‘I'd like you to welcome our next Prime Minister – Andrew Little.'
That's how the Labour Party leader was optimistically introduced at the Cornerstone Pub in Tauranga this evening.
Supported by local Labour Party candidates from the Bay of Plenty, Andrew took the stage at the Cornerstone as part of his ‘State of the Regions' tour, which has previously drawn hundreds of people in Christchurch and Dunedin.
There weren't quite hundreds at the Cornerstone, but maybe a hundred, at a pinch. It looked like a particularly busy quiz night, and – as one observer noted – made up chiefly of party faithful.
This was Andrew Little preaching to the converted. And although he wasn't as fiery or dogmatic as a preacher, he's certainly not a poor communicator. He has a conversational manner, much like former Prime Minister John Key, or our local MP Simon Bridges.
The crowd at the Cornerstone.
But there's a hint of genuine anger when he talks about the issues he believes will loom largest this election. In regards to Tauranga, he talked about the congested roads and the housing crisis, which he emphasises is caused not just by ‘cashed-up Aucklanders' moving south. He mentioned the city's homeless problem, too, and how Tauranga is facing the same strains felt in the rest of the regions.
'Our kids could grow up and be part of a generation who mostly never own their own homes,” he says.
He mentioned education, pointing out 80 per cent of Tauranga schools are at or above capacity. He referred to his own battle with prostate cancer, and how that highlighted for him the importance of a strong public health service, accessible for all.
There was intermittent applause throughout Andrew's speech, but of course, many in the crowd were wearing red.
The true test will come in September, when the city – and the country – goes to the polls.
The Labour Party leader will no doubt be hoping his tour of the regions lifts the party vote, even incrementally, which is all the more crucial under MMP. After all, you'd have to be pretty confident to believe Labour candidate Jan Tinetti could dislodge Simon from the firmly-National Tauranga electorate.
But maybe Andrew stands a better chance of becoming our next PM.
4 comments
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Posted on 01-03-2017 19:31 | By Icon
The headline was the equivalent of the Oscars fiasco, but better.
What about my shower?
Posted on 01-03-2017 22:27 | By jed
Labour wanted to reduce my shower water pressure several years back. I fear they will try to do this again if they get elected. And, they seem to have signed an agreement with the greens, who are nutters.
Haha
Posted on 02-03-2017 04:41 | By BennyBenson
Dream on..NZ needs a drastic change in leadership..Labour or National are not going to cut it. Winston for PM, time to let him show us what he can do.
Andrew...
Posted on 03-03-2017 20:28 | By groutby
...certainly "tongue in cheek" I would say from the "Labour Party" ( guess we don't know who had way too many Guiness's actually said that), ...don't give up your teaching or restaurant jobs etc just yet guys!........
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