Experts and leaders attend Victoria’s post-election conference at Parliament
Opened by Parliament’s new Speaker, Victoria University graduate Trevor Mallard, the conference included ‘valedictory’ speeches from former Members of Parliament Te Ururoa Flavell and Peter Dunne.
Current party leaders Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister Bill English, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, Green Party leader James Shaw and ACT’s David Seymour discussed their perspective on the 2017 campaign and outcome, while National’s campaign manager Steven Joyce, also offered a perspective on National’s campaign strategy and tactics.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern opened her keynote speech by thanking Victoria University for giving so many students the opportunity to work as interns in Parliament, enabling many of them to continue into careers in Parliament and the wider public service.
Among the academic participants, Victoria University political science lecturer Dr Claire Timperley presented an analysis which focused on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the significance of her campaign and her leadership.
Dr Kate McMillan, senior lecturer in political science and an expert on the politics of the media, chaired the session bringing together journalists and commentators. Emeritus Professor Nigel S. Roberts also participated in the conference, providing a perspective on his former student Peter Dunne’s long parliamentary career.
Professor Levine says the congenial relationship between the University’s political science programme and Parliament is a logical outgrowth of Victoria’s location in New Zealand’s capital.
The Conference presentations, augmented by other contributions, will be brought together in the 2017 election book, ‘Stardust and Substance: New Zealand’s 2017 Election’. The book will be published by Victoria University Press in 2018 and will include a DVD of election campaign highlights.