Some thoughts for what it is worth. Yes the Greens do well when Labour is in decline - to be expected as they do have some aligned core values given that after the demise of the Values party counter-culture and environmental activists went into Labour in the 1980s (until the Alliance came along). However the Green Party that came out of The Alliance in the 1990s - with Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons and Sue Bradford - had a razor accurate focus on eviromental questions and socio-economic inequality. They were very effective polticians - they knew when to compromise and pretty much ensured they didn't get distracted. Somewhere over the last decade the Greens have lost this - the scandals are seriously undermining for a party that prides itself on behaving ethically - they will cause much more damage to the Greens than similar issues would to other less self-righteous parties and will be hard to explain away. And combined with the loss of James Shaw this is huge for holding the current government to account and their core business. They are reverting to being an activist party that is good for stirring up the followers but unlikely to win over new supporters. Perhaps this is reflected in the Greens polling taking a dip and why they not getting the hits on the legislation that the coalition is pushing through (which is potentially devastating enviromentally).
Great comment, thanks Mark. On your point "Somewhere over the last decade..." I'd go back to 2017 and the admission by Meteria Turei re her previous welfare benefit, highlighting poverty, following which 2 Green MPs resigned. That looks to me to be the crucial split, after which a new generation takes over, but lacks focus and self-discipline. Nonetheless, they did get their best result in 2023! GD
Some thoughts for what it is worth. Yes the Greens do well when Labour is in decline - to be expected as they do have some aligned core values given that after the demise of the Values party counter-culture and environmental activists went into Labour in the 1980s (until the Alliance came along). However the Green Party that came out of The Alliance in the 1990s - with Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons and Sue Bradford - had a razor accurate focus on eviromental questions and socio-economic inequality. They were very effective polticians - they knew when to compromise and pretty much ensured they didn't get distracted. Somewhere over the last decade the Greens have lost this - the scandals are seriously undermining for a party that prides itself on behaving ethically - they will cause much more damage to the Greens than similar issues would to other less self-righteous parties and will be hard to explain away. And combined with the loss of James Shaw this is huge for holding the current government to account and their core business. They are reverting to being an activist party that is good for stirring up the followers but unlikely to win over new supporters. Perhaps this is reflected in the Greens polling taking a dip and why they not getting the hits on the legislation that the coalition is pushing through (which is potentially devastating enviromentally).
Great comment, thanks Mark. On your point "Somewhere over the last decade..." I'd go back to 2017 and the admission by Meteria Turei re her previous welfare benefit, highlighting poverty, following which 2 Green MPs resigned. That looks to me to be the crucial split, after which a new generation takes over, but lacks focus and self-discipline. Nonetheless, they did get their best result in 2023! GD