the snarenet of Rogernomics downsizing, nor gotten sick/had an accident and gone off work on ACC? Not even taken time off work to have children?
You come from a blessed family of true workhorses.