The Role of The Valedictory Statement
I have never seen the point of valedictory speeches in Parliament, they belong like maiden speeches really - consigned to the time wasting scrap heap. It is not like Parliament doesn't have enough to sit through.
Unless you have served say five terms or more in a row in Parliament I am firmly of the opinion you shouldn't have one. It should be earned with time served not granted as of right.
And once you have had a valedictory it seems silly to allow you to come back to Parliament.
It was good today however to hear Sir Roger Douglas' speech. The speech was a fitting end to his Unfinished Business. Sir Roger can take something from his time in politics that not many people can boast, he has outlived almost every other politician he mentioned in his Valedictory. Kirk, Muldoon, De Cleene and Lange.
Watching it I couldn't help but wonder whether Sir Roger really got back into Parliament just for three more years to give this 20 minute speech - the one he didn't give the first time around after he was handed the arse card. I assumed he gave one the first time he left and there was general confusion on twitter if he had. It turned out he had not. In many ways he was playing it like he never left the first time for in 20 minutes Sir Roger didn't even give ACT or his past three years in Parliament even a second thought. He didn't thank his current staff or colleagues, just the old ones.
Sir Roger is still a confusing creature right to the end by those who are fans but not sycophants. His valedictory speech was the most eloquent I have heard him deliver, it was funny and self-deprecating in parts, passionate in others and warm in most. He looked very at ease. It was a speech that I imagine he could have and maybe did write all those years ago before I first met him when he was full of enthusiasm for the promise of ACT.
The speech was not one that associated at all with his last three years in Parliament. It went back to the glory days of old. In many ways that is where Sir Roger has been stuck.
I hope that history remembers Sir Roger kindly as I do for the years of his reign as Minister of Finance of 1984-88. And remembers less of his last three years in Parliament and role in ACT. His speech reflected that. Sir Roger is a politician of the past. Pre-MMP. There is nothing wrong with that and it is not a criticism. It is just the way things are and who he is and perhaps always has been. Sir Roger as Finance Minister enjoyed a period of absolute reign in 1984-88 that no politician may ever have the opportunity again. They were indeed glory days, incapable of even the slightest of re-invention.
Just as basketball great Michael Jordan ended his great NBA career on a high with the Chicago Bulls in that epic match with that last epic unforgettable shot before switching to the Washington Wizards whereby he became a frustrated spectator often critical of his peers, so too Sir Roger should have ended his time in Parliament when he was done with another team in red.
Unless you have served say five terms or more in a row in Parliament I am firmly of the opinion you shouldn't have one. It should be earned with time served not granted as of right.
And once you have had a valedictory it seems silly to allow you to come back to Parliament.
It was good today however to hear Sir Roger Douglas' speech. The speech was a fitting end to his Unfinished Business. Sir Roger can take something from his time in politics that not many people can boast, he has outlived almost every other politician he mentioned in his Valedictory. Kirk, Muldoon, De Cleene and Lange.
Watching it I couldn't help but wonder whether Sir Roger really got back into Parliament just for three more years to give this 20 minute speech - the one he didn't give the first time around after he was handed the arse card. I assumed he gave one the first time he left and there was general confusion on twitter if he had. It turned out he had not. In many ways he was playing it like he never left the first time for in 20 minutes Sir Roger didn't even give ACT or his past three years in Parliament even a second thought. He didn't thank his current staff or colleagues, just the old ones.
Sir Roger is still a confusing creature right to the end by those who are fans but not sycophants. His valedictory speech was the most eloquent I have heard him deliver, it was funny and self-deprecating in parts, passionate in others and warm in most. He looked very at ease. It was a speech that I imagine he could have and maybe did write all those years ago before I first met him when he was full of enthusiasm for the promise of ACT.
The speech was not one that associated at all with his last three years in Parliament. It went back to the glory days of old. In many ways that is where Sir Roger has been stuck.
I hope that history remembers Sir Roger kindly as I do for the years of his reign as Minister of Finance of 1984-88. And remembers less of his last three years in Parliament and role in ACT. His speech reflected that. Sir Roger is a politician of the past. Pre-MMP. There is nothing wrong with that and it is not a criticism. It is just the way things are and who he is and perhaps always has been. Sir Roger as Finance Minister enjoyed a period of absolute reign in 1984-88 that no politician may ever have the opportunity again. They were indeed glory days, incapable of even the slightest of re-invention.
Just as basketball great Michael Jordan ended his great NBA career on a high with the Chicago Bulls in that epic match with that last epic unforgettable shot before switching to the Washington Wizards whereby he became a frustrated spectator often critical of his peers, so too Sir Roger should have ended his time in Parliament when he was done with another team in red.
posted by Cactus Kate at 12:45 AM
15 Comments:
He did thank his current staff - for example is his current secretary.
Paranormal
Cathy, I often hear people say Roger Douglas's thinking is so yesterday.
If you agree with that I look forward to hearing your version of what thinking is today.
I see nothing of vision from Labour or National to rival his thinking.
If Douglas hadnt rocked up in 2008 to boost Act prospects the chances of Act surviving, or at best beyond the Epsom seat were highly doubtful.
Kevin Campbell
What a legend. Who's the vacuous-looking blonde cow sitting next to him?
He is probably the most unsung politician in recent New Zealand history. Branded as radical nutter on both sides. But he has achieved more for New Zealand than most other MPs. So what if he did bugger all in the last 3 years? NZ would be more unliveable if he hadn't ridden roughshod and made the changes he did in the 80s.
Just a thought, based on speculation and not fact. But maybe he didn't refer to the last 3 years, because he was pretty much sidelined by all around him. He would have come back to achieve something, but it was made clear his brand was poison. It must have been pretty frustrating and boring to barrack on the sidelines.
now theres a job for you CacK when you come back.
wiping the dribble and cleaning Roger's arse when he can no longer do it himself.
your tongue should do the trick nicely.
Kevin - his style of politics is yesterday. He's never quite understood MMP.
Pollywog - I am deliberately leaving your last ever comment up on my blog to show everyone just why you are no longer welcome to comment here.
Shelly is great! I love the post, such as great stuff here, for some reason i just love the look of that!
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Bang on CK, as usual. Kolika, you havn't quite grasped the situation. Polliwog, good riddance.
Kevin, you know that isn't at all true. Rodney increased his vote to 55% of all votes in that electorate.
A majority of 12883. Epsom and ACT were hardly "just surviving" at that stage.
Sir Rogers influence was dented as soon as Key announced well before the election that he wouldn't be bringing Sir Roger in.
Good speech from the wily Sir Rog, pity Key and co didn't give him a fair go.
Clint, I mean Anon 9.01, the blonde next to him is Heather Roy.
Remember her the promoter of the Volutary Student Membership bill?
:-)
Kevin Campbell
Who Simon Power's office had to save to get the filibuster through...anyhoo
I wonder what gentlemen like Gair, Talboys, Marshall and Gordon would have done if National had been reelected in l972 or if Talboys had the courage to seize power in 1980. Just possibly they would have sig opened the country up without the abrubtness of the Douglas-Richardson efforts that produced a counter reaction. Economic reform was needed in NZ ten years before 1984. In Australia Whitlam and treasury sec , John Stone abolised import licensing and cut tarrifs. If that had happened here instead of Kirk, we might have made more real progress.
Kiwis needed Douglas to blindside them and do what was right before their moronic,socialist bludger whining kicked in and it all ground to a halt.The worst enemy of New Zealand is its people...Douglas knew this and bypassed them...and we are better off for him doing so...now if only someone would do it again.
He is probably the most unsung politician in recent New Zealand history.
Bullshit. He's just another socialist. Once a communist - always a communist - Roger was a member of the Labour party - he was a commie like the rest of 'em
Branded as radical nutter on both sides. But he has achieved more for New Zealand than most other MPs.
Almost every one of his "reforms" were reversed by Labour and left that way by the State House Kid.
Railways? AirNZ? PostBank? Super? Tax cuts? GST cuts? The whole fiscal stability of NZ?? All of 'em back before 1991
Now Ruth Richardson made a big difference with the benefits cuts - cuts that were also reverse within a couple of years by Bolger - but for a year or so there was progress.
Now NZ is worse than it ever was in 1991
That's not Roger or Ruth's fault. But don't laud Roger for saving the country when it is obvious he did nothing of the kind.
NZ is worse now that it ever has been. NZ needs Rogernomics and Ruthanasia with twice the speed and ten times the force!
We all know what needs to be done: end welfare, end government health, end government education, end government super, end government ACC, get rid of all state liabilities, get rid of unions and leftists generally --- and then ensure the changes can never be reversed
This is not complex politically or legislatively. All NZ lacks are a few politicians with the will - or a few more citizens with the courage to force the issue.
where is NZ's Mohamed Bouazizi when we need one?
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