It’s not too early to begin the blame game

It’s not too early to start the blame recreation. All indications are the election result’s set in stone with Labour going, in simply three years, from the primary occasion capable of govern alone below MMP to a crushing defeat on 14 October which halves their variety of MPs.

Individuals who have been paying consideration gained’t remorse the loss. Labour hasn’t had the need or the power to carry significant change in all however a few circumstances. The duty has been past it.

Even the place Labour has introduced vital change, corresponding to with Honest Pay Agreements, it took six years and the coverage has been so poorly communicated it will likely be dashed away within the blink of an eye fixed by Nationwide/Act with barely a public murmur.

Labour is aware of it’s up for a hiding so it’s now attempting to save lots of its base electorates. It’s begun asserting insurance policies it hopes will probably be widespread with its base corresponding to taking GST off recent fruit and greens. It did a lot the identical earlier than the 2011 election, understanding it wouldn’t be capable to implement the coverage. Subsequent 12 months it can additionally repeat what it did after the 2011 election and recant on the coverage saying “there are higher methods to assist these on low incomes than modifications to GST”. However, as in 2011, these “higher methods” won’t ever materialise.

I’m positive somebody someplace has produced a listing of Labour’s introduced intentions to introduce insurance policies which they’ve didn’t observe via with. Will probably be lengthy and embarrassing.

Two examples from the final week spotlight Labour’s astonishing political inertia.

Firstly Chris Hipkins needed to apologise for claiming throughout the first leaders’ debate that Labour had eliminated fizzy drinks from main faculties when it emerged the federal government had thought of it however by no means adopted via.

Secondly all of us bear in mind the weeping and gnashing of enamel two years in the past over the appalling daybreak raids of the Nineteen Seventies – which included a proper authorities apology. However following the apology it was discovered that immigration officers continued with the follow and solely this week Immigration Minister Andrew Little has introduced the intention to legislate to limit the follow. However not until after the election – goodbye to that concept.

When you’ll be able to’t defend youngsters from essentially the most fundamental of company predation and also you don’t observe although on defending households from what quantities to practices of state terror then you’ve got forfeited any proper to public respect.

For the time being hope for progressive change relaxation solely with Te Pāti Māori and the Greens.