Prebble on Chauvel. Chauvel on Prebble and DOTP

In yesterdays' The Letter, Richard Prebble had this to say on Charles Chauvel.

"Since the unsuccessful coup against Helen Clark's leadership 10 years ago, the Labour caucus has kept its rivalries secret. The front page story in last week's Sunday Star Times suggested that the "leadership" wants a number of Labour list MPs to "retire" so that the caucus can be strengthened by new talent.


Mr Chauvel, who is only known to the public for his international travel bill while on the Lotteries Commission, is next on Labour's list. Chauvel thinks that parliament needs him and he is busy lobbying through his "dear" friends to get the party to drop a list MP in his favour. The caucus blames him for the newspaper story and the MPs named have no intention of resigning to assist his ambitions."

Back in the late '80s, Richard Prebble was Labour MP for Auckland Central. As a key member of Roger Douglas' economic reform team, several attempts were made to oust him from the seat. The pressure came from Socialist Unity Party members inside and outside Labour (including the CTU's Don Farr), Matt McCarten and the Labour left and Labour's Auckland University based Princess St Branch, including apparently, Charles Chauvel.

Here's a quote from New Zealand Monthly Review of October 1988. Chauvel was at the time, President of NZ Labour (Socialist) Youth. Responding to criticism about remaining loyal to Labour, despite its then dominance by the "right", Chauvel defended himself thus.

"If it is "confused thinking" to remain and fight for socialism in a Party whose constitution commits it to that ideology, then I am a confused thinker. I wish there were more of us: perhaps we'd have sufficient numbers to have de-selected Richard Prebble by now, and we'd be getting down to implementing socialist policy and bringing about the dictatorship of the proletariat."Emphasis added. New Zeal.

Is there some history here? Has life as a corporate lawyer softened Charles Chauvel's views a little? Will Helen really make sure her little favourite gets the Parliamentary seat he so clearly deserves?