Clive Bibby: The Moral Authority To Govern

Legitimacy should be based on more than wining an election. 

The legitimacy of this government will continue to be debated until the dodgy deals that were the basis for its formation are overtaken by a public acceptance that the coalition is indeed working in our best interests by trying to keep us safe.

No amount of posturing on the world stage will convince those of us at home that this mob is any better at honouring that commitment than any previous government if the evidence suggests they are simply on a mission to satisfy the hunger pangs of their own narrow ideology.

In other words, we can't afford to sit back and let this group of zealots use their falsely claimed mandate to operate on our behalf knowing that the results of their policies will do irreparable harm to our sovereign state.

I personally regard the proposed carbon tax legislation as being enough reason to consider cancelling the government's operating licence.

That would appear to be a pretty hefty charge in the minds of most kiwis but l have never been more serious and have no trouble producing the evidence that we are being led by a faction that contemptuously overrides the normal boundaries of consent.

The fact that we are a signatory to the Paris Agreement is a false justification for administering this snake oil medicine which tastes rotten but is supposed to be good for us in the long run.

If you believe that, you really do need help.

Here is my interpretation of where we sit on the world stage as a honest contributor to the well being of the brotherhood of nations.

 Most kiwis accept that "we are our brothers keeper" and whether we like it or not, we have responsibilities, particularly to those fellow world citizens who are less fortunate than us - that probably means at least half the world's population. But, as with all families, there are limits to what we should be expected to do on behalf of others.

Traditionally, we have a proud record of punching above our weight, contributing on a per capita basis, more than our share in order to relieve the suffering of countries facing enormous challenges.

I don't think there is a fair minded person in this country who would want it any other way or would want us to relax our efforts whatever the level of involvement.

However, there is a huge difference between becoming the first to volunteer our troops, experts, cash etc to overseas causes that will have little direct benefit to our own society (those that are purely humanitarian which is what we do best) to jumping in at the deep end before we know whether there is any water in the pool.

I suggest that the latter description is an accurate one where our Government is about to push a large percentage of us off the diving board before fully understanding the likely consequences of that act of wilful manslaughter.

If the government was honest and responsible enough to check what is happening to its beloved crusade to avert the threat of climate change / global warming, it would find that most of its co signatories to the Paris Accord who matter, are deserting the ship before it sinks under its own weight. Their reasons for doing so are based on naked self interest. I doubt there would be any other government, faced with similar internal problems who would try to justify any other course of action to their electorate - except perhaps ours!

Background information:

 1) Those countries who could make a real difference to the levels of green house gasses in the atmosphere by reducing their own emissions, The United States, China and India, are either exempt from the undertakings committed to by "wallies" like us or have withdrawn from the agreement altogether.

2) Worse still, the two biggest polluters, China and India, are, by their current actions, showing little evidence they will honour any commitment to become compliant when the time comes for them to operate under the rules governing member states.

The reality is that these two environmental criminals (a term used by our government to describe rural citizens of this country) can't get enough raw material to service the growing number of coal fired cheap energy plants that are appearing like a rash all over their respective areas of real estate. And who can blame them!

It is, for them, a far more important humanitarian issue than being part of a half baked scheme that has little chance of ever achieving its objectives. They have a responsibility first and foremost to their own citizens.

When our government shows signs that principle is paramount in their minds, we could consider them to be a worthy claimant to the title of legitimacy. Until then, we should reject this illegal imposition of hardship where we are the only losers.

Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and community leader, who lives in Tolaga Bay.