Victor Billot

Victor Billot in 2008

Victor Billot is a former co-leader and electoral candidate for New Zealand's Alliance party. He is also known as a writer, musician, unionist, past editor of Critic magazine, and a performer in the bands Alpha Plan and Das Phaedrus.

NewLabour and the Alliance Party

Billot was a founding member of the NewLabour Party, which was set up in 1989 by Jim Anderton.[1] In 1991, NewLabour was one of four parties to form the Alliance political party.

He was a candidate for the Alliance in 2005 (at number eight on their list), 2008 (three), and 2011 (six), contesting the Dunedin North electorate.[2][3][4] In 2005, he was berated by the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, for all the faults of the National Party when she mistook him for a supporter of that party.[5]

At the party's 2006 conference, held in Wellington, no co-leaders were elected. Instead the party decided to concentrate on internal reorganisation; Billot was elected President. At the 2007 national conference, held in Dunedin, two co-leaders were elected, Billot and Kay Murray, with Paul Piesse returning to his former role as Party President. Billot was co-leader for one year.[6]

Billot persuaded his Wellington friend and businessman Jack Yan to stand for the Alliance in 2008;[7] Yan was number 12 on the list, but did not contest an electorate.[3]

Clare Curran, the New Zealand Labour Party MP for Dunedin South since 2008, has repeatedly encouraged Billot to join her party.[8]

He stepped down from his role as Spokesman and occasional co-leader of the Alliance Party in March 2014.[9]

Professional life

Billot has been the National Communications Officer for the Maritime Union of New Zealand since 2003.[10] Billot still engages in left wing activism in Dunedin and around the Southland, campaigning against cuts to postal services in 2015.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Billot, Victor (10 February 2011). "New Zealand is ripe for an alternative: a new Left party". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Party Lists of Unsuccessful Registered Parties". Elections New Zealand. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Party Lists of Unsuccessful Registered Parties". Elections New Zealand. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "Party lists for the 2011 General Election". Elections New Zealand. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  5. ↑ Mackenzie, Dene (14 October 2008). "Students give PM rock star welcome". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  6. ↑ New Zealand Press Association (17 March 2008). "Cheap Chinese labour paid the going rate - PM". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  7. ↑ Hewitson, Michele (31 August 2013). "Michele Hewitson Interview: Jack Yan". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  8. ↑ Rudd, Allison (8 November 2011). "Candidates find common ground at election forum". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  9. ↑ "Victor Billot | LinkedIn". Nz.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
  10. ↑ "Alliance electorate candidates for 2011 announced" (Press release). New Zealand Alliance Party. Scoop. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  11. ↑ "Question mark over posties | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News". Odt.co.nz. 2015-02-14. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
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