This week, Labour MP Shane Jones announced he would retire from politics, to take up a job offered to him by the National Government.
TV3 broke the story, with the network’s political editor Patrick Gowersaying “Despite never becoming Labour leader, Mr Jones has been a star for the party, but also a maverick, a kamikaze – especially in terms of his attacks on the Green Party.”
Mr Jones told RNZ’s Morning Report that “any New Zealander with a smidgeon of interest in politics will know that the political collar has chafed this dog's neck – and now I've slipped the collar.”
The New Zealand Herald’s Claire Trevett says Jones quit because he could never have worked with the Green Party.
Mr Jones told her, “The Labour Party I came into is a party of New Zealanders. Some are on the left, some are on the right. The sweet spot is in the centre.
“I’m not interested in ever campaigning for the Green vote, or going out there promoting Labour as only being able to govern if it has some sort of Green organ transplant.”
Mr Jones said he could never have worked under Greens co-leader Russel Norman in a coalition.
The New Zealand Herald reports the Greens’ Metiria Turei saying she expected him to leave with “a bit more dignity”. “I know he's a colourful guy and he has colourful language, but just continually insulting people is a really bad way to leave your work environment. He's not going to be missed, I think.”
Commentator Morgan Godfery says Jones was never a good fit in the Labour Party saying he is “a social democrat, but not a liberal”.
It’s said that Maori walk backwards into the future. History is closer. Jones knew this better than many. I think it’s what influenced his political thinking and practice. It’s the reason he favoured integration on Maori terms – he was drawing on the wisdom of experience, as he saw it – and the reason he valued oratory. He traced his political descent down the same line as Carroll, Ngata, Couch and Peters. Shane was a model of these Maori men. He drew on their strengths, but he also inherited their weaknesses… Maori political history isn't rich with choice. Telling us to wait for a more "progressive" candidate is deeply offensive. Maori have waited too long for too little. Shane was an opportunity and one many - including myself - were willing to back. He wasn’t perfect, but he was as close as we’ve come in more than a decade to the centre of power. Winston was the last Maori politician to come close to real power. It’s been a century since Maori actually touched it (Carroll as acting prime minister). Forgive us for working with what we have.
On The Daily Blog, Green Party candidate Marama Davidson looks at the up and coming Māori political talent. “Generally there is still untapped flair that we need to be attracting and holding. Building up the profile of budding politicians is what we have not done enough of. Therefore the current ‘exodus’ of some key Māori political icons seems like a massive chunk out of our landscape. I hope this kicks us into gear for the 2017 elections.”
Labour leader David Cunliffe says Mr Jones’ leaving had nothing to do with the direction of the party or his leadership. But some senior MPs says his departure will make things more difficult five months out from an election,RNZ reports.
Mr Jones is leaving for a job created for him by Foreign Minister Murray McCully. The Prime Minister said that decision was completely up to Mr Jones. “You can't break people’s arms – people only take up a new opportunity because they think the new opportunity is better than the existing one.”
For the Herald, Bryce Edwards says the “poaching” is “undoubtedly a brilliant piece of strategic manoeuvring”. But rounding up comment online, he says it could also be “viewed as a cynical, dirty and even ‘corrupt’ ploy to undermine the electoral chances of the Opposition?”
The job Jones is departing for is yet to be completely outlined, but it’s an “ambassador level” position focusing on getting more money out of fisheries in the Pacific. Mr McCully told Morning Report that the Pacific tuna fishery was worth $4.9 billion last year, returning less than ten per cent to its island owners. Radio New Zealand International reports the government is being warned to tread carefully in the area.
Mr Jones will be replaced in the house by former MP Kelvin Davis, who took to Facebook to outline his priorities: Maori education, regional development for Te Tai Tokerau, Te Reo Maori, and ending violence against women:
So men, I don't give a rats arse if I'm accused of not being a REAL bloke, I'll still be a sports and rugby fanatic, get on the piss, keep up my fishing, shooting and getting lost up in the bush - but i love my wife, daughters, mother, sister, nieces,cousins, friends and colleagues too much to ignore sexual, physical and emotional abuse any longer.