Labour MP Winnie Laban accepted a job at Victoria University before she told her party leader and colleagues of plans to leave politics by the end of the year.
The MP for Mana said she saw an advertisement in the New Zealand Herald for the Assistant Vice-Chancellor Pasifika at Victoria University about two months ago, applied, and was accepted three weeks ago.
She told Labour leader Phil Goff about two weeks ago. Other Labour MPs and party president Andrew Little were told yesterday.
"I unilaterally did this. I saw an opportunity," Ms Laban said.
"Phil would have liked me to stay on, but he was also supportive of what I wanted, and I was pretty determined about what I wanted."
Phil Goff must be very disappointed to see Ms Laban depart, as he completely contradicts her story:
Mr Goff said that although Ms Laban had accepted the position, it was still conditional on his approval.
Phil Goff might think that, but we reckon that Ms Laban's move is indicative of some pretty deep discontent within the Labour caucus. Ms Laban clearly doesn't fancy another three years in opposition after the next election, and has made her unilateral decision to jump ship. George Hawkins, supposedly a Goff loyalist is seeking a local body position, and will resign from Parliament if he gets it. And then, of course, there's the Carter Factor.
In the meantime, it will be interesting to see who lines up for one of the few safe Labour seats. We still think it's strongly possible that Andrew Little will be highly interested in yesterday's developments. His links to New Plymouth were tenuous; Mana would give him a seat in the House for as long as he wanted. We've heard Darren Hughes' name touted as well, but that would bring Judith Tizard back into the mix as the next cab off Labour's list ranks.
Interesting times await us!
9 comments:
The choice will speak volumes about who is running the party will it not?
Indeed it shall Lee; indeed it shall. But don't we already KNOW who's running the party? Isn't it the Man of Many Hats?
"indicative of some pretty deep
discontent within the Labour caucus"
Don't forget the soon to be ex-Labour MinAg wallowing in all sorts of troughs in the Village of the Damned who started it all.
Obviously even the Labour caucus to be irrelevant.
The new candidate will be homosexual/lesbian and will be either Samoan, Tongan or Maori
Indded PM - Anderton is a Labourite in everything but name and dodgy funding arrangements.
@ pdm - you're forgetting that the Mana electorate has a very large concentration of deeply conservative, God-fearing Pasifika folk. Unleashing a gay candidate could be seen as deeply offensive to many voters.
if religious and cultural aspects are taken into account, I2, why on earth will they pick Little as candidate. Think about it, instead of shouting from the sidelines.
I disagree Anon - Mana is a strongly blue-collar electorate. The leader of the country's largest union, who is married and straight, could have widespread appeal. If it transpires that he has some Pasifika heritage, so much the better. For a man who aspires to be the Labour leader at some future point, it would be a very safe seat.
Why do you people care and waste time speculating about anything? Have you got nothing better to do of a day?
Hey Inventory2 - Little has ruled himself out of Mana, si it wont get another Graham Kelly - and the by-election is a long way off yet - A month after the local body elections
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