100 days on, Labour looks forward
OPINION: Labour MPs have kicked off the political year with a symbolic leadership vote – only a formality maybe for Jacinda Ardern, but the huge smiles are a sign of how far things have come.
Even a year ago, a vote on the Labour leadership would have been a reason to circle the wagons.
This weekend, as its politicians gathered in the Wairarapa township of Martinborough for their caucus, the party’s only focus was on mapping out the next 300 days in power.
If fact, there’s not much that can dent the buoyant mood of Labour MPs these days – especially after the prime minister’s baby bombshell, which will likely boost Jacinda Ardern’s popularity even further.
But as the party knuckles down to business for the start of the political year, Labour knows it is facing the ingredients for another winter of discontent, similar to the early 2000s when Helen Clark’s government was forced to go on a charm offensive with New Zealand’s business sector.
Surveys show a slump in business confidence amid uncertainty over financial policies – including industrial relations legislation, due to be rushed into Parliament before Labour’s first 100-day milestone is up in early February.
That will be high on the agenda after theweekend’s caucus, along with the remaining items on Labour’s 100-day plan – an inquiry into the mental health system and abuse in state care, child poverty reduction measures, and employment law changes.
Politically, the week after Wellington Anniversary weekend is always seen as the formal start to the year – Cabinet will meet for the first time in 2018 tomorrow, and on Wednesday politicians will flock to Ra¯ tana Pa¯ , home to one of the biggest events on the Ma¯ ori calender each year.
Unusually, Parliament will resume before Waitangi Day this year – largely so Labour can tick off the rest of its 100-day plan in time.
But Ardern has conformed she will break with the tradition of delivering a State Of The Nation address before Parliament resumes – even though other leaders are expected to do so.
‘‘It doesn’t feel to me that’s what’s needed at this point,’’ she told reporters.
But she is expected to give a major speech focusing on child poverty.
Of its 100-day plan, Labour’s industrial relations agenda could be the most contentious of the remaining items, and it has potential to further chill relations with the business sector. The party intends scrapping some of the previous National government’s changes, including those around rest and meal breaks. But the legislation is expected to go much further than many businesses will be comfortable with.
Ardern acknowledged business seemed down on Labour, signalling that she would keep her door open to the sector. ‘‘We’re always keeping our dialogue with business open, transparent and engaged. That’s something I spent a bit of time on before the Christmas break and we will keep doing that.’’
But she also put the onus back on business and challenged leaders to rethink perceptions that a Labour Government was bad for the sector, when recent history showed New Zealand had the strongest continuous economic growth under Labour, not National. ‘‘This is not a new problem for Labour; we’ve had it for a number of years.’’
Labour has ticked off most of its 100-day plan, including fee-free tertiary study, raising the minimum wage, a families income package and introducing legislation banning foreigners from buying up existing housing stock.
The foreign house buyers ban may be pushed back, however, now that the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal has slipped back, so there is more time for submissions.
Ardern said the focus now would go on its 300-day plan – which the first details of that likely to be released today.