The Herald joins the Nandor Fan Club
It seems today’s Herald has decided Russel Norman has come of age when the editorial writer unleashed on him the type of vitriol normally reserved for Sue Bradford, or, ironically Nandor.
The middle aged, middle class Herald attacks Russel, the youngest political party leader in New Zealand, for being middle aged. It dismisses fighting global climate change by ending its largest contributor, tropical deforestation as a peripheral issue. It likewise dismisses supporting local New Zealand businesses and giving people the fundamental right to know what they are eating. It’s accusation that Norman put out a media release on the day of Sir Edmund Hillary’s death is risible given that National’s Judith Collins, Jo Goodhew, Simon Power and David Carter all committed the crime of continuing to work on, and issue media releases despite the news. And Labour’s Trevor Mallard drew our attention to recycling bins in Kaikoura.
Perhaps the Herald is concerned that it’s ‘democracy’ campaign over the summer had completely the wrong effect on its own rogue poll result over the weekend. No matter. I welcome its late conversion to recognising the incredible value that Nandor brings to parliament!
January 28th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Someone please tell me - why does anyone read any of these leaders in any newspaper? They all seem to me to be pure junk.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Kiwiblog (national) is far less tolerant than Frogblog (the Greens) when it comes to dissenting voices.
Nationals achillies heel is that it is the lapdog of its’ big contributors (the $20 billion property industry for instance).
January 28th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Obviously political parties always take criticism badly, so it’s hardly surprising that Frogblog is having trouble listening to this editorial opinion. But there are indeed a few good points made by the Herald – they’re certainly correct about the Greens ‘becoming more mainstream, bland or incumbent’ and about this being a mistaken strategy. I’m sure the Greens’ goal of recent times to move towards the centre is a well-thought out one designed to give them a better chance at winning votes, but its possibly counterproductive. It means that the Greens are losing their identity and maybe even their soul… And yes, the ‘mid-level Green achievement’ of the ‘buying New Zealand made and food labelling are issues on the periphery’ is pretty true. Hardly radical stuff! And certainly not leftwing stuff.
The Herald writer won’t be the only person to pick up on the contradictions and silliness of having an imported party leader railing against virtually all things foreign! Together with all the other rather conspiratorial grandstanding over the Electoral Finance Act, and the too often unwillingness to criticise Labour, it’s no surprise that the Greens have stagnated. I’d disagree with the Herald that this has anything much to do with the departure of Tanczos though. Tanczos was the most faux-radical of the Green MPs, and a great lesson on the need not to judge a book by its cover.
Bryce Edwards
http://www.liberation.org.nz
January 28th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I read that piece and over all I think they have summed it up well.
Mot did not agree with Nandor but at least we knew what he stood for, sadly the same cannot be said of Russel.
Nandor is a Green, Nandor is in the right party, Russel is about as Red as they come and it is about time that he admitted this to the voters.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Big bro - whilst it’s not my place to defend Russel Norman, I’m not sure that your criticisms of him being ‘as Red as they come’ are very accurate. While it’s true that his background is in socialist or radical left politics, I think it’s pretty clear that’s not where his politics are now. Yes, he might be hard to pin down on principles and policy, but that doesn’t mean he’s trying to evade some sort of exposure of his deep-down radical leftwing plot to take the Greens to the left. It’s probably quite the opposite if anything - he’s been one of the Greens that have insisted that the party consider negotiations etc with the National Party! Hardly a ‘red under the bed’. Don’t forget that there’s plenty of ex-radicals in Parliament that have also moderated hugely and become ‘respectable’ - eg Marion Hobbs, Phil Goff, Tau Henare, Sue Bradford, Helen Clark, Steve Maharey, etc. Only someone like crazy Trevor Loudon is likely to think that Norman is any different.
Bryce
January 28th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Bryce said…
they’re certainly correct about the Greens ‘becoming more mainstream, bland or incumbent
How are the Greens moving to the mainstream? The mainstream is moving to he Greens, more likely!
silliness of having an imported party leader railing against virtually all things foreign!
Sigh! When people critisise Green policy, they should read it first or they look idiotic. Where do the Greens rail against all things foreign? Economic nationalists? yes! Racist? No!
So Russel is Australian? So what? he is a good bloke and Australia’s loss. He is doing a fantastic job. I thought he wouold not be able to make an impact at all out side parliament, but he has made such an impact the Herald has had to make a personal attack!
Way to go Russel!
peace
W
January 28th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Thanks frog, I think this is exactly the right spin to take on this issue. Nandor did great stuff, and I especially remember a lot of that being outside of parliament too. I think he’ll continue to do well afterwards, especially if he keeps on informing and engaging youth like he has been. Nothing but support for him, whatever decisions he makes.
The attack on Russel seems a bit interesting. People have accused the Greens of being a one-issue party on the one hand, then they complain when you broaden the scope of your MPs and their political views. Which is it, Herald? Are the Greens too radical and narrowly focused, or are they too mainstream and diverse?
Personally, as long as someone is commited to the environment and sensible social policy, I don’t mind what they look like, what their gender is, what their age is, or even how they speak. Russel sounds enough like a Green to me, and he really does address my worry in that advocating for an independent New Zealand that doesn’t need overseas input on everything we do, the Party might get a bit toooo wary of foreigners. A perspective from someone born outside New Zealand in the party is quite welcome to me, and seems less a contradiction so much as an insurance of fairness.
As for political colours- please, let’s focus less on labels and more on actions and political philosophy?
January 28th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
“they’re certainly correct about the Greens ‘becoming more mainstream, bland or incumbent’ and about this being a mistaken strategy”
There’s nothing “mainstream, bland or incumbent” about sustainability when compared to the present prescription of measuring progress by increasing GDP(?).
January 28th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Please, Jh, didn’t you know we’re all fans of Grand Destruction of Pristine-ness?
January 28th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Bliss
How on earth can you say that the Heralds article is a personal attack?
Do you not think that is being just a little bit precious?
January 28th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Bliss - I’ve got absolutely no doubt that Russel Norman is ‘a good bloke and Australia’s loss’. My comment in this regard was just about the contradiction of an immigrant party leader being so much of a New Zealand nationalist! I’m definitely not saying this makes him a racist at all. But a nationalist nonetheless. His nationalism is rather in conflict with his previous *internationalist* politics - but that’s probably fine within the Greens. And it’d probably be fine within NZ First too!
Bryce
January 28th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Big Bro
How on earth can you say that the Heralds article is a personal attack?
Read it. Being helpful here is a link…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10489127
Bryce
My comment in this regard was just about the contradiction of an immigrant party leader being so much of a New Zealand nationalist!
You should take a look at Green policies. Being helpful again…
http://greens.org.nz/docs/policy/
Nationalism, specifically economic nationalism, is not “my country first and fsck the rest”. Instead it is about sensible economic policies, including trade policies, that do not damage society. Nationalism in New Zealand, and in Australia, is good for both countries. Trade is much better between two successful countries than between one successful and one dependant country.
There is no contradiction.
As for his previous *internationalist* politics. If you mean what I think you mean think what would happen if I found out what you were doing when you were 18 and held it against you when you were 42. People change.
peace
W
January 28th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Bliss, I don’t think you could argue with that statement by the Herald - he IS middle aged (just), he IS middle class (apparently) and he got his PhD in Politics - safe to say he is a political junkie! He even says on his greens website profile (among other things) that conservatism for him is not just and interest, but a “passion”.
Incidentally pretty much everyone in political-blog land would have to be a political junkie just to spend time all this time and effort discussing politics all the time - thats RIGHT I’m saying you’re all JUNKIES!
January 28th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
“Middle-aged”? Yes, I supose at 40, technically so, just. But he is the youngest Leader of any Party in Parliament, so the NZ Herald are playing games here. Labeling someone comparatively against the age of the general public, rather than the political elite of Party Leaders against whom he should be being compared, is deceptive.
And “middle class”. Well, looking at is website CV, his pre-politics occupations include “farmhand on organic farm, gardener, car assembly-line worker, sheetmetal worker and nurse’s aidâ€?. These are hardly the occupational preserve of the comfortable middle classes. Just because someone has achieved academically and therefore no longer has to work in the manual jobs and trades that Russel worked at in his earlier years doesn’t mean he has abandoned his class roots.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Maybe they want him to be ‘young and radical’. Pfffft whatever i guess
January 28th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
StephenR said: He even says on his Greens website profile (among other things) that conservatism for him is not just and interest, but a “passion�.
Stephen, his website actually says “Conservation (a passion)”, more than a slight difference from “Conservatism (a passion)â€? methinks.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
StevenR, Big Bro
Class is a personal matter. It is irrelevant to ones political job (unless you are a Marxist).
Middle aged? What has that got to do with anything?
‘Junkie’ on its own is a pejorative term.
It was a personal attack.
peace
W
January 28th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
The Greens made a mistake not making Nandor co-leader. You could have had a yin-yang and instead you ended up with only one co-leader with reputation, balls and charisma, and she’s retiring soon. You could have avoided all those democratic paradoxes before you now. Stalemate, mate.
January 29th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Russel’s doing a super job. When the voicepiece of a multinational corporation (the Herald) thinks you’re worth attacking, it’s surely not a bad sign. I agree that it’s a personal attack, and a fairly pathetic one. They criticize the guy for his age, his class, that he was born in Australia and that he (like most New Zealanders) kept working when Hillary died - 3 out of 4 of which are beyond his control - is this really news? Tomorrow will we be reading about his waist measurements and his star sign?
I’m truly impressed that Russel’s gone from no profile, to having his vital stats critiqued in the Herald in just 18 months. I’m even more impressed by the passion and knowledge he brings to his work.
ned
January 29th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I also can’t understand the reference to Russel being a foreigner. If he has New Zealand citizenship (which he would have to in order to enter parliament), then he is a New Zealander, whatever his origins. The Greens are not anti-immigration, quite the contrary, so pointing out that Russel (like a large proportion of New Zealanders) was not born in the country is just nonsensical.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Labour is about to jump into the political centre offering taxcuts and welfare to middle income NZers. This is a good time to elect a leader less focused on being green and with more socialist credentials to perhaps secure some of the left wing Labour voters who will soon feel abandoned by their party.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Are you sure you’re not posting this in response to the wrong story?
http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/01/29/watermelons/
January 30th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Im sure i posted this before…
Thanks toad, just ignore me for a week or so.
sigh