A non agreement
Stuff reports:
Labour and the Greens have announced a memorandum of understanding, to work together to change the Government.
Labour leader Andrew Little said it was time for a change.
“Labour and the Greens have reached agreement, common ground,” he said.
Labour’s relationship with the Green Party was strong and had reached a level of maturity that allowed this step, Little said.
He confirmed he would speak at the Green’s annual conference next weekend.
Green co-leader Metiria Turei said change was on the way.
The Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] would provide crystal clear clarity that was lacking at the last two elections, she told a joint press conference.
A joint approach would change the Government, Turei said.
The MOU included an agreement to co-operate in Parliament and investigate a joint policy and/or campaign.
Little said Grant Robertson would be finance minister in a Labour-Green government but no other discussions had been held over any other roles.
This is a Claytons Agreement. It has nothing of substance, or that isn’t already happening. The key thing is what isn’t in there – any commitment to have Green Party MPs as Ministers. And that isn’t there because they know Winston would veto it, and it is most unlikely they can govern without him.
The MOU is here. Basically it just says they don’t like National. The six commitments are:
- waffle on good faith
- co-ordinate in Parliament – already happens
- investigate joint policy or campaign – meaningless, as no actual commitment to do so
- No surprises policy – should already be the norm
- co-operate for local body elections – has been happening for last decade anyway
- meet monthly – already happening
Again there is absolutely no commitment to there being any Green Ministers at all.