Labour members appear to have sent the party a message that they want a discussion about revenue policy, voting an economist-heavy cohort of candidates to the party’s policy council in elections held at the end of last year.
CTU chief economist Craig Renney and Toby Moore, both former advisers to former Finance Minister Grant Robertson were elected to the council, as was former MP and Minister Michael Wood, potentially signalling a comeback. Former Hamilton West candidate Georgie Dansey won a place, as did Labour member Jo Spratt. They won the five member-elected seats on the council. Members of the Parliamentary caucus and the party’s subgroups occupy the other places.
The vote potentially signals a return to discussing a wealth tax, a policy the party contemplated implementing in 2023, but backed away from at the last minute. Leader Chris Hipkins ruled out implementing such a tax, however he reversed that position following the election loss, giving the party a clean slate when it comes to revenue.
The policy council plays a key role in developing party policy that is passed up from individual members and branches, and getting it ready for debate by the wider party. As with many parties, policy developed by the wider party does not automatically find its way into that party’s election manifesto, meaning that the preferences of the policy council and members do not always become policy for a general election.