Labour continues effort to rebuild

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Labour MPs have gathered for their delayed annual caucus retreat and will have a full agenda as the party continues a rebuilding process after its decimation at last year’s election.

It was during the party’s retreat in January 2023 that Jacinda Ardern shocked supporters by announcing her retirement from politics, quickly followed by Chris Hipkins taking over the leadership unopposed and becoming Prime Minister.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.

Last term the Labour caucus had 65 members and the country’s first ever MMP majority government after gaining 50.0 percent support at the 2020 election. (The caucus slimmed slightly when Guarav Sharma was expelled in August 2022 after making bullying allegations.)

It now has a caucus of 34 and has seen an exodus of experienced members who have resigned following their 26.9 percent result in last year’s election that ushered in the National-led coalition Government.

A few weeks after the October 14 election, Hipkins was endorsed by the party’s caucus to continue as leader and said it was his intention to lead the party for the 2026 election campaign, where it would have a “refreshed policy platform”.

“We need to take stock, we need to refresh. We start again with a blank page,” he told reporters after the caucus met for the first time to confirm its leadership and start dissecting their election defeat.

Having ruled out a wealth tax under his leadership prior to the last election, Hipkins prepared the way for a reversal by saying Labour would rethink whether to support a wealth and/or capital gains tax. He didn’t believe tax was the issue that defined the election result, and wouldn’t say whether his decision to rule out a wealth or capital gains tax was a mistake, but all tax options were “back on the policy table”.

Labour’s leadership was noticeably quiet over summer but launched into Opposition with gusto in recent weeks as they attacked the Government over its more controversial policy moves as it enacted its 100-day plan.

The party has also had an enforced refresh with the departures of Grant Robertson, Andrew Little, Kelvin Davis and Rino Tirikatene — which isn’t unusual after a move from Government to Opposition.

Yesterday Hipkins told RNZ he wasn’t expecting any further resignations this year. Labour was focused on being an effective Opposition, scrutinising the Government and making sure it held them accountable for their decisions.

Labour also needed to have new ideas and fresh policy, he said, and to rebuild relationships with the party’s base.