Byelection watershed moment for Greens
But can the cash-strapped party afford to stand a candidate?
The Green Party will decide today whether it stands a candidate in the Northcote byelection. It will make its decision on political but also practical grounds, such as whether it can afford to run a full campaign in the National-held seat.
While the local Green branch in Northcote and Auckland-based activists are keen to stand, it is understood there is not great enthusiasm among the wider party for a campaign so soon after a bruising general election.
The Greens’ default position is to stand a candidate in every byelection. But it did not run candidates in the Northland byelection in 2015 or the Mt Roskill byelection in 2016.
Both of those contests were politically sensitive. The Northland contest allowed NZ First to take a seat off National, meaning it could no longer pass legislation with the support of just one of its coalition partners.
If Labour had lost Mt Roskill to National, the National-led Government would have had fewer obstacles to passing legislation, in particular major reforms of the Resource Management Act which the Greens opposed.
The Northcote contest is not as politically charged. Whatever the result, it will not change the coalition Government’s ability to pass laws.
That means a strategic deal — stepping aside to help Labour win — is not as important for the Greens this time.
The main consideration by the party’s executive is likely to be money.
The party’s finances are in bad shape following an election campaign in which it had to re-do or scrap many of its billboards after its co-leader, Metiria Turei, resigned.
It has shrunk from 14 MPs to eight, cutting the amount of tithing it gets from its MPs — a major source of its revenue.
There are a few factors which could encourage the Greens to stand a candidate.
The party is hovering just above the 5 per cent threshold in polls, meaning the next 21⁄ years are a fight for survival.
That means taking every opportunity to set itself apart from Labour and promote Green values. There are issues it can grab on to in Northcote, in particular public transport.
The byelection takes place as the membership is uneasy about recent decisions made by the caucus.
Some are deeply upset about the Greens’ decision to hand over questions from Question Time to the National Party. Long-time members are disappointed at the Greens’ initial support for the “wakajumping” bill, which prevents MPs staying in Parliament if they quit their party.
The Greens’ candidate in the 2017 election was Rebekah Jaung, a Korean-born doctor. She is rated by the party as representing the modern, diverse face of the Greens and is the most likely candidate if the Greens decide to stand.
But if the party cannot gather the money or volunteers to back her, it is likely to dip out.
In the end, a poorly run or low profile campaign could be more damaging than not standing at all.
Bernard Orsman
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff returned to work yesterday after surgery for a heart attack that could have claimed his life.
The 64-year-old had two angioplasty operations after being rushed to Auckland City Hospital on April 21. Last week, he revealed in the
that one of his arteries was completely blocked and “if the blockage had occurred in the other [main] artery it could have been fatal”. The main artery was 75 per cent blocked.
“I am back to normal and, in fact, will be better than normal in a couple of weeks,” Goff said last week.
Yesterday, Goff said: “It’s good to be back. We are about to make critical decisions on investing in Auckland’s transport network.”
Goff and senior ministers are expected to announce a joint Government-council work programme for transport on Thursday. The council is also about to begin consultation with Aucklanders on the proposed projects the regional fuel tax of 11.5 cents a litre will fund.
“I feel great and have been badgering the doctors to let me get back to work.
“I want to thank all the staff at Auckland City Hospital and Middlemore Hospital for their professionalism and care.
“We have a good public health system in New Zealand that provides effective, urgent care when it is needed to all people,” Goff said.
The mayor will be speaking at the Anzac Day dawn ceremony at the Cenotaph and Anzac ceremonies in New Lynn and Glenfield.
“Anzac Day is an important time for us to pay tribute to those who served our country at war and who gave their lives on behalf of New Zealand so that we may live more peaceful lives.”