Like nats leaving a sinking ship

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 65 comments
Categories: Amy Adams, national, Politics, same old national - Tags:

It looks like the National caucus is resigned to the fact that National will not win the next election.

Amy Adams and Alistair Scott have both decided to call it a day and announce their retirement from politics.

From Radio New Zealand:

National MP Amy Adams has announced she will retire from politics at the 2020 election.

She said as a consequence of that decision she has chosen to stand down from the spokesperson roles she holds in the party.

Fellow National MP Alastair Scott also annnouced this afternoon that he would not contest the 2020 election.

Ms Adams has been the MP for Selwyn since 2008 and is the party’s spokesperson for finance and shadow attorney general.

Ms Adams said making the decision to step away from politics had not been easy but she believed it was the right time for her and her family.

“Ultimately it just came down to the life I wanted to lead for me and my family,” she told reporters

She said she had promised herself that the day she thought she could not give politics 100 percent of her passion she would step aside.

After 12 years in politics and more than 16 years in law, at a frenetic pace, she felt she had given everything.

“I want my life back,” she said.

I wonder who is next?

65 comments on “Like nats leaving a sinking ship”

Comment numbers have changed to permanent references. Older quoted numbers may no longer identify the same comment.

  1. 1

    Its called renewal and is generally a positive thing in every organisation – political, business, and sport.

    It will be a cold day in hell before I vote National, but as far as Torys go, Amy was a good one and did some good things while in government, especially as Justice Minister.

    All the best for the future.

    2. 1.2

      Funny how the Nats always call it 'renewal' but for any other party it's 'disarray'.

      This is Chris Luxon being earmarked for the finance spokesperson role. Adams has been told this is what is going to happen – she walked.

    4. 1.4

      Adams was a poor Justice Minister, and couldn’t find it in her heart to properly compensate Teina Pora, who spent twenty years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

  2. 2

    Credit to Adams for the number of dumb questions she's asked in Parliament in the past year. Maybe she replayed some of the clips, wondered how things had got to that pitiful state and decided to pull the pin.

  4. 4

    You've got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away and know when to run.

    It's time to run.

  5. 5

    2nd in the Leader chase in February and now watching the Damage done by Bridges ever since.

    I can see she doesn't want to be involved anymore.

    She would have been my 1st pick over all others.

    1. 5.1

      Im sure it was because Bridges was going to demote her in his reshuffle.

      She now says she 'wants her life back' , but a little under 18 months ago she was wanting to be opposition leader.

      The timing doesnt make sense.

      As national finance spokesperson shes been invisible as far as the general public goes, so Bridges knew he couldnt 'carry her' when he wasnt going anywhere either

      1. 5.1.1

        Bridges does all the talking for all portfolios all the time. Yeah , ok, there is occasional sniper fire from opposition mps, using outdated lightweight firearms.

        OH there is also the pitiful political pension.

    2. 5.2

      Im sure it was because Bridges was going to demote her in his reshuffle.

      She now says she 'wants her life back' , but a little under 18 months ago she was wanting to be opposition leader.

      The timing doesnt make sense.

      As national finance spokesperson shes been invisible as far as the general public goes, so Bridges knew he couldnt 'carry her' when he wasnt going anywhere either

        1. 5.2.1.1

          Sorry, Mr Officer, there’s something wrong with my accelerator 😉

          Yeah, I noticed; I might have to delete those duplicate or triplicate comments from now on.

  6. 6

    I'm glad to see Amy go, she was actually one of the smarter, more voteable ones. If Nikki Kaye and that amicable one from wairarapa left, they'd be absolutely worthless.

    Good on Nick Smith for clinging on.

  8. 8

    It is sad to see Amy go as she provided good sport by asking inane questions and Grant and team was more than a match for her. Hope the Nats cannot find a quality replacement for her.

    Notice that last week the 3 Front bench women were wearing pink jackets. Simon wasn't.

  9. 9

    Alistair Scott got a lot of flack from both those who voted for him and those who didn't, but generally speaking he has done a pretty good job as Wairarapa MP (saying this as someone who wouldn't vote for National in a million years). He pushed for the usual National policies but I don't recall him ever being publicly obnoxious and he got behind a lot of community events like White Ribbon with what seemed like a genuine commitment.

  10. 10

    She said she had promised herself that the day she thought she could not give politics 100 percent of her passion she would step aside.

    And it turns out that that day arrives shortly after the realisation that she's facing a long stretch on the opposition benches. Still, she never did give the impression that her "passion" extends very far beyond her own self interest.

    1. 10.1

      Watched her face very carefully during her announcement. I think Amy was a little economic with the truth.

      1. 10.1.1

        If you're going to make a go of it as a National Party MP, you've really got to work on your evasiveness, duplicity and ability to talk out of both sides of your mouth simultaneously. It's a tricky skill to master, and a lot of them simply aren't up to it. Simon Bridges is probably still working his way through "Making Shit Up – A Primer For Ages 3 – 8." John Key really needs to take a break from tossing his corporate colleagues over a cliff and show them how it's done. That man could bullshit his way out of a reactor meltdown.

        1. 10.1.1.1

          That man could bullshit his way out of a reactor meltdown.

          Talking of reactor meltdown, he should change his name from “Smiling Assassin” to “Terminator”.

          “Hasta la vista, baby, I’ll be back” like he never akshually left.

  11. 11

    Alastair Scott? Never heard him speak, in fact never knew he was in parliament.

    Amy Adams? Hopeless. Dim. A waste of space.

    1. 11.1

      Another one of those 'Key look a likes' who give up an expat life and come back to NZ – wanting to get into politics

      "

      After a successful banking career in London and Tokyo, he returned to New Zealand in 1997, and established the wine exporting business ‘Matahiwi Estate’.

      1. 11.1.1

        The genius that told a teacher she should get another job if she wanted more pay: 'cos that what his staff did if they wanted more money.

        Please boycott Matawhi wine products

  12. 12

    Predictably Goldsmith gets Finance.

    They don't have the deepest batting lineup, but then again, who does?

  13. 13

    I hope that the member for Kaikoura is the next to decide to "spend more time with his family"

    We already know he is tired, as he is useless.

    Good old Nick Smith, I reckon he has been gone for a few years now.

    And Old Gerald Brownlee. for Christ sake, wake up Ilam voters.

    The list is endless, Maggy who ?

  14. 14

    Leadership candidates who have left or are leaving: Steven Joyce, Jonathan Coleman, Amy Adams. Less than 2 years ago they were the Future.

    Remember that all 3 of them would be senior Ministers today if English had won. They sure love to take their bat home when the voters won't play ball.

    Adams' departure is especially bad for National, because she was the default option for MPs who can't stand Collins but realize Simon is lost. Adams was not inspiring, but not loathed either (by Nats).

    1. 14.1

      yes, in the leadership race, adams was the least unpalatable( is that praise?)all the rest were munsters…

    2. 14.2

      Agreed: Barclay, Borrows, Foss, Foster-Bell, Goodhew, Lotu-liga, McCully, Naylor, Parata, Tisch, Williamson, English, Coleman, Joyce, Finlayson, Korako, Scott, Adams…

      John 'Phil' Key's
      LEGGA SEIZE

      https://dilbert.com/

  15. 15

    Paula still hangs on.

    Goldsmith has a nasty mouth… the only thing in his favour is his name.

    In spite of denials obvious chairs on the Titanic there.

    1. 15.1

      The Natanic has gone under, this is about first to the lifeboats. Rats desert a sinking ship, cockroaches get trapped in the holds.

  18. 18

    There is more to this story.

    Look at the many many threats that p****e of s**t cam Slater made on whaleoil about her. Endless threats to expose her about some huge breach of ethics. He held this over very publicly over a long time.

    With his connections to the very heart of National, there MUST be something there

    2. 18.2

      Yeah, but saying the Nats and their voters lack ethics isn't a bombshell. It's well known fact. Look at the trouble John Key is getting himself into now.

  20. 20

    What on earth did disabled NZers do to deserve Maggie Barry as Nat portfolio-holder in the reshuffle?

    1. 20.1

      Oh, did Maggie get a promotion? That explains why her 'between elections bill-boards' are reappearing after the bullying allegations surfaced. 😈

  22. 22

    To guarantee victory for Ardern in 2020, Labour should let Ron Mark have a free run in Wairarapa.

    NZ First will probably fall below 5% (the Greens should stay above). National's only realistic chance is a big wasted vote for those 2 parties. Might be worth having an insurance policy (forget Shane Jones, his admiration for himself is not matched by the voters).

    1. 22.1

      Sounds a good discussion point. You reckon Shane isn't popular – why not.

      The bluff hearty men always wanted him as an MP and he's living up to that standard isn't he?

  25. 25

    Adams saw the writing on the wall – her career had stalled and she'd failed to beat Grant Robertson, while there'd be no room for her under Crusher. Adams is stinking rich, with a huge property portfolio; together with the fat pension we'll have to pay her, she won't starve.

    As for the other one, I understand that the Nats themselves told him his time was up. He'll score a pension too, to go with his private wealth.

    Both of them will probably score soft jobs after they leave Parliament – on the boards of this or that, in the way that the Nats arrange for themselves.

    1. 25.1

      yes, they will have soft landings, with directorships to keep them in fulltime day a month work……

      1. 25.1.1

        Yes, every time you lift a stone there's a bold retired Gnat under it. Or you here some functionary's name and it is the same surname of some well-known pollie. I get a feeling that some directorships etc. are virtually hereditary seats that just get passed down in the family.

        1. 25.1.1.1

          You got it.

          That is why the Natz, exist the business community looking after themselves, short term,

          Hucksters.

          Desperate media rely on business sources (the taxpayers union?) for "news"

          Internationally there are mega rich looking for more taxation on the rich and increased pay levels for the low paid.

          They are greedy enough, and smart enough to know that disparate incomes lead to unintended consequences.

          A way back in the 1950's there was a (not good) British movie called "I'm all right Jack" about trade unionists.

          I am all right exactly describes the Natz.

          Blinkered, privileged, self entitled, not poor people desperate to have robots and AI to wipe their anuses.

          1. 25.1.1.1.1

            National MPs leave Parliament because they know they can return to the private sector and make better money.

            Labour MPs hang on for dear life because they’ve never had to work for a paycheque and don’t know how.

        2. 25.1.1.2

          lol Greywarshark

          "Everytime you lift a stone …a nifty piece of writing !

          It is so near the Truth !

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