A very liberal revolution has been occurring in New Zealand politics. Our parliament and Labour-led government are more socially liberal and diverse than ever before, and that’s something for progressives to celebrate.
Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister, embodies this, and is lauded as a breath of fresh air in a political world traditionally dominated by “stale, male, and pale” social conservatives. She has just reshuffled the cabinet of her re-elected government, bringing more women, Māori and Pasifika into senior positions. It is the most diverse cabinet in history. The appointment of moko kauae-wearing Nanaia Mahuta as the minister of foreign affairs epitomises this modernisation. Similarly, we have our first openly gay deputy prime minister.
Increased diversity and liberalism is evident throughout New Zealand’s parliament. A third of the parliament are new MPs, many from traditionally under-represented backgrounds. Our House of Representatives has become more female, younger, browner, and more openly gay.
New Zealand is now the closest in the OECD to achieving gender equality, with 48% of MPs women. Māori make up 21% of MPs, compared to 12% of the adult population. Pasifika make up 10% of MPs compared to 6% of adult population. 11% of MPs identify as belonging to the LGBTQI community, compared to an estimated 3.5% of the population. And the parliament has become much younger.
However, at the same time as our politicians are becoming more diverse – especially those from the Labour and Green parties – this doesn’t extend to socio-economics or social class. MPs’ occupational backgrounds are more middle-class than ever.
The most common profession represented in the new parliament and government are lawyers. And most other MPs have backgrounds in professional careers. The days of working-class representation are over, and even unionists are few and far between. We have a parliament of the upper middle-class, with less organic connection to the needs of everyday people.
There aren’t even big differences between the parties anymore. The socio-economic backgrounds of Labour and National politicians are increasingly similar. And, of course, once they’re in power they are all extremely well remunerated, becoming part of the top 1-2% of income earners.
So it’s not surprising that class politics, or any type of socialist policies, are missing from political debate in this country. Instead, the focus of these middle-class progressives in power is on social concerns, while other big problems for the working class and poor – especially poverty, inequality, housing unaffordability, and the creaking welfare state – remain unaddressed. Because the modern left in power focuses less on these issues, both their promises and record aren’t too dissimilar from the rightwing National party.
There’s a precedent for what we are seeing at the moment. Back in the 1980s the Labour party started its metamorphosis into the middle-class vehicle focused on social issues we see today. Back then, the result was the infamous fourth Labour government.
That was an administration that was seen to betray its traditional supporters by introducing economic reforms inspired by Thatcherism and other free-market capitalist philosophies. This caused skyrocketing inequality and a rebalancing of power to business interests that has never been rolled back.
At that time, the political left felt it was too difficult to challenge or oppose the pro-business economic reforms being introduced by their own Labour party. Instead, it was easier to focus on agendas for biculturalism, anti-racism, feminism, peace and anti-nuclear fights. As a cartoon at the time portrayed, although the left had accepted the mass unemployment arising from government decisions, at least the country could celebrate “nuclear-free unemployment”.
Three decades later, it seems the left is destined to go down the same path – willing to accept social progress and symbolism in lieu of delivering on the material interests of those at the bottom of the heap. But to be a genuine leftwing force, the current Labour-led government needs to take on social issues without this being at the expense of economic progress such as redistributive programmes, mass state housing, pro-worker industrial laws, adequate welfare support, and properly-funded education and health systems.
The left has to learn to do both. It can focus on diversity and socially liberal reforms, while at the same time demanding economic progress. Progressives must not be bought off or distracted by the more elite changes in the makeup of the political class. Yes, having a deputy prime minister who is openly gay is something to celebrate, but the left shouldn’t forget his current economic stewardship is something Margaret Thatcher would have been relatively comfortable with.
Forcing this government to deliver for the poor and working class might require protests and mobilisation. Without such pressure, the new professional class of politicians are likely to just rest on the laurels of diversity and social liberalism.
Dr Bryce Edwards is the political analyst in residence at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where he is the director of the Democracy Project
