Summarised by Centrist
Between scandalous allegations involving yet another Green MP and Labour languishing at historic lows, is there hope for the Left? Political commentator Grant Duncan thinks so.
The Green Party’s handling of allegations regarding exploitation of migrant workers involving MP Darleen Tana has led to scrutiny over party processes and accountability. For the Greens, it’s another scandal surrounding one of their MPs and another case of taking weeks to fess up to the public about it. Despite maintaining stable poll numbers, the Greens face reputational damage as this is their third high profile cock up involving their MPs. They must focus on regaining public trust.
“These events damage the party’s reputation, but the Greens have a strong brand and a loyal base – and the election is still a long way away,” says Duncan.
Meanwhile, Labour has been grappling with public perception regarding taxation policies and the perception of being solely focused on taxation issues. The party needs to clarify its broader vision beyond taxation reforms and emphasise its goals for building a better society.
Duncan opines that “Political debate should be less about ‘who can we tax?’ than about ‘how do we build a better society?’ – so you don’t make people think that your main policy proposition is a new wealth tax.”
