Guest Post by Dave Rhodes
Given that the past 3 years have been probably the most traumatic in New
Zealand’s political history that I can remember, it’s not surprising so many
people feel completely disillusioned with politics and especially politicians.
It all started perhaps when Winston Peters decide to back the election loser
Jacinda Ardern and help form a minority extreme left-wing Government – much to
the derision of NZ First supporters who had sided with the party given their
many election promises – most completely unfulfilled. NZ First polling at
present represents the backlash of people feeling so betrayed.
We then saw an Australian Terrorist freely and easily obtain firearms that
in no way he should have been entitled to. Changes to legislation overseen by
our own Jacinda saw a relaxation of the rules surrounding the issuing of
firearms permits, but even so, the police failed the New Zealand public by
failing in all aspects in vetting Tarrant. His sponsors were online folks he’d
only met through chat rooms for Christ sake – and even then they weren’t
interviewed.
So rather than place blame where it belonged, fairly and squarely with the
police and their lackadaisical processes, no, we blame law-abiding citizens who
have done nothing other than legally own firearms. Just watch what will happen
if Jacinda holds influence after this election? Guaranteed purges, bit by bit,
inch by inch, turning the screws on the law-abiding gun-owners and perhaps
creating a far larger black market.
Then of course we have the huge impact of Covid-19.
It matters not your opinion of the management of the spread, and the success
of our lockdown policies, the simple fact is that New Zealand now has a massive
debt that will have to be serviced by generations to come. Plus of course the
borders remain closed – but for how long can that remain in place?
Sooner or later, Covid will return to GodZone and can we afford to
continually lockdown the economy and call a halt to New Zealand production,
social, medical and international interactions.
But I do want to thank CORANZ with their analysis of the political parties
in their post at CORANZ Election Charter 2020 – Results Are In Sad that the major parties hold such disdain for the outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and even less for the Clean Green 100% Pure Rivers, Streams and Lakes that they cannot be bothered to
respond.
Yes, I’ve voted, have you?
And whilst it remains something between me and the ballot box, I can tell
the major parties you’ve lost my Party Vote that’s for sure!
I’m concerned at the decline in our democratic rights. The firearm law government rushed through after the Christchurch mosque tragedy was a farce. Government had us believe they listened over 12,000 submissions n two or three days. Party to it were the Greens and NZ First and National backed it too. So I didn’t vte for any of those parties. NZ First has betrayed my 2017 vote on 4 or 5 issues (broken promises) and the Greens have lost their environmental bent for social engineering. Well spoken by and large Dave Rhodes. We will see what eventuates Saturday night!
The gangs must be laughing at Jacinda Adern’s knee jerk firearm law after the Christchurch mosque murder. Where was the accountability for the police stupidity in giving Tarrant a firearm licence? He was not a NZ citizen, he had no referees as required, he was on Australia’s watch list I’m told. I do not condone it but angry lawful firearm owners (ironically) sold weapons to gangs, I am told at double price government was offering. Jacinda hit law-abiding citizens with law but benefited gangs! Don’t blame Jacinda however. She had poor advice from the Police Association president the strident Cahill. But she and cabinet did panic, hardly good sound government. Like Dave Rhodes the panic showed in the massive borrowing. What a shocking legacy for our children and grandchildren.
Well I’m so disillusioned with governments’ three parties, National for its sins under John Key that I voted for a minor party. No wonder politicians are so lowly rated by the people.
One totally disillusioned voter here, and still can’t make up my mind which way to go.
Damn it’s gonna be hard on polling day, maybe pricking a pin would be best – but I need to avoid the 4 current biggest parties (I say current), with National performing so badly in opposition, Labour spending money like confetti – and then simply printing more to make up for it. The Greens – well – the most “Un-Green” ecological party I can possibly image. And finally back-stabbing NZ First we just have to dump.
Don’t forget it was National alongside Labour who pretended to read those 12k submissions on the firearms bill, and worse still supported it. Outright democratic fraud to paraphrase Richard McPhee.
Sadly there are so many small parties that will simply cause a split in the vote of those wanting to find a viable alternative.
ACT are no friends to the outdoors and the environment, and New Conservative although promising much by way of appealing policies looks unlikely to make the threshold.
That leave only The Outdoors Party with a very slim chance of getting in by winning a seat in Nelson. Sadly not my electorate.
Will I vote? Yes. Who for? Give me time, can’t rush these things. Just won’t be Labour, Greens, NZ First or ACT
One thing that does bother me about the referendum on the end of life choice bill, is not its current wording, but about how easily it can morph into something else.
Remember abortion? Introduced with quite stringent policies about when and where it can be legally performed, over the years the die-hard liberals have seen that so diluted that babies born alive can be either left to die or aborted without even the requirement for an anaesthetic.
So despite the most stringent regulations on day one (which are actually pretty relaxed), give it 10 years or so and we could have come full circle to Eugenics and the belief in selective breeding. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics
Seems as though the Dutch are reading my mind. Now euthanasia for kids.
https://www.votesafe.nz/media/afp-dutch-move-towards-euthanasia-for-terminally-ill-children-below-12-years-of-age
Yes I’ve voted, for sure
And I definitely agree
Up the main parties
It’s Party Vote Minority, for me
But my vote is not wasted
I’ve backed a good horse
That means my vote will see MP’s
In Parliament, of course
As a farmer I always voted National and then I aged and found New Zealand First helped me. I want our country to be in better shape when I leave it so our children can enjoy as I have but sadly this is not going to happen under Labour, National, Greens, Act, New Zealand First. That leaves the two stronger smaller parties namely New Conservatives and Advance and out of these two, Advance is looking the better pick, mainly because of their policies which would get us back on track if they were voted in but then so would New Conservatives. The referendum votes are both no brainers as they are both on a slippery slope—make things worse than better if voted in.
I looked over party policies in an endeavour to fInd an alternative to the parties currently in Parliament because I am so disappointed with their trickery. I did the Compass vote exercise to see what that would say. It offered New Conservatives and NZ First as nearest for me. But NZ First broke its 2017 election promises (e.g. 1080, foreigners buying farms, review of corrupt fishing industry, and others. Nor did I like the murkiness around NZ First’s political donations with corporate fishing companies) so it left me with New Conservatives for my party vote. New Conservatives are opposed to government’s ridiculous rushed firearm laws too.
Seems so true
Well now its done it is very easy to see NZ has voted on hugs n kisses over sound policies and experience. Its good to know labour have depth in their team and it was easy to see when the deputy leader read a poem during his victory speech. Looking forward to the next 3 years and cant wait for the first attack on gun owners with more restrictive laws