New Zealand Labour Party
Media Release
From Party General Secretary Tim Barnett
Tuesday, 03 September 2013

“Online Q&A” underway for Labour Party Leadership Election

Youtube Meeting Invitation Video featuring Labour Leadership candidates David Cunliffe, Shane Jones and Grant Robertson (l-r)

Under the rules for its current Leadership Election the Labour Party is required to hold a "virtual hustings meeting"– and now the plans are in place. There will be an opportunity for eligible voters to put questions to the candidates online, created by the New Zealand Labour Party working with the Scoop Independent News website. It starts today.

Today the Party is putting out a call to eligible voters to submit questions to the three candidates.

Then from September 10th to 13th selected questions (from eligible voters) will be answered in a series of blog posts on the Labour Party Caucus's blog "Red Alert". All-comers will then be welcome to join in the discussion The discussion will continue into the weekend on the 14th and online voting closes at midday on Sunday the 15th.

This online promotion is being organised by Scoop.co.nz and promoted over the Scoop Media Cartel group of websites.

"Scoop offers the type of engaged online audience reach we need to spread the net as far and wide as possible," said Tim Barnett, Labour Party General Secretary.

"Since we have members in every corner of New Zealand, not everybody will be able to come to the 12 Hustings meetings, and the online process is intended to give all eligible voters an opportunity to ask and see questions being answered by the candidates."

Clare Curran is Labour’s communications and IT spokesperson, and one of her additional responsibilities is leading a small group within the caucus who manage the Red Alert blog.

“As a party we are committed to making effective use of all digital platforms. In this case we are looking forward to a constructive online engagement process and will be planning more digital outreach initiatives in 2014”.

Scoop’s general manager Alastair Thompson said he expected the high interest in the Leadership Election would be further sustained by providing online access to the Q&A, especially for New Zealanders who are living and working overseas.

“This kind of nimble and very digital approach to communications is a great way to ensure people who can’t be in the room during the hustings tour are still given an opportunity to take part in the discussions.

"Scoop is delighted to have the skills and the platform which enable the Labour Party to amplify the opportunity”.

Scoop is now featuring the “Online Q&A” on its website, with a video invitation to take part from David Cunliffe, Shane Jones and Grant Robertson.

ENDS

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