The Labour party had traditionally been the party of the working class and a strong supporter of the Unions. Union leader Andrew Little’s selection as leader of the party showed that the party was still a workers’ party. At the weekend, the selection of Claire Szabo as Labour Party president over Tane Phillips, a Maori Union leader from Kawerau, has put the cats among the pigeons.
Ever mindful of identity politics, left-wing commentators have said that selecting a Pakeha over a Maori reflects problems in the Labour-Maori relationship. Left-wing political commentator Chris Trotter has said that it is Not the Labour Party We Once Knew.
Former Labour Party chief of staff Matt McCarten is also unhappy with the selection of a Pakeha: Time for real leadership for Maori in Labour?
Audrey Young, behind the paywall, warns that upsetting Maori in Labour provides fuel to fire a revival of the Maori Party. Removing the Maori Party from Parliament removed a coalition partner for National. She argues that Labour are frustrating Maori who want more leadership positions within the party.
“Despite delivering 13 MPs – including a clean sweep of the Maori seats – there are only two Maori MPs from Labour in Cabinet. […] The Maori caucus feel the heat from Maori themselves, particularly in the electorates.
Audrey is not the only writer sounding alarm bells about the rumblings within Labour. According to Morgan Godfery in the Guardian, on every issue important to Maori this government is failing.
All this discontent within Labour is good news for National because if the Maori party comes back into play they will once again have a potential coalition partner.