John Armstrong: Hiatus does Goff no favours

Phil Goff. Photo / Mark Mitchell

If it has to be done, 'twere better that it be done quickly. Macbeth's advice to himself is something the Labour Party might also chew on as things get even more messy between it and former colleague Chris Carter.

Phil Goff engineered Carter's ejection from his caucus without a moment's hesitation. It's a pity, then, that the wider party organisation has lacked a similar sense of urgency when it comes to expelling Carter altogether.

That is now on hold. Something which was supposed to have been done and dusted by the end of this week could now drag on for two months - probably longer - as Carter takes two months of extended sick leave.

Speed, it might be suggested, was of the essence. Instead of waiting a week for an expulsion motion to be put before Saturday's long-scheduled meeting of Labour's national council - the party's governing body - the party hierarchy could have called an emergency meeting of the council for last Friday or last Saturday, the days immediately after Carter's suspension from the Labour caucus.

That would have kept Carter firmly on the the back foot, forcing him to mount a hurried defence of charges that his destabilising of Goff's leadership had seriously breached party rules.

But rushing things would have breached requirements in Labour's constitution that any such disciplinary hearings accord with principles of natural justice.

The party would probably have been hit with an injunction or other legal action for failing to follow those principles.

Goff is determined that won't happen. The argument is that while Carter might well continue to be a thorn in Labour's side for some months, but when he is no longer a party member the story dies. Legal action could drag on for years and keep handing Labour negative publicity.

Goff remains determined to play things by the book. As the leader of the parliamentary wing, he has done what was necessary.

It is now for the wider party organisation to complete the circle by ensuring Carter suffers the "serious consequences" of his actions - namely expulsion.

But all that has gone on hold because of Carter's state of mind, which is causing friends and supporters some concern.

His former colleagues cannot afford to do anything that might be open to misinterpretation by Carter and results in Labour later being blamed for any untoward behaviour on his part.

The hiatus is good news and bad news for Labour. The story may now go cold as Carter gives priority to re-establishing his equilibrium after months of stress and being the public whipping-boy.

The bad news is it leaves Carter in a strange kind of limbo whereby he is no longer a member of the Labour caucus, but technically remains a Labour MP.

Try as it might to disown Carter, Labour cannot seem to shake him off.

The official line is that this is a problem for the wider party. The parliamentary wing has exorcised Carter from its midst.

But voters do not make such distinctions. The party is the party is the party - rather than an amalgam of components. The party is also the leader and the leader is the party.

The risk is that leaving things unresolved means the kudos Goff won for looking strong and in control in ousting Carter from his caucus is slowly draining away.