Modified man-ban plan likely
Senior Labour MPs are pressuring the party to dump or modify gender quota and ‘‘women-only’’ selection proposals ahead of today’s regular caucus meeting of MPs.
‘‘Free and frank’’ views are expected to be aired by supporters of the quota and a group of male MPs, including Shane Jones and Clayton Cosgrove, who have openly rubbished the moves.
Manurewa MP Louisa Wall has backed the rule changes and list MP Sue Moroney has also spoken in favour of their aims, although she has hinted at a compromise.
After a series of meetings that spilled over into the evening, Labour sources yesterday said the solution rested with the party’s ruling council, not its MPs.
Talks were under way to find a way through the problem, which has split the party and opened it to derision for proposing a so-called ‘‘man ban’’.
The party’s ruling NZ council gave the nod to the proposals that would ensure 45 per cent of Labour MPs were women by 2014 and 50 per cent by 2017.
They would also allow local electorate committees to ask the council to declare candidate selections to be ‘‘women-only’’ to help achieve the target.
Both will be voted on at the party’s November annual conference, but Labour strategists were keen to ensure the issue did not dog the party until then.
A solution would likely centre around redefining the 50 per cent quota as an objective, rather than a requirement.
Jon Stephenson arrives at the High Court in Wellington yesterday for the defamation case.