Victor Billot Explained

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 Te Ārohi magazine, and a performer in the bands Alpha Plan,[1] Age of Dog[2] and Das Phaedrus.[3]

NewLabour and the Alliance Party

Billot was a founding member of the NewLabour Party, which was set up in 1989 by Jim Anderton.[4] In 1991, NewLabour was one of four parties to form the Alliance political party.

He was a candidate for the Alliance in (at number eight on their list), (three), and (six), contesting the electorate.[5] [6] In 2008, 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.[7]

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.[8]

Billot persuaded his Wellington friend and businessman Jack Yan to stand for the Alliance in 2008;[9] Yan was number 12 on the list, but did not contest an electorate.[10]

Clare Curran, the New Zealand Labour Party MP for from 2008 to 2020, has repeatedly encouraged Billot to join her party.[11]

He stepped down from his role as Spokesman and occasional co-leader of the Alliance Party in March 2014.[12]

Billot still engages in left wing activism in Dunedin, campaigning against cuts to postal services in 2015.[13]

Professional life

Billot was the National Communications Officer for the Maritime Union of New Zealand between 2003 and 2016.[14] In January 2017 he began working as publicist for the Otago University Press.[15] He writes a weekly column for Newsroom.[16]

Publications

Billot has published three poetry collections:

His work has also appeared in Australian and New Zealand literary journals including Cordite,[20] Meniscus,[21] Minarets[22] and Takahē.[23]

Recordings

Billot has recorded several albums since the early 1990s with music groups in addition to a solo album, including:

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Alpha Plan's first Dunedin show in 20 years. 5 December 2016. Otago Daily Times Online News. 26 April 2017. en.
  2. Web site: Age Of Dog – AudioCulture. www.audioculture.co.nz. en. 26 April 2017.
  3. Web site: Andrew Spittle – AudioCulture. www.audioculture.co.nz. en. 26 April 2017.
  4. News: Billot . Victor . New Zealand is ripe for an alternative: a new Left party . 4 September 2014 . . 10 February 2011.
  5. Web site: Party Lists of Unsuccessful Registered Parties . Elections New Zealand . 21 September 2011.
  6. Web site: Party lists for the 2011 General Election . Elections New Zealand . 24 September 2014.
  7. News: Mackenzie . Dene . Students give PM rock star welcome . 5 September 2014 . . 14 October 2008.
  8. Web site: New Zealand Press Association . New Zealand Press Association . Cheap Chinese labour paid the going rate – PM . 17 March 2008 . . 28 February 2009.
  9. News: Hewitson . Michele . Michele Hewitson Interview: Jack Yan . 23 September 2014 . . 31 August 2013.
  10. Web site: Party Lists of Unsuccessful Registered Parties . Elections New Zealand . 21 September 2011.
  11. News: Rudd . Allison . Candidates find common ground at election forum . 4 September 2014 . . 8 November 2011.
  12. Web site: Victor Billot | LinkedIn . Nz.linkedin.com . 2 July 2015.
  13. Web site: Question mark over posties | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News. 14 February 2015. Odt.co.nz. 2 July 2015.
  14. 25 October 2011 . Alliance electorate candidates for 2011 announced . . . 29 November 2013.
  15. News: A man of a few words . 23 January 2017. . 26 April 2017. en.
  16. Web site: Victor Billot . Newsroom . 27 March 2022.
  17. News: What's New McNab. Department. Malcolm Deans, Senior Library Assistant, Heritage. Dunedin Public Libraries. 17 August 2018. en.
  18. News: Poetry roundup. 7 March 2016. Otago Daily Times Online News. 17 August 2018. en.
  19. News: The Quantum Uncertainty of Now. 31 October 2017. Landfall Review Online. 17 August 2018. en-NZ.
  20. News: Life in the Permian. 30 April 2018. Cordite Poetry Review. 17 August 2018. en-US.
  21. Web site: Meniscus. Meniscus. 17 August 2018.
  22. Web site: Victor Billot – min – a – rets. minarets.info. en-US. 17 August 2018.
  23. News: Victor Billot. 2 May 2018. takahē magazine. 17 August 2018. en-NZ.
  24. Web site: Robots & Electronic Brains – eclectic music zine. www.robotsandelectronicbrains.co.uk. 17 August 2018.

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