I’ve been door knocking this week in South Dunedin. Will be out regularly with a team of people touching base with how people are feeling.
In quantitative terms it’s not very efficient for the MP/candidate to be out doorknocking, because everyone wants to chat and ask you in for cups of tea. But in qualitative terms it’s pure gold.
This is heartland. Talking to people on their doorsteps keeps me grounded, lets me know in no uncertain terms where my flaws are, where the flaws of my party lie. It also gives me great hope.
The people I speak to are honest. They don’t beat about the bush.
Many in my electorate are Labour voters and diehard Labour supporters. That doesn’t stop them giving me the odd piece of advice and sometimes a bit of a serve. I take everything they say seriously because they’re the ones who’re having to make do every week with an income which isn’t increasing though the price of everything else is.
Two conversations stand out.
The first was with a bloke in his 30s, a shift worker, Samoan, with a Maori wife and two wee kids. He said nothing had got better for him under National. Only harder. They both work and they don’t seem to be able to get anywhere. The early childhood cost increases were the thing that got him, he just didn’t understand the logic.
He’ll be voting Labour this time. He didn’t last time.
The second conversation was with an electrician, with his own business. He’s been a Labour voter in the past but not last time. He was a bit more philosophical about the wider geo-economic issues but didn’t believe the current government was investing in the economy.
His work wasn’t drying up, but people were more reluctant to pay the going rate for an electrician and he knew sparkies who were cutting their prices. He said that was the downward slope because that made it harder for all electricians to make a living.
His wife had just got a part time job, but he was concerned about the shrinking job market in Dunedin and with the lack of opportunities for kids coming out of school. He didn’t blame people for moving to Australia and was really disappointed he felt that way.
He’s thinking about voting Labour again.
The top of mind issue for everyone I spoke to was the high cost of living. I would have liked to talk more about ideas for the future. But most people are just consumed with getting through the week.
I’d rather be part of a government that’s taking people forward not backward.
@Clare – we ll want a govt that is taking us forward. That is, I think, reflected in the current polls. What do you propose that will achieve this? Previous Labour policy platform didn’t and I am yet to hear anything new. More of the same will take us backwards – and fast.
Clare good on you for getting out and talking to people. One of the good things about Red Alert is the ability of people to communicate directly to the Labour team. I think however that people are extremely naive if they believe things can magically improve in a couple of years. Tonight I have been reading the 2008 pre-election fiscal update. It made very sobering reading. And then things got much worse with the Global Financial crisis, two major earthquakes, a drought over critical parts of the country and the continued support of a massive welfare state that is simply unaffordable.
The government is trying to balance a book with an annual deficit of $15. This is of course the Cullen Legacy (read the PREFU if you do not believe me). Things simply cannot improve over the very short time the government has had. The problems we are having are not of the National Governments making. Spending more will not solve the problem either.
People vote Labour or National because they have different motivations. But the people also seem to understand that fiscal constraint, although there will be pain in the way forward. Given the current polling, I would suggest that in spite of what people are saying to you as their local MP, they remain far from impressed with the Labour party and their plan (there isn’t any) to firstly get the government books balanced, and a plan for growth and Jobs.
Hey Monty, have you been doorknocking too? Maybe we could go together sometime
Clare, don’t tempt me. But where I live it is full of bloody lefties. (the worst kind – the champagne swilling variety). I would love to be able to explain to them why the country is unable to afford the legacy of Cullen, what the Nats need to be doing. Hell they would probably be voting for Act by the time I left them.
LOL
Clare and Monty doorknocking 
Good work Clare, get out there and see the people!
Happy Easter!
And to everyone else, Spuddy has a migraine so hasn’t been able to make very many Easter greetings 
Oh man,
, my comment to Clare and Monty went into the spam, 
glad to see politicians talking to real people, instead of fronting for tv reality shows a la Paula Bennett. Your way leads to real policy. Good stuff Clare.
Clare, interested to know if you used the Labour MP’s fall back description of the current National government as ‘nasty and horrible’
A good post on politicians engaging with their electorate. It would be great to know why they did not vote Labour last time – what really motivated them? And now, especially the shift worker, what is the motivation now? You have to accept at the last election there was a significant shift against Labour across the whole country, not just Dunedin. I’ve read many posts here about how good it was with Labour and how bad it is with National – probably more post attacking one person. But surely you must keep asking yourselves or at least the voters, why did you/they turn against us?
Ed be careful, no doubt there will be some Labour MPs who line up for the same programme. Wil you be critical of Trev and others who are going to turn up to milk cows or what ever Trev does on his turn?
I actually thought it very insightful watching Paula tonight. She is of course an extraordinary MP and probably got more than she bargained for working at the Wellington City Mission. As for getting close to the electorate, I would imagine all MPs have done the yards of door knocking, and generally helping constituents. Labour MPs would not have a monopoly on that activity.
Indiania – maybe another question would be those who have turned against Labour since the 2008 election? maybe a few who vow not to vote Labour and their rationale would be insightful?
@Monty She is of course an extraordinary MP?
Really? Are you serious?
@mother,,, take no notice of monty.. he’s reading from the script head office sends out… still waiting for the first instance of the words “nasty” and “horrible” popping up in labour party critisism of the govt.. can someone let me know if it happens?
It’s good that you and(hopefully) others are reconnecting to the electorate while there is the time to spend on it. I hope the process is epiphanous and positive for you.
Floyd – don’t be so hopeful. I can tell you that I have no communications with any National MP, or staff. I am just you everyday middle New Zealander who supports the Direction of the Government. The only difference is that I am happy to put my views out there. In fact I would probably talk to more Labour MPs on Facebook if anything.
I find it encouraging that MPs are out there talking – I think it is a necessary part of their role and function. But importantly and as Clare has demonstrated with this post, she may often get a honest appraisal of her parties performance. That can only be a good thing.
Clare, keeping in mind the recession and disasters we have experienced during the current term, how much better do you think things would be for people of the Heartland now if Labour had retained power? And how much better do you think the country’s finances would be?
What would Labour done different?
Monty
Your constant reference and blame placed upon Cullen needs some explanation.
Cullen and Clarke fought the right wing business sectors greed in a relatively quiet and managed fashion.
They put in place a NZ owned bank, which the multinatinals banks now have to compete with breaking the monopoly of the cartel. The benefits are shared by all NZders.
The Cullen fund is in place which will slow the Nact degradation of our state pension system and may well help preserve its existence in the face of private insurance and pensions funds favoured by Nact.
Private pension funds have no state backing and build profit for the parasitic investment market. As we have seen overseas such insurance schemes do fall over.
So come on Monty expand your mantra.
Labour MPs certainly don’t have a monopoly on door knocking etc…but they probably do have a monopoly on developing policy for middle NZ – didn’t you say that’s where you’re from?
Monty: Yeah things did get worse. But on the whole public debt is much smaller than private debt. We can afford to have the welfare state. What we can’t afford is people not paying their fair share after benefiting from this country’s economic stability.
Also’s Cullen Legacy is net zero debt, a pathway to secure retirement, keeping our own assets and lifting families out of poverty with WFF so thank god for it. While National can’t cop the blame for some of the stupid things wallstreet has done, they certainly can for their response to them.
I think Labour’s numbers will get better but I think they’ve lost some of their more liberal voters to the Greens and some swinging voters to NZFirst. Also the campaign has only just begun, there is still a lot of discussion to be had and minds that will change. Labour must take this opportunity and run with it if they’re going to win the election.
@PeteG What would Labour have done differently??? Where can I start.
We wouldn’t have given gratuitous tax cuts to the rich. We wouldn’t have made systematic cuts to the important bridging programmes that allow people to move off benefits and into training and further education and into jobs with a future.
We would invest in New Zealand industries that create exports and jobs. We would not have capped university and polytech entries and forced yet more young people into unemployment.
We would not have rammed through parliament more than 20 Bills without taking them to a select committee.
We wouldn’t have forced women on the DPB to feel guilty and embarrassed about the important role of bringing up tehir kids and publicly humiliated them and forced them to look for low paid work and put more pressure on their abilities to cope.
We wouldn’t have cut early childhood centre’s funding and forced down the quality of care being offered to kids at this important stage in their development.
We wouldn’t have forced National Standards on schools which is all about creating data that can be paraded during the election campaign as “proof” of higher numeracy and literacy, when in reality our school system is being mucked around with by an incompetent Minister.
We wouldn’t have taken away precious home help from old people who were too polite or scared to protest. We’d invest mroe in primary health care to reduce pressure on the hospital system. We wouldn’t attack the public service as being overblown and self serving. We’d value the important work they do.
We wouldn’t have built private prisons that are driven by profit, rather than rehabilitation. We would be addressing the drivers of crime. We would be addressing the causes of poverty and making sure that children are the focus of all our policies.
We’d be investing more in infrastructure that will take our country forward for the next 50 or so years and isn’t all about more highways.
We’d be focussed on what will be our competitive edge for the future. And it wont be all about dairy.
And we’d ensure our world-class ACC and Kiwisaver schemes are properly supported.
Oh and we’d never mine national parks. We’d invest more in our environment. You don’t hear the Nats talk about the environment.
And we wouldn’t use urgency to ram through legislation using the Chch earthquake as cover to give ourselves extraordinary powers without real consultation and a real bi-partisan commitment.
And that’s just for starters.
And now that Monty has agreeed to go door knocking with me we’ll have to make sure it happens. Question is where shall we do it? He lives in Wellington and me in Dunedin? Maybe Grant could come too and supervise.
Nice thread Clare and all who contributed. No name calling, from memory in any post AND DISSENTING OPINIONS.
Monty, a lil contradiction to reel off the reasosn beyond national’s control world wide financial collapse, earthquakes etc then still blame Cullen.
I see that kiwisaver is being opened up to those who have it and who are in CHCHCH to dip into, couldnt have happened without kiwisaver
In the meantime our PM thinks priorty right now is getting the Queen and/or William out for the World Cup, really? Not job creation initiatives?
Clare, only one of the things you think Labour would do differently actually saves money -not implementing National Standards. All the other initiatives cost money. Please explain where Labour thinks that money is to come from.
I’m sick of political promises to ‘invest more in xyx’, ‘not cut xyz’, without a plan to pay for it. Usually after the election the promises are broken with -’we didn’t know the bad financial situation then’ type excuses.
interesting Clare that you mention people who voted Tory last time but are now considering Labour. At monthly Labour stall in RIGHT WING Cambridge the public has started to greet us with a smile and a nod, beleve me a very good sign. Im hearing people getting very angry. So we must now start to get some policy across. We certanly need something to get the voters talking. What I cannot understand is with all the angry groups out there why are we doing so badly inn the polls?
Clare at least Nat has been fair in balance who is feeling the financial pain… Most of us be we live rural or urban dwellers. Bar a few parasites who do not contribute but only benefit.
Today a bed for $35/day RWC $350/day. these are the people who should be contributing more for those in need.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10721386
Clare, at least Nat have been balanced in you incurs the financial pain. Most of us be we live in rural or urban regions.
Except a few who benefit and do not contribue e.g. $35/night today but when the RWC is on $350/night. These are some who should be contributing more to those in need.
TAX CUTS ARE NOT “gratuitous tax cuts to the rich” .. when will you ever learn? Tax paid (Pay as YOU EARN)is a persons contribution to the nations good. It is the amount of tax a person is required to pay. It is their own money that they pay .. it is NOT a benefit given to them .. sigh
@Clare – I’m getting excited about this door knocking!
@jabba –
The country has gone to the dogs.
Spot on Jabba.
I wonder whether Labour will be upfront and explicit at election time about the implications for PAYE of their high spending policies, and whether they will give a firm undertaking to not raise income taxes above the levels they specify in their manifesto (if they’re that specific).
Jabba
Progressive rates of taxation reflect that those who draw more money from society can pay a higher rate of taxation back to the Government than those who draw less money from society.
This is a fair and proven method over time to create a stable society with a better managed spread of equity.
An off shoot of this system also appears that progressive tax promotes more responsible business development and growth.
Nact have ignored the widening equity gap and taxed the lower section of society more while giving massive relief to the rich sector who draw their higher income from wider society.
“Their own money ” being taxed is income from wider society, not their assets.
For the high income group their rate of taxation has been very much reduced and they have been given that massive benefit with no return for society.
Increased GST ia paid on the lower incomes groups “Own Money” which has already been taxed.
The effect is they pay a much larger tax lump as compared with their income, than the rich do unless the rich are into wasteful squandering and excessive luxury consumption. That would be their choice but poor have little choice unless they don’t eat.
This tax change is NOT neutral, and penalises those with marginal subsistence level income. There was no need for that to occur.
Now Nact are looking at further reducing support for poor families. A recipe for widening the gap and increasing breakdown of law and order in the longer term.
Nothing is being done to control the massive burden of debt for this country generated by the private sector.
Do you have an answer for greater equity.
@Jabba – By “draw” I assume you mean EARN. By “Society” I assume you mean THEIR EMPLOYER. Using feel good terminology doesn’t change the fact that when the left want money for whatever overspending policy they promulgate , they pick the pocket of the public, mostly middle income earners and families. Society doesn’t pay me my employer does. Ask any Labour voter who pays them I doubt they will says SOCIETY DOES. No amount of ‘Phil 101′ philosophising about this changes the facts, no matter how hard you try.
@ John W
You seem to forget who pays a majority of the income tax in this country and the ratio of those who contribute to those who claim.
As for the “equity gap”, this didn’t seem to be an issue under the previous government when they refused to address the “tax creep” which affected the majority of PAYE contributors who are “middle income” and saw them paying disproportionately higher amount of tax to all others.
Still want to know how the grant schemes to ‘invest more..’ and ‘keep high levels of social spending..’ is going to be funded!!
Warren Buffett explains here why capital gains tax wont be the death knell for capitalism. It’s about 8 minutes.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/19483842/Warren_Buffett_Tax_the_Rich
This made me chuckle…
“said that he was a Democrat because Republicans are more likely to think: “I’m making $80 million a year – God must have intended me to have a lower tax rate.” “
J Edgar
Tax creep and inflation have never been indexed in NZ.
Tax increased have been brought in for a large portion of NZders by Nact with the smiling assassin telling lies to assist the passage.
I remember well the massive increase in salary ramped up for CEOs and others in the corporate world and also that this money comes from exploitation across a wide sector of the public purse.
Ratios of pay for the top corporate group compared with the lower 50% of the renumerated population continue to rise in an obscene fashion while they cry for tax relief.
The greedy always want more and seem very reluctant to share wealth with those who actually create it.
There are better models and taxation needs to be progressive unless a better model of wider distribution of wealth created by society is adopted.
Co-operative ownership and management of business has many far reaching advantages.
We are dominated by an organised narrow monoculture of antisocial power brokers who carry no resposibility for the general population. Part of a multinational ring of thugs diminishing Govts around the globe.
One alternative that works much better and produces a high “index of happiness”
http://static.radionz.net.nz/assets/audio_item/0009/2358378/ideas-20100725-1106-Ideas_The_Cooperative_Economy-m048.asx
@Linda you’ll have to wait and see
“The greedy always want more and seem very reluctant to share wealth with those who actually create it”.
this is violently illustrated by the millionaire who murdered his wife because he wanted to retain his wealth and also had a pre nup clause stating that if she died their daught would receive nothing.
“It is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the gates of Heaven”