Clark V. Woodhouse | Issue 17

Clark V. Woodhouse | Issue 17

What's your Proudest Moment to Date?

David Clark

I stood for Parliament because I want to play a part in making New Zealand a better place.  I believe the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' has grown too large.

The role of an opposition MP is to hold the Government to account. On a good day we can give the Government a bloody nose by describing their folly and drawing attention to reports that highlight the short-sightedness of their approach—and propose alternatives.  

During my first term, as Labour’s tax spokesperson, I am proud to have played a role in challenging the Government to make society better and fairer—by highlighting specific examples of tax avoidance amongst multinationals over a period of months.  The Government eventually stopped talking about ‘legitimate tax avoidance’ and started talking about ‘cracking down on multi-nationals not paying their fair share’. 

I can claim one success no other opposition MPs have been able to in the term of the current Government.  A Bill I proposed passed into law against the wishes of the main governing party. The ‘Mondayising Bill’ ensured ANZAC and Waitangi commemorations were allocated a public holiday every year, not just in years where they fell on a weekday. I’m immensely proud that the growing significance of these days to our national identity has been recognised. 

Above all of this, the most satisfying aspect of being an electorate MP is helping people when the system, and Government lets them down.  Much of the work done in my electorate office on Albany Street goes unreported.  These are the things that ultimately satisfy: helping students get their entitlements from Studylink; helping a rural community get connected to broadband against the odds; helping families with difficult immigration issues reunite with loved ones. Serving, and working alongside local people is the most important work I do.  

I would be remiss not to thank the people who work hard to get me elected, the team that supports me in my office, and the good people of Dunedin North who continue to cast their vote for me.  Because of all these people my majority as an electorate MP has grown, and I am in a position to help more people.  Without their ongoing support, none of this is possible.

Michael Woodhouse

I’m not sure ‘proudest’ is the best way to describe those moments in my Parliamentary career where I’ll look back with a sense of satisfaction on what was achieved. So for the purposes of this piece I’ll try and articulate three things that have given me the best sense of contributing to a job well done:

Health and Safety—Shepherding in new laws that improve New Zealanders lives is the goal of any Minister.  It might surprise readers to note that the issue that saw me as the butt of so many jokes and cartoons about worm farming and lavender growing was also the most satisfying moment in a legislative sense.  The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 is the biggest health and safety reform in a generation and will improve our poor record of serious harm and death at work.  We won’t know their names, but there will be hundreds of kiwis who in the future will be walking around safe and well who wouldn’t have been otherwise but for the change in behaviour brought about by that law.  That’s a pretty cool feeling.

Constituent successes—So many Dunedinites approach my office requesting help with things such as ACC, Housing and (until I became Minister and was prevented from becoming involved) immigration.  There is no feeling as great as picking up the phone and telling a family that their residence was granted, or ACC cover accepted as a consequence of the assistance and intervention of my staff.  I say my staff, as every MP should admit that, while they receive the credit, the lion’s share of the effort in achieving such results is down to the work done by their out-of-Parliament team.

Veterans’ Commemorations—As Minister of Veterans Affairs it was my privilege to lead delegations of Veterans back to the location of their World War II and Korean War service.  Seeing the reunions, listening to stories of sacrifice, and standing at the graves of their fallen comrades was the single biggest privilege of my Parliamentary career.

This article first appeared in Issue 17, 2016.
Posted 12:44pm Sunday 31st July 2016 by David Clark and Michael Woodhouse.