Louisa on Labour

An interesting interview with Louisa Wall by Audrey Young:

Asked if she had ever gone to Ardern and Robertson to ask what their issue was about her, she says she hadn’t directly asked them.

Their dislike of her must be pretty strong for them to arrange to roll her out of her own electorate.

“I love my party. I love our principles. I love what we stand for. I just think that some of the behaviour of the people in leadership at the moment is completely incongruent with who we are.”

I wonder who she could be talking about.

• Legalising marriage for same-sex couples, passed in 2013.

• Allowing regulation-making power to set up protest-free zones for women entering abortion clinics on a case by case basis, passed in 2022.

• Allowing the late Katherine Harris to be named on the birth certificate of her daughter, Paige Harris, who was carried by a surrogate, passed in 2022.

• Making it unlawful to post intimate digital recordings of another person, passed in 2022.

• Extending protection of journalists’ sources to investigative journalists. At select committee and will be taken over by Ingrid Leary.

• Setting out legal rights for various parties in surrogacy arrangements. Given to Tamati Coffey and is at select committee.

• Requiring that renewal of liquor licences under Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 must not be inconsistent with local alcohol policy. Awaiting second reading.

&bull: Requiring the Registrar-General to enter details of Diane Sullivan on the birth certificate of Rowen Sullivan.

• Recognising the status of Māori in New Zealand. Not approved by caucus in Opposition.

• Stipulating that housing is a human right. Not approved by caucus in Opposition.

That’s an impressive list, and a good reminder you don’t have to become a Minister to be an effective legislator.