We've been critics of Phil Goff and his leadership of the Labour Party since he was annointed as leader by Helen Clark in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 election. With hindsight, Labour probably should not moved so quickly to replace Miss Clark, and there does again seem to be an element of haste in now replacing Goff and Annette King.
But with Goff's decision to stand down from the Labour leadership role, it's an appropriate time to reflect on some of the positive things he achieved in a parliamentary career dating back to the acrimonious 1981 General Election.
Goff served as a Minister in the Lange/Douglas/Moore era, and was reportedly a strong supporter of the policies of Sir Roger Douglas. Even after Douglas had been replaced as Finance Minister by David Caygill after falling out with David Lange (why does Labour have so many Davids?), Goff continued to support Douglas' direction. Ironically, more state assets were sold in the post-Douglas phase than beforehand.
Goff lost his Roskill seat in National's 1990 landslide, but returned in 1993. When Labour became the government in 1999, he was a natural for a senior Cabinet role, and was rewarded with the roles of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister of Justice. It was in the trade and foreign affairs arena which he made his greatest contribution, advancing New Zealand's case for a Free Trade Agreement with China. It is one of life's ironies that his successor as Foreign Minister in 2005, the Rt Hon Winston Peters strongly opposed the China FTA. But as European economies falter, our trade relationships with Asia and with China in particularly will provide us with a degree of insulation.
Phil Goff tried valiantly to bring voters back into the Labour fold during the election campaign just completed, but the suspicion that there were forces within the party who were undermining him did not help. To have been caught out on numbers three times was inexcusable for a politician with Goff's level of experience.
Ironically, one of Goff's final moments in the public spotlight will be remembered by us as one of his finest. His speech to the Labour Party faithful on Saturday night was an excellent one. He was gracious in defeat, but his passion for the party and for the causes that Labour supports shone through in a manner which was often missing during the campaign. Had the public seen more of Saturday night's Phil Goff, Labour's future may have been different.
Perhaps it was Phil Goff's destiny not to be a leader, but to be one of those essential people in any team who supports the leader unconditionally. Goff's legacy to New Zealand will be centred around the things that he did as a Minister, not as party leader, in particular the China FTA which we regard as critical to New Zealand's future prosperity. For that alone, Phil Goff deserves widespread recognition.
18 comments:
Now - AFTER the election and AFTER he has stood down you decide to be honest about the type of man he is and the good things that he has done?
Seriously?
It would have been nice to have seen you give him credit, and be honest regarding his efforts when that opinion might have mattered.
Don't be daft jacqueline.
He was often quite nasty and small minded the recent weeks, which was at least as important for the election.
This is just an attempt to write some nice words about some better things he has done.
This blog has no credibility.
Jacquline - hard to give him credit when he allowed Mallard to run rampant with lies and just plain nastiness.
Having said that he was usually an effective Minister and his concession speech was far more credible than Clarks was.
Oops - meant to have Mallard and others as he was not the only one in Labour telling lies - there was an epidemic in the party - including Goff.
Jacqueline, I think you're an idiot. If you suffer some misfortune tomorrow, then of course I'm not going to mention the fact that I think you're an idiot. That's the way people are. We're honest about how we feel about someone, but there are times when it's more important to highlight their good points, which I'm sure everyone has. The first blog post I ever read by you really impressed me, and if I felt it was necessary to mention something nice about you, I'd probably hunt it down and repost it and add some nice comments.
Phil has acted like a dick during this election campaign. I'm not sure many people really think he believes in half the policies that were forced upon him during this campaign. However he's done some good stuff in his time, and I enjoyed reading some of the highlights here today.
O well - at least i am a consistent idiot.
If i suffer some misfortune tomorrow - i would prefer that the people who bagged on me every chance they got prior to that misfortune remained true to themselves and their character, and continue to bag me.
I realise having one face is a bit uncommon these days though - so that might be a big ask.
Nasty hypocrite Keeping Stock.
Jacqueline has your measure and it's small.
John Key has graciously suggested there may be an overseas post for Goff. Having called John Key a liar, Goff might have the grace to decline because he feels unworthy of such consideration, all things considered.
Goff was a good Minister and MP .. he is not leader/PM material and it was the Worth case that showed he was out of his depth. That showed his nasty side. He is surrounded by nasty people and that's why many dislike Labour these days.
As fas as I am aware, the only real job he has had was in the freezing works as a student and it showed. Clark was the same but was more cunning than Goff until her final years when she lost the plot
Goff looked like an good minister when he was surrounded by professional ministry officals, backed by Labour party minions the wheels came off.
At least he can say that he ran an effective enough campaign that ordinary people are now recognising him...
Sorry Jacqueline, Goff does not deserve "nice" words, he is a political prostitute, and swung with the favourable breezes all his political life.
He reverted to a tribal liar, and his nastiness shone during this campaign, backed by his feckless campaign manager Trev "the bully boy" Mallard.
Goff and Peter Dunne sing from the same whores hymnbook.
So there.
@ Jacqui et al - my comments about Goff today are sincere and genuine. His work to achieve a Free Trade Agreement with China was fraught with difficulties, but he persisted, and we are all better off for it.
Jabba's right; he was a good Minister and MP, but possibly progressed one step too far, although I doubt that there was anyone in Labour who could have turned Labour's 2008 defeat around.
I don't agree with a lot of what Phil Goff stands for, nor do I agree with the personal attacks that Labour resorted to in the closing weeks of the campaign, Goff having previously said that the campaign would be about policies, not personalities. But he showed considerable grace on Saturday night when he must have been feeling absolutely gutted. He deserves to have that recognised, and I gladly did so.
@ Lofty - I disagree with you regarding Dunne. For a number of years now he has been a very competent Revenue Minister, which is the portfolio that no-one else wants. I hope that in the term of the 50th Parliament he gets the opportunity to pass legislation arising from the review of the Child Support system, and make it fairer for all parties.
Each to his own eh IV2
Dunne has done the best for Dunne for as long as I can remember, he is a political prostitute of the 1st order...
Recognising Phil Goff? According to David Lange, the Samoan PM did many years ago when he said 'F'AA GOFF'
Now it seems like Phil-in is taking his advice
FA'A GOFF (should be)
Jacqueline, Politics isn't for the faint hearted and Phil Goff would not be surprised by IV2's blogs. Politics is adversarial and in my opinion ( remember I am centre left )IV2 has been fair and has played within the " rules "
IV2 has played the " ball " but in politics that is often the " man/woman " . He owes nobody an apology he has been honest about Goff and his distaste for the politics and policy Goff advocated.
Goff was fair game yesterday as is Key today, his decision to resign and move to the backbenches allows opponents to tell the truth about how they feel about the person.
I think IV2 has recognised a great NZ politician and a man who we will expect to serve us more in an international setting.
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