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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