The State of the Planet with Chlöe & Marama.
Progress has stalled and is being reversed, but don't dream it's over.
Pakanga o mua
Tukua, ka ngaro
Puritia taku ringa
Ngaro ana te ara ki pae rau
There's a battle ahead
Many battles are lost
But you'll never see the end of the road
While you're travelling with me
Late yesterday morning I headed to Wynyard Quarter to see Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick give their pre-budget State of the Planet speech.
I was keen to hear what they had to say, but also to support the party who’ve been through some tough times recently.
The resignation of co-leader James Shaw, with his mature, consensus building approach. The sad departure of Golriz Ghahraman. Julie Anne Genter crossing a line, walking across the floor to berate the government with facts out of frustration. Most of all the shocking and tragic loss of Efeso Collins.
As I’ve mentioned before I’m a Green Party member. Disillusioned by Rogernomics in the 80s, my interest in politics was rekindled by the Alliance in the 90s. While I look to cover other parties objectively, it’s always through the lens of my own values.
Some might consider that trashing the planet for short term financial gain is a reasonable thing to do. I don’t.
The same is true when it comes to causing hardship to those with not very much, in order to give more to others who have plenty. Yeah, but nah.
Aside from that, I’ll generally take things on their merits.
I’ve written quite favourably about Labour and Te Pāti Māori policies and politicians. I very much supported David Seymour’s End Of Life Choice bill, and if he ever has another good idea again I’ll treat that on its merits too.
It was a stunning day, the water glistening in the viaduct, people relaxing, enjoying a coffee in the sun, as I rushed to get there. Needless to say parking was awful, I should’ve left earlier.
Before going I’d skimmed through Q&A with Jack Tame. I’d seen a post indicating that Chlöe would be on ahead of the State of the Planet speech.
What I hadn’t realised was that there would be a long interview with National MP Todd McClay, the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting and Fishing, and Trade. As well as the Assoc. Foreign Minister. Clearly Christopher Luxon sees something in McClay that has eluded me in many years of watching him.
With whatever balance I can muster it wasn’t a good performance, some of the things he said were just a bit silly.
McClay was very much the politician. Making claims that I’m sure even he didn’t believe. Being seen to be saying the right things - a bit of plausible deniability that they don’t in fact simply not care. When Chlöe came on it was quite a contrast.
Jack started with some questions following on from the interview with McClay. Chlöe said the no additional warming approach much loved by the coalition, the climate change apathetic, and vested interests like agricultural producers, was pseudo science, used to obscure the fact that we should be meeting our obligations.
She referred to it as Junk Science. Industry friendly “scientists” that suggest maybe a bit of methane isn’t so bad after all. The National Party touted before the election that they would “review methane targets to ensure their consistency with no additional warming from agriculture.”
I’m not going to cover the whole interview, if you’d like to see it you can watch it here:
Chlöe spoke about the fact that the existential climate crisis is too important to sit as a bill in a private member’s biscuit tin. That it was bigger than partisan politics, and how she wants to work across the aisle to find solutions, as James Shaw did. Although she did volunteer that she was somewhat more of an activist.
I don’t think I’d ever seen her as emotional as when asked about Efeso. She seemed on the verge of tears, I know I was. Although I felt that even more later with the Green MPs sitting half a dozen rows in front of me, thinking that he would have been there.
Of course Jack had to ask about Julie Anne Genter, that’s his job. But he didn’t need to badger her with the same question three times when he didn’t like the answer, which was clear even if it wasn’t the controversy he sought.
Progress is not inevitable, Chlöe said, we can make this a one term government. People can turn their frustration into action.
I found myself nodding in agreement. That has to be the goal, to end this government after one term, for a whole lot of reasons but certainly if you think we should treat climate change seriously.
Or maybe you really like a good dystopian Sci-Fi and you’d like to try living in one, or leave things in that state for those who follow.
An hour or so later I was rushing to the venue, although to be fair to the casual observer it might have appeared that I was merely walking at a normal pace.
Simon Wilson from the Herald was at the entrance with that unmistakable smile, so jovial and wise.
The crowd were a mix of people about my age, or older, as well as younger ones. Students in their Green Party sweatshirts, older supporters with a touch of the formal but also tell tale signs of hippiedom. Bursts of coloured hair and floral trousers to go with more conservative jackets. Many, like me, were simply in jeans and a t-shirt. It was a largely pakeha crowd although visibly Tangata Tiriti.
Earnest young party workers busily making everything ready, although it all seemed very well organized. Right down to checking RSVPs on the way in rather than looking to sign you up, as I’ve found at National and Labour events.
I don’t actually have an issue with them doing that, parties need to collect contact details of supporters, but it made a nice change to just walk in and enjoy listening without feeling like you were being recruited.
There were plenty of MPs there of course, most of the Green caucus, and a really positive feeling in the room with lots of conversations going on. MP Steve Abel stepped forward to let us know the co-leaders would soon be arriving.
There was a great cheer as the co-leaders entered.
Marama was up first and talked about the $16m received by the coalition parties from people like property developers, business tycoons, and those who want to dig up resources in places that many of us don’t want to see mined. She asked us to consider - what would be in the Budget for the people who paid for National’s election campaign?
Of how the pre-election promises made by National were never realistic and now they would look to borrow, to save face, for tax cuts we can’t afford.
She spoke of what could have been in the upcoming budget instead. If we had a government looking out for the many, and not just the interests of people like those that invested so much in getting this government elected.
That if the Greens were delivering it there would be a Universal Basic Income, free dental care, help for students and those with disabilities. Warmer homes, and solar panels meaning less pollution and taking pressure off the power grid.
Marama said the Greens were there for those who cannot simply sit back while the government cancels initiatives like Smokefree, opens mining on conservation land, and so much more. Of the fact that four thousand different native species are at risk of extinction in Aotearoa.
That the Greens are committed to the treaty and to all of us prospering together. Standing for people and the planet first, not the interests of donors.
She spoke of the coalition’s approach to crime. That meeting the trauma of those who are damaged with punishment was simply not going to work, and that we need to support people out of such situations.
That sanctions do not make a difference to the number of people in employment, they simply push people further into poverty.
Then she handed us over to her co-leader.
Chlöe welcomed us to Auckland Central, which got a good laugh. She talked about the terrible floods in Tamaki Makaurau last year, and the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle, as climate change well and truly arrived on our doorstep.
That we have choices still to bring down emissions, but “if we let oil companies continue to burn fossil fuels and pollute our climate we may look back on these storms as being mild and moderate.”
Chlöe wasn’t obviously using notes, rather she spoke from the heart in a very human way. She is quite the orator.
There are people who are authentic, who just say it how it is, with no bullshit. Chlöe is one of those. Listening to her it felt like she spoke for me and I imagine a lot of people over this term will come to the same conclusion as they look for someone that inspires them to believe that real change is possible.
She told us that the coalition want us to give up, to believe that the bad stuff is inevitable, but it’s not. Good things happen, positive changes, like gay marriage, which means Chlöe can marry her partner where she couldn’t not so many years ago. That, and so many other things, happen because people turn up and demand them.
There were cheers when she spoke about the number of people who had made submissions against the coalition’s Fast Track Consenting bill, and about upcoming protests against mining.
She closed by imploring us not to leave politics to the politicians. Then just like that the co-leaders were whisked away, I assume for other engagements or perhaps post match interviews.
You can watch and read Marama’s full speech here, and Chlöe’s one here.
What I saw from both co-leaders reminded me of the passion and genuineness we saw from Jacinda Ardern. The same tenacity and unflinching commitment to do what is right, even while knowing that some will disagree. A firm commitment to putting people, and the planet, first.
It was quite a contrast with those politicians who take corporate and industry donations. Allowing activities that damage our environment, while making the lives of many harder so that a few people can make more money and pay less tax.
Those aren’t politicians representing the people, they’re elected lobbyists there to do the bidding of those who fund them whilst fooling others into believing that they have their interests at heart.
The left are portrayed as being unambitious, negative, of wanting us all to have even shares of an ever smaller pie.
I disagree. I think it’s brave and right that we strive for a society where, in the words of the Greens, all have a warm place to live, healthy kai on the table, and can see a Doctor or a Dentist when they need to, without worrying about the cost of doing so.
All while protecting our environment and taking real action against climate change.
That’s your big hairy audacious goal right there. Not giving the poor a bit less so the rich can have more. Not sacrificing the future of our tamariki, mokopuna, and generations to come, as Marama spoke about, for short term financial gains at the expense of the planet.
These have been hard times for the Greens and they will no doubt be very focussed on getting their house in order. But despite those issues they are still polling very well and in an election that wasn’t flash for the left have more MPs than ever before.
Most importantly they have a real vision for Aotearoa, one that I believe is shared by many New Zealanders, even if they’re not Green Party supporters.
If you subscribe to Nick’s Kōrero before the end of May you’ll get 30% off for the first twelve months. I’m not planning another special of that size any time soon, so if you’d like to jump aboard this would be the perfect time to do so. 🙂
I have a feeling that I might’ve included this cover version before, but I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s well worth another listen.
I thought both Marama’s and Chloe’s speeches were great. Chippy did well too, with a Labour audience in a less posh West Auckland venue than the waterfront! My friend Fala won Carmel’s raffle, Labour members were out back in the kitchen, while others were participating in policy debates. The mahi of the Labour Party. Meanwhile, Luxon, in Palmerston North in blue, blue, blue called the Labour Party an arsonist.
Chloe has everything that McClay doesn’t - inadvertently Q&A showed Aotearoa that there is an alternative way, forward rather than backwards. With Labour as a support party I suddenly feel better about the next election!