13 Aug 2018

Labour's rise to power 'one hell of a ride' - outgoing general secretary

11:35 am on 13 August 2018

Analysis - Plenty of people told Labour Party general secretary Andrew Kirton he was mad to leave his life in London and return home to try to help the party win the 2017 election.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and former Labour Party general secretary Andrew Kirton.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and departing Labour Party general secretary Andrew Kirton. Photo: RNZ

But two-and-a-half years ago he did exactly that, quitting his well-paid job, and along with his wife and two young daughters flying back across the world to resettle in Wellington.

Andrew Little was still the Labour Party leader then and the party was polling in the 20s but Mr Kirton said he's always believed in public service and participating in political parties is a big part of that.

"I was warned off by a couple of people. I had dinner with Heather Simpson [former Prime Minister Helen Clark's chief of staff] when she was over from New York in London and she gave one of her characteristic kind and friendly comments, which was 'what the f*** would you want to do that for?'. [Union leader, the late] Helen Kelly told my wife it was quite possibly the worst job in New Zealand.

"So coming over here with those two comments wringing in our ears was quite a big step,'' Mr Kirton said.

This week he starts a new lobbying job with Air New Zealand and has spent time recalling the hard slog it took for Labour to get into power.

The initial job was setting up the systems ahead of the election that meant the party was in a good place to collect donations and run an organised campaign.

Mr Kirton said it had become obvious that, for whatever reason, things were not working with Mr Little leading the party and on 1 August when he made the decision to hand over the reins to Jacinda Ardern things really changed pace.

He recalls heading into Parliament early on 1 August because it was clear something was going to happen.

After having breakfast with an MP in the Parliament cafe, the pair headed the back way to the caucus room and that was when things tipped on their head and Ms Ardern walked out the new leader.

Mr Kirton said it was after the "phenomenal press conference" that she delivered shortly after accepting the leadership that he realised it was "all on" and that it was "going to be one hell of a ride''.

It was seven weeks out from the election and all the advertising and campaign strategies had to go out the window and as campaign manager it was his job to lead the team and wipe the slate clean.

Fast-forward to election night and Mr Kirton said it was really difficult to get the tone right.

"You can't really celebrate on an MMP election night anymore, or at least it's rarer to actually claim a victory. Obviously we were hoping for more than the 37-odd percent we got on election night.

"On that basis we didn't pull the trigger on about $1000 worth of confetti, which was going to shower Jacinda in glory as she spoke.

"I'm not sure what happened to those confetti cans but I'd still like to set them off,'' he said.

As for the speeches and the mood at the election night party, it was difficult to get the tone right there as well.

By the time NZ First leader Winston Peters announced the party was going into coalition with Labour weeks later, Mr Kirton and his family had already skipped the country.

"In haste we had booked a holiday for the family in Fiji as a chance to get away and reintroduce myself to my two daughters and wife again.''

Mr Kirton and his wife sat in their hotel room with a laptop and watched Mr Peters reveal the coalition government - they gave their two daughters a fright with their screams and jumping up and down on the bed.

Up until it was announced Mr Kirton had put Labour's chances of forming a government at about 30 percent.

Since the election one of the biggest challenges for the party and Mr Kirton has been dealing with sexual harassment allegations at a Young Labour summer camp.

"That process is still ongoing and the report is coming out shortly I understand, so without wanting to prejudice that at all, it was obviously a challenging and complex and sensitive issue to deal with.

"It was challenging and did we handle everything absolutely perfectly? I don't think so,'' he said.

"But you always look at how you did things and what you can improve on. But what I am sure of is in our own minds we were acting in a way that we thought was in the best interests for those concerned."

So is this goodbye to the Labour Party?

With a chuckle Mr Kirton said he might buy a raffle ticket or two and "turn up at the Island Bay branch" but he will be a quieter party member in the future.

Ultimately he's looking forward to his new role at Air New Zealand and has not ruled out running for Parliament in the future.

His last public service to the party has been fitting out Premier House with his daughter's old cot for Ms Ardern's baby Neve to use when the family is staying in Wellington.

He has also been seen in the building heading to the ninth floor of the Beehive to deliver microwave sterilising bags.

Any new parents rely on friends and family passing on things they never knew a baby needed - "Jacinda is no different,'' Mr Kirton said.

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