There was something odd about this media release, both in respect of content, and in respect of timing.
I had to wonder if this was in response to, or in anticipation of, a much stronger stand to be taken by Act in the same week, indicating a determination to decisively, and persistently, legislate against, and uproot, any action at variance with the concept of absolute equality under the law, one person one vote, each of equal status.
There is no doubt that the positions taken by these parties on this very issue will make a significant impact on the electoral appeal of both NZ First and Act, especially with conservative leaning voters, and National Party members seeking alignment.
I have the following concerns about New Zealand Firsts position.
1. Almost no politician has had the opportunities that Mr Peters has had over a very long period of time to see what was coming and to take action to thwart this.
2. It has, perhaps conveniently, never seemed to be a non-negotiable bottom line for Mr Peters, where other things have.
3. NZ First pronouncements on this issue seem somewhat inconsistent over time. The drum beats loudly at election time, and is barely audible during any term in which he has (they have) been in government.
Those willing to give a moment's thought to the implications of rights based on ancestry, on past wrongs, or on the ideologies (or fashion) of the moment, might just see this as the most important issue facing New Zealand (and maybe the wider West) at the moment, and thus the issue that determines their vote.
There will be many pressing issues to occupy the attention of any new government, for sure, but enough voters will likely be of a mind that getting the basics right must surely mean addressing this very issue, even if the media conspires to ignore it.
Democracy is not an add on, it is the foundational principle, on which all else is built. You cannot play with it.
It means what it means ... that every citizen has an equal opportunity to determine the direction of its government, and the future of the nation, unencumbered by gender, race, status, or history.
Thus, to play with democracy, in the smallest degree, is simply to negate it.
Anything less than an equal and universal franchise, no matter how it is dressed up, no matter what it asserts to fix, no matter the past, is the beginning of a nation's undoing. If history attests to anything it attests to this, without a single exception.
I would like to suggest that if NZ First does not make the defence of democracy, as defined above, including any nibbling at the edges, an absolute bottom line, then voters should look elsewhere.
Democracy is largely a handbrake on the true nature of man ... the perpetual propensity to wish for what others have, to blame others for one's shortcomings, and to take advantage when it presents itself.
It is the one day in each electoral cycle when no person's influence is greater than another's, and while not perfect, it is by far the best invention that history has gifted us.
Mr Peters has often asserted that NZ First has been a handbrake where it was necessary for it to be so, but not so here it seems. If Mr Peters is not explicit on this matter, or if he obfuscates, as he so often does, it is worth holding one's nose and voting elsewhere.
The price of doing otherwise would be too great.
Caleb Anderson, a graduate history, economics, psychotherapy and theology, has been an educator for over thirty years, twenty as a school principal.
19 comments:
I have been thinking exactly the same lately. I want to vote for NZFirst but am now looking to ACT. I wish they hadn't watered down the Principles to now be constitutional. But perhaps it's a pragmatic way to progress. I agree this is the most important issue facing us and Peters has come up short.
Maori are never going to back down on this so we have to take the high road. However there will be a cost to settle the wrath of the pirates.
MC
The stark reality, for those who pay genuine attention to politics , IS that Peters is like the 'barbers cat'...all ' piss and wind'.
He and his party have no intention of genuinely dealing with the Maorification of every facet of NZ life.
Seymour and party vote ACT is clearly the intelligent way to vote.
In addition to the above, Peters has become somewhat 'flakey' of late!🤦♂️
The Tribunal has been outside of their lane for so long that the lines have eroded. Time to close shop.
The problem is that Jones and Peters are maori. It requires enormus resolve to totally dissociate from friends, neighbours and relatives, especilyy when living in a rural maori community. That is what a rational approach to the out of control WT would incur.
The democratic demise of NZ is a major concern for me this election. National have failed on this promise.
will be taking your advice holding my nose swallowing the rat and voting Act
"Anything less than an equal and universal franchise, no matter how it is dressed up, no matter what it asserts to fix, no matter the past, is the beginning of a nation's undoing. If history attests to anything it attests to this, without a single exception."
Actually, universal suffrage has been part of the nation's downfall. It used to be that only male land owners and Maori could vote (albeit only for a fixed number of Maori seats). When the people voting are invested in the country's future and own part of it they're more likely to choose leaders and policies that will work towards the common good. The idea that our governments prior to universal suffrage were worse and that what we have now is better is an assumption that isn't based on evidence, but rather a belief system. Show us the proof please.
Universal suffrage isn't the golden goose people claim it was.
I just listened to Winston on Sean Plunkets programme. He is dodging the whole subject. He will not take a clear position or do anything. He has not taken one step towards resolving the issues. Very very very disappointing
The Election 2026 discussion should be more specific.
The best way forward is to Electorate Vote National where appropriate and PARTY VOTE ACT or NZF to get the best of your TWO votes . The Party Vote is what allocates the parliamentary seats and the electorate vote is for your regional MP.
For the last 30+ years universal franchise has delivered us political disasters, culminating in the tyrannical Covid phase, which most people appear to have dropped down that famous memory hole. The product we know and love is nothing more than a collection of cult-equivalent political parties stacked with yes-men (and women), only too eager to obey the orders of the cult-leaders at the top. And the leaders’ strings are pulled by people we know little or nothing about. Our ‘leaders’ certainly do not dance to our tunes. Unless and until we eliminate political parties and all their evils from our national and local governance systems the direction is downhill, all the way.
Another interesting statistic, when you focus on Winston’s relentless pre-election pushes against immigration, shows very clearly the difference between what he’ll say to win votes and what he does when he’s won them.
Over the last 30 years, during the times when Winston has been in Government, immigration averaged 31,300 net per year. In the years he wasn’t in government the net average was 21,900 per year.
Perhaps NZ First needs a new slogan “ Vote for Winston, get more immigrants”
I think the trick with democracy, being the best system to date, is to recognize the genuine from the ingenious
The basic premise cannot be faulted.
Unfortunately, when the humans get involved anything can happen and usually does.
For my money, Winston Peters, Shane Jones obviously untrustworthy on this extremely important issue.
As for David Seymour and the ACT party, a dead rat, I think not, are the only logical option.
ACT/Seymour realizes the challenge to citizen equality can wait no longer.... just too dangerous.
No guarantee how this will play out. Win or lose? Expect unrest. But the challenge cannot wait.
Yes !
I'm personally with 'Anonymous' @ 3.12.
We must make a stand...I would be happy if ACT held out , and if this means ANOTHER election, so be it !
We need to focus genuine attention on this serious issue. Why is Luxon such an 'invertebrate' ? Has he been perhaps subject to criminal threat ? NOTHING would surprise given the acrimony /vehemence generated by TPM last election !
The way MMP 'works' means that under current polling numbers National may well not win a single party seat. It's distinctly possible that as many as 900,000 'Party' votes for National would not deliver a single MP (and at best a National one at that!). The more right-leaning electorate needs to mirror Maori Party recommendation to its voters - vote for us in your electorate but other left rabble (Greens or Labour or TOP) party vote. NZF seem too shifty leaving least worst option on the table to vote ACT. Such is the lack of trust in the 'system' that it seems likely that, in absence of any populist-style leader, we will we one day have ten parties, each with 10% of the vote..
Nicely put, Caleb - any School would (or should) have been very privileged to have you.
As for Winston and Co, you are quite correct, and Anon@12.35 provides some clear proof - which I've now verified.
I've always said, "Winston typically provides a nice soundbite", but his actual delivery is typically something else.
While, David Seymour does polarise people, he is undoubtedly "Prime Minister" material and, of all the current candidates, he is the only one who truly seeks to have NZ moving in the right direction which is - currently in its most basic requirement - "Equality for all."
Without that we won't be 'unified', and we will, undoubtedly, be doomed.
Have a closer look at Act's track record and you will find just as many problems as you appoint to NZF. Some of the mess National has gotten us in is with the support of Act, or do you wish to over look that fact. The only hope, you above have, is if there is an outright swing to Act & NZF, enough to put them in the drivers seat. Then you still have the matter of making sure they actauly follow through.
MMP, the power is with the Party. Swiss, the power is with the people. We do not run a democracy in NZ, only an elusion of. The NZ people have no authority over the actions of a sitting govt, none. The difficulty is that we may not have enough independantly thinking people to make a democracy actually work. NZs decline and decay over time is extenstive.
Another fact you may wish to over look; who has wanted it more. Say what you will, Iwi have wanted it more and they got it. The rest of NZs armchair critics didn't get off the backside on mass to prevent our downfall. The coruptions of NZ run deep and are deep seated because the NZ folk did not tend well to their democracy.
Sorry for any errors, didn't write it in word.
Kind regards
I’m sick of Winston. He’s just throwing sh!t against the wall and hoping something will stick. He’s not looking out for the rest of the country, only himself. And Jones and Laws aren’t any better.
You may be interested in what MacCulloch had to say re comments the Heather article. Act may not be what it appears. Their track record of past actions does not match their words either. Unfortunately Act and NZF may be NZs only hope. National can't be trusted any more than Labour. Both have lead NZ in its decline and decay. NZ has no good options. We aren't a democracy beyond the elusion. The NZ people have no authority over the actions of a sitting govt, none. NZ has corupted itself. Infected with the terminal illness of poor governace.
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