One of the things I’ve learnt about politics is that it’s a rollercoaster.
Another is that it’s important to acknowledge mistakes. I made one this week. For that I apologise. It was never my intention to argue entitlement to a share of the votes.
I have to earn votes. Whether it be personally or for the Party. And I’ll be judged, along with everyone else standing on November 26.
Labour has a proud history. The essence of being Labour is at the core of my being and I will always be Labour. It’s much bigger and more important than me.
I don’t want to relitigate the issue here. Though it’s important to keep the conversation going.
I am and remain committed to open-ness and transparency in communication with you all. Even if it’s painful.
I am a fighter. I care about the people I represent and the reasons for representing them. I want our country to be strong and proud. And I’ll fight for the policies and for a government that will benefit all of us.
And I don’t always get it right.
Bravo, Clare. Even though I thought what you’d said was misguided, saying it is better than blowing smoke up the public’s collective arse, which is the usual alternative.
And clearly you give a damn. That matters.
L
“I am and remain committed to open-ness and transparency in communication with you all. Even if it’s painful.” Clare Curran
Then why did my two politely critical comments on your ‘Importance of being Labour 2′ post get censored out of existence Clare? This could be at the heart of Labour’s difficulty connecting with us voters…
P.S. Does your apology extend to regret for calling us voters “feral” on Stuff?
Well done. Time to move on.
Lew, all politicians give a damn. The opposite is that they go into politics to ruin people’s lives. That’s patently absurd.
The only difference is how to get the result; not what the result should be.
Chin up Clare, (bouquet).
Good on you Clare. Anyone who says they never made a mistake is a liar (and usually a tory!) And keep getting mad, those food and power bills are really starting to bite out there: just knowing that at least one MP cares gives comfort, and you just might inspire some of the armchair nigglers here to actually get out and do some good. Keep it up girl.
On ya Clare
I prefer politicians who are passionate and open and dedicated.
And willing to fess up to whatever and then move on to the important issues. Like what needs to be done to our country to make it better for ordinary people.
Yes, Nick, I’m something of a defender of the general good intent of politicians, even on t’other side. But too often outbursts of this sort some from hubris rather than the more noble motives Clare has described.
L
Yep, good work Clare
Better late than never.
Good on you.
Bravo Clare.
The more politicians come clean when they stuff up and genuinely admit the fact the more people will respect them, both individually and collectively.
Not following the all-too-common practice of continuing to dig and pretend the stuff-up didn’t happen is one up to you.
A mistake genuinely acknowledged can, I believe, end up confering more mana than actually getting it right in the first place. Politics in a modern democracy is very much about the impressions we get of the players. Not many expect politicians to be all-seeing all-knowing so it is possible to survive getting it wrong so long as the acknowledgement of this isn’t done through clenched teeth with fingers crossed behind one’s back (a la (S)Addidas).
Thanks for showing a bit of humility – it’s an example to all politicans on both sides of the house.
Well said Clare.
Bravo, Clare! And thank God at least one Labour MP still has a beating heart.
Cheers Clare, and thanks for taking the time to reflect. One of the things I like about Labour is your willingness to communicate honestly with the public.This blog definitely reflects that. Keep up the good work.
I think you would struggle to find a more self serving apology.
I’m really sorry for being so awesome and passionate about poor people and more Labour than any of you.
Clearly your PR career didn’t involve too much in the way of crisis communication?
@Larry you are a heartless troll …
@ Larry – grow up.
@micky and gipper – Oh gefe
Clare is PR guru supposedly and all I am doing is calling this out for being the shameless self serving stunt it is.
Well done Clare. Takes courage to admit when you are wrong.
Incidentally, one of the reasons why National is wiping the floor with Labour is that John Key can admit when he’s wrong. Something Helen “I didn’t realise we were speeding” Clark was completely unable to do, and something Goff seems to struggle with also.
Well done Clare for seeing the bigger picture.
Larry, you aren’t one for comprehension are you, the apology is completely separate from the pro-labour comments.
How else would you suggest something like this is written? Nothing wrong with the “I try, and in this case I f*****d up” approach, apart from it being open to infantile misrepresentation, as you illustrate.
Well done, Clare. But Labour needs to look, urgently, at what it can offer its base this year if it wants to get them into the polling booths.
Well that PR stunt worked. People have noticed your party exists this week.
Pity you had to back down with a half-baked apology.
A gracious apology, Clare. Grace in politics is a fairly rare thing, these days. I wonder if we will ever see the day when one of the politicans in the gallery say sorry to the public for getting it completely wrong? Now that would be news.
Storm in a teacup.
Is anybody being deported over what Clare said , or are bereaved families being brushed off with platitudes ?
Oh no thats the 99.99% government so its Ok
Wow Clare, it seems you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t by some here.
John Key accepts when he is wrong… is that why he dodged questions on youth unemployment waited to gague publicreaction, consult with his backroom team and then got PBennett to front the explanation.
I accept that the PMm is polling very very well. I can recall when the frmer PM polled ver well and people here still railed gaains her for doing all the wrong things (despite her apparent popular support).
You need to be a hardy soul to go into politics, and develop a thick skin, sadly as that skin thickens the disconnect grows too.
Great way of putting it, Tracey.
And any politician who can prevent this from happening has a huge advantage over the pack.
That’s good Clare, that’s the trick, admit when you do something stupid rather than pretend you’re faultless, and come back and fight another day. I hope you don’t blog again when you’re really stressed, take a break when you’re stressed about things, don’t blog! Nothing good ever came from blogging when you’re angry!
Go Girl, those three little words take some courage to utter let alone in print.
Hello Clare, as a middle of the spectrum voter, I will graciously accept your apology. It does take a big person to accept and own their mistakes.
That said, I have recently tried to argue on two or three posts that Labour was making a serious miscalculation in the way it approached its communications, and therefore I was not surprised at the recent ‘kerfuffle’.
Too often vindictiveness is explained away as passion. I sincerely hope that labour will focus on the issue and not the person. It is middle grounders like me labour should be focussing on, and not the acolytes like Spud! Most of my middle ground contemporaries are just not listening and therefore continuing on the same way is fruitless.
Cheers,
Pete.
Good on ya Clare!
Applaud your directness Clare. We get a bit sick of bland safe commentary from MPs.
And I wonder why there is such strenuous reaction to Clare yet some remarks from MPs such as Tau Henare or mis-speak by Key sail by unremarked?
It takes guts to apologise publicly, especially when you are apologising to (mostly) a faceless internet mob. Humility is a rare quality in politicians and ought to be treasured!
@Pete says:
August 25, 2011 at 8:56 am
Read some policies Labour want to introduce then go back and read up on Greens,Nationals,etc. See what you want to do about contributing to and participating in our society. Don’t wait for soundbites from the MSM as has been shown to be slim unless you want advertising for canopies on a pregnant woman’s stomach. Smily wavy hand job man is getting a lot of publicity and I am still looking for a smidgeon of honesty in that face (the smirks don’t quite cut it for me)I’d appreciate honesty and this blog is allowing for that. Trouble is those who seem to support NACT all seem to be trolls here.Why is that, can’t they visit there own base? Why wallow over here all the time
Seriously though, please don’t let our assets be sold, don’t vote for that. Majority of Voters don’t want that. Prove yourselves with sense instead of this cult of personality. This isn’t damm Hollywood! Get off the Fence!!
Perhaps that’s the problem that too many on the Left have – only going to the places where everyone agrees with them and where they agree with everyone else?
Is that how so many of them end up with a distorted view of public opinion, especially on social issues, and end up so disconnected from the general public?
Actually Clare I am inclined to the Cactus Kate position on this. I must be one of the few who you didn’t piss off on the left, you actually made me think about what position I should be taking rather than my current biffing stones in total frustration.
Damned if I can see what you are apologising for. Your original posts made eminent sense.
Is this just another example of the lefts clobbering machine?
one of the reasons why National is wiping the floor with Labour is that John Key can admit when he’s wrong. Something Helen “I didn’t realise we were speeding” Clark was completely unable to do, and something Goff seems to struggle with also.
Sorry, can’t let that one pass without comment Sadu. If you believe that, then you were/are a captive to mischievous, disinformation from political opponents and a compliant media willing to go along with it.
As for Key admitting when he’s wrong? Sure, he’s cute enough to admit silly, innocuous misdemeanours, but issues of importance or substance? Nah… he runs a mile and/or won’t front up to debate them with oppponents!
@ Sadu
and something Goff seems to struggle with also.
If you are referring to what I think you might be:
Have a read of this article
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/sis-boss-admits-no-record-goff-receiving-spy-briefing-4340822
I personally feel there was nothing in the original posts that was worthy of an apology.
By the time the commentary had finished distorting the issue into one of “Labour think they’re entitled to votes” Clare made the mistake of reacting (”Look at you all…” to your commentators never a good way to begin a response) emotionally, rather than rationally.
Labour can’t be all things to all people. Clare suffered some very voiciferous criticism from supposed Greens/Mana voters but most of the opportunistic ripping apart came from Centre to Right-wing commentators who invariably described themselves as “former Labour voters” (as if!)
I just felt sorry for the more moderate/bit-celebrity commentators (won’t name names but you know who you are) because they felt obliged to jump on the criticism/we-are-so-indignant-that-you-should-show-your-colours wagon. If you go back and read the original posts titled The Importance of Being Labour #1 and #2, the whole thing is and was a storm in a teacup.
Pity Stuff would rather rip into Clare and report on Nationals pregnant belly-signings and children (and their teachers! for shame) that love Smile-and-Wave so much they are prepared to repeat the national anthem for him 3 times.
One day I’m pretty sure people will look back at this and laugh (or at least sigh exasperatedly)
Sofie B.
You illustrate the points I have been making quite eloquently. You might have finished off with a smiley face, but if your remarks were aimed at my post, I interpret them as arrogant and patronising.
Please don’t tell me what to go and read. You have no comprehension of what I have read or understand, nor do you know who I am currently supporting. Talk about superior and smug! Apart from this I could find no logical basis for your comments.
What on earth was that MSM sound bite/ pregnant woman stuff about? And are you seriously calling commenters who disagree trolls?
Whatever Pete, do as you please of course.
“only going to the places where everyone agrees with them and where they agree with everyone else?”
Like kiwiblog is for the right?
If left leaning folks come here to just be agreed with they must be mightily disappointed.
Interesting story the other day about increasing racism being expressed online with the RRC stating that it does not reflect offline actions his office sees/deal with but they have noted an increase in racist epithets/sentiment online. We need to be careful about what we consider to be “public opinion”. A few people yelling loudly, repeatedly versus the majority getting on with their lives and many not even engaging with the internet let alone on a political level.
Read some policies Labour want to introduce then go back and read up on Greens,Nationals,etc.
I’ve looked at all the party policies on websites and Labour have by far the least and are the hardest to find and read.
I have no idea why you are apologizing. Your post was brilliant and the reaction from the usual suspects was ridiculous and perhaps they need to get out more.
Upsetting Chris Trotter, Lew, Danyl, Idiot/twit etc etc is a great move as they are representative of about .02 percent of the voting public. And to be honest annoy hard working Kiwis.
Get stuck in and shake things up a bit, appealing to hopeless pinko,s who constantly moan that more of our hard earned dollars should be sprayed at the feckless is no way to get re elected.
Exactly what are you apologising for?
@ mickey… I think Clare was apologising for making a twit of herself and alienating a lot of people.
Unfortunately, the apology is clouded by the justification of the position- which lessens the apology…
I am surprised at the lack of impact awareness- intended consequences or otherwise – of a PR ëxpert” ..
… I think self-rightiousness, controlling atitudes and and anger don’t go down well with kiwis and reaction to various posts and media coverage is evidence of this to me.
attack, attack, attack is not the kiwi way.
The apology is appreciated Clare; however it is noted that the only the risk of losing votes prompted this response.
Perhaps the next step now can be instead of throwing stones at the government, give constructive criticism.
There are a few others in your party who could learn to acknowledge and apologise for mistakes. First of all, teach it to Phil Goff.