Well, the results of the election are in.
They are hardly surprising after the job the media did in creating the consensus that National has the answers and that Labour was finished. Little surprise that people abandoned Labour like a sinking ship although Phil Goff did a good campaign and tried to talk about issues such as poverty and the sale of assets (while Key avoided the issues and endulged in character assasination.
Basically then the election was a non- event and the results pre-determined so that we get a government that destroys the social fabric of NZ society, sells off our ‘family silver’ and looks to building roads, mining more coal, drilling for oil (and to hell with the risks) to save New Zealand in the face of financial, economic, social collapse.
Basically there were no voices preparing people for Peak Oil and a depression that we will never come out of.
Plaudits go to Hone Harawaira of the newly-formed left-wing Mana Party who was the only one in a recent debate to openly use the “D” word and advocate for the poor and against the rich - again the only one to mention the Occupy movement.
Winston Peters of New Zealad First who has found his way (agaisnt all the odds) back into Parliament,largely over concerns over asset sales said that the crisis is here and the public is not being prepared.
Quite.
For me, as a 20 year supporter I have to make special mention of the Green Party.
Congratulations on stepping over the 10 percent threshold. Your policies of lifting children out of poverty, cleaning up the rivers and creating ‘thousands’ of Green jobs are ones that I can only applaud - perhaps 5 or ten years ago!
You, of all the political parties KNOW about the twin threats of climate change and Peak Oil.(
You alone of all the parties could have been preparing the public for what is coming - even IF they don’t want to hear and would punish you at the polls.
Instead you have opted for ‘a richer New Zealand’ (even if that means all the postive things we would all like -like a clean environment).
You have decided that doing well at the polls (and the public have responded) is more important than principle.
You have the opportunity to prepare the public (as Winston in his limited way, and Hone, are doing).
Welcome to the world of zombie politics!
My thoughts exactly, Robin -and that's why I gave my party vote to NZFirst this time, although I disagree with them on many points, such as they believe in export-led business and we know that self-reliance at home needs to be the first priority. The New Economics Party of Wellington understand the core issues of the worlds economic woes but it's too little too late and in the wrong political forum in my view. The great unthinking lumpen-proles will get the government they deserve, those of us who understand need to make the best of ir we can. This puts opportunities for building community resilience at a national level at a disadvantage, but, let's face it -Labour may be less dangerous to citizens interests but they still don't really have a foggy clue what's going on in the world.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I meant Positive Money NZ. New Economics Party is a mish-mash of ideas that seem to be drawn up rather hastily......
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