Lynore Craig

This letter written by Michael Smythe (Auckland) printed in the Listener, June 13-19, explains clearly the Labour Party’s policy-making process. I have had the writer’s verbal permission to submit his letter to the Beacon.

“….the Labour Party has a sound, democratic, constantly evolving policy development process. Starting at grassroots branch and electorate level, remits progress through policy workshops, regional conferences and annual conferences.

“The elected policy council then distils the material into a coherent policy platform. This is a methodical three-year process timed to deliver a pre-election manifesto. There is no value in rushing it.

“The responsible approach is to align it with local and global circumstances at the time of the election campaign.”

Of course, this does not satisfy the media machine’s thirst for drama, conflict, the sniff of blood and, on a good day, a head on a plate. But pressure to announce policy prematurely is not in the public interest.

Also, the populist trope that Labour has become a party of “educated elites” who have deserted the working class makes no sense.

The continuously improving trade unions, who are actively engaged with hard-working, taxpaying Kiwis, participate in the policy-development process.

In a democracy that we are told is under threat, we should welcome a commentariat more interested in fostering informed debate than allowing itself to be manipulated into megaphoning polarised populism.