A worthwhile interview between Sean Plunket and retiring Green MP Sue Kedgley was broadcast on The Nation today. I’d seen reports of her valedictory statement with ‘parting shots’ about Parliamentary ‘trench warfare’ and nodded in agreement.
Much of the time it’s trench warfare in here,” she told Parliament. “The aim is to do battle, to defeat the enemy on the other side, not to debate or to listen. The heavy hitters, the point scorers and the alpha males lead the charge, and hurl abuse and insults at the other side.
Question time, which ought to be a showcase of our democracy, routinely degenerates into a pointless slanging match.” — Sue Kedgley, quoted in NZ Herald
'Accidental' MP Sue Kedgely brought a public-awareness sensibility to politics. (click to watch video at 3news.co.nz)
Watch video of today’s The Nation interview at 3news.co.nz
Quotes:
Is parliament all about point scoring? Or is it actually about holding the government to account? Is it about tribal warfare? — Sue Kedgley on ‘The Nation’
One of MMP’s great benefits … is that it has made Parliament more democratic and more accountable. — Sue Kedgley on ‘The Nation’
I found it interesting that she talked about ‘tribal warfare’ and the (pointless?) point-scoring behaviour of MPs. I see reflexive and ritual political partisanship and tribalism as the cause of so much energy-wasting conflict — not aiming at better solutions but merely demeaning, knee-capping and displacing one’s ‘opposition’.
I wish Kedgley well in this next chapter of her life.
– P
And Labour are the main culprits.
Nice ironic proof, Craig. How tribal. – P
Or perhaps I am correct. I would be a rich man if I had a dollar every-time I have heard opposition member screaming, “that National member should step down” blah blah. Labour always seem to be moaning about policy and then never do anything themselves when in Power. Sure all parts of parliament head down the slanging match route and its cheap National included, but as they say, if you don’t have a solution to the problem yourself don’t complain.
Those that complain about the combative nature of politics are usually the worst offenders. Don’t be fooled by Kedgley behind that Upper crust Mumsy doogooder is a manipulative player more than capable of slinging shit her own way.
In the words of Francis Urquart (House of Cards) ‘You might very well say that. I couldn’t possibly comment.’
Who knows? If Sue Kedgley didn’t have a spine she might not have even lasted three terms. I do know the barracking boarding school behaviour is not so much a ‘new’ thing…
… as we discussed when pulling the wings off Jordan Williams’ MMP=bad-thing theory earlier.
I’ve had candid conversations with people I knew before they entered Parliament and the stupid macho tribalism really is one of the very worst things about the experience.
See my note about Pam Corkery and others in quite a different context (starts here)
– P
[…] see: ‘Q: Where does conflict come from?‘ and ‘Tribalism‘ and ‘Sue Kedgley on trench warfare and the value of MMP‘ … among others. Here’s a complete grab from Andrew Sullivan’s blog last […]