Choosing a party is not like choosing a meal

The Herald reports:

Prominent Northland doctor Lance O’Sullivan is in talks with The Opportunities Party founder Gareth Morgan about signing up as the party’s new leader.

It is understood O’Sullivan is seriously considering taking the role left vacant since after the election when Morgan stepped down as leader, as did his deputy leader, Geoff Simmons.

However, O’Sullivan’s profile makes him hot property and National are also understood to be trying to recruit O’Sullivan for themselves.

O’Sullivan has met with National Party President Peter Goodfellow and is expected to meet with National leader Simon Bridges this week.

 

The doctor said after working in the health sector for twenty years he believed innovative change could only be driven politically.

O’Sullivan was a Maori Party supporter and initially intended standing for the Maori Party and seeking its leadership.

He ruled that out because he wanted to abandon the co-leadership model and be the sole leader, something it would be difficult to get the party’s base to agree to.

He hoped to enter Parliament in 2020 but he had not yet made a decision on who that would be with.

He had met with representatives of political parties across the board – from the Greens to Act.

“I have been looking right across politics because I don’t think I fit easily into any of the existing boxes – hence I have been having discussions with everyone, and probably will continue to do so for a while.”

This is somewhat concerning. Most people have some core political beliefs and can easily say which parties are and are not compatible with those. You don’t have to be wedded to one party but you should have enough beliefs you can rule some out.

Saying you are open to every party on the political spectrum sounds like you mainly believe in yourself.