How Political Parties are fricking themselves (because we still care about this)
NZ First – Your easy pickins’ pimpsqueak. This is a great place to start. If you have already decided you are voting New Zealand First, you just love Winny Peters. Fair, but not fair enough to have committed a tick or two to this right wing (or left, who knows after 2017) party. Now, as an undecided voter myself, this isn’t coming from political bias. I’m saying all this because they haven’t actually got policy for the upcoming election as of writing this. Policy being the entire thing political parties are meant to cling to. It’s their reason for running; their reason for existing!
It’s all well and good launching your campaign at the holy ground of Mount Smart but if all you have regarding policy is “we are going to ensure that the tax income brackets are adjusted to inflation” then what’s the point of even starting. That commitment has no further explanation on how they will do that. Winston says we have to wait a couple of months for that. Unfortunately, good economic policy isn’t just saying “inflation is bad”. On top of this, their policy page is currently still possessing their 2020 policies. Since we all vote for parties based on their policy and not the personalities of their members (right? RIGHT?), why are NZ First even showing already committed voters.
Act -Tough on crime, not on inequality. It’s interesting that David Seymour, an educated man, still sees equality in its formal definition. That is rather than an approach like substantive equality, which looks to give people what they need. You’re not going to give everyone glasses, only the people that need them to see. This along with what is most simply described as pedestal politics creates an interesting mix. It seems to be a favoured position by Act to treat those that are worse off in our society as those that are below in our society; these two things are not the same. The latter is never right. Why tougher punishments without trying to effectively treat the root of the problem? Why keep 17 year olds from voting but insist they be charged as adults. Pedestal politics – keep those we see as below us just that way.
National – You’re an interesting man, Christopher. I don’t understand how you were the CEO of Air New Zealand but your economic policy is often stated as ‘growing the economy’. Now, I know, unlike Winston Peters, these policies have more substance to them. I find it interesting, however, that despite how simple you seem to find our economic issues, there was a $4 billion issue with your original economic plan. I think you’re a better leader than your procedures so kudos.
Labour – Can you guys show more intensity? I’m not talking about dropping a diss track on your right wing counterparts, but rather using your 63 MPs (!!!!) to give definitive solutions to issues. There’s a lack of cohesion which is showing with the internal issues in caucus in and cabinet. Crime is out of hand and there seems to be inaction.
Green – Stop being a support beam and start being the actual ceiling (deep, I know). Your role in this election is not to help labour be the big cheese but to be a prime chef and stir the pot. Challenge current climate action. Push your approaches to crime more effectively. You have 9 MPs, yet 6 are hardly heard of. I know it was harder with the current Labour Government taking up the majority, but it changes this election. Do an Act and hold some more independence.
Te Pati Māori – What works for Māori will not work for all (in most cases). You guys are unapologetically Māori and that is the role that is needed in Māori. Minor parties need to call up the big dogs every chance that is right. But this narrative that what works for Māori will work for all is dangerous at repeating history. What worked for Pākehā did not work for all after the signing of the treaty – it led to the systematic racism that led to us needing you guys today. By Māori, for Māori means that we need a Māori approach to Māori issues. That will solve it.
