Well, the unthinkable has happened.
New Zealand First has surged ahead in not one, not two, but ALL the polls!
While we here in NZF don’t usually take much notice of polling (and why would we – they customarily *underrate* our support), there’s something truly heartening about each of the Reid Research, Colmar Brunton, and National’s own internal polling predicting a Win for Winston on Saturday.
Earlier this week, I said that this campaign marked the Turning of the Tide in the fight against National.
With this evening’s news showing clips of John Key being booed on the previously blue-ribboned streets of Dargaville; while anecdotal reports circulate that Northland Nats are absolutely furious with John & Joyce’s handling of the campaign … it truly does seem that there’s something magic in the air.
People from across the political spectrum – and New Zealanders from all walks of life – have come together up in Northland, and across the country. Whether #Nationalist or Labourite, Greenie or grandmother, and disaffected Nat or disillusioned blogger … they have all united behind one man.
And while by this late point in the race, there’s a certain teleological compulsion to view this coagulation as something of an inevitability … as someone who’s spent much of the last few weeks (if not the last few years) running about madly trying to persuade a diverse milieu of disparate perspectives to back my Leader, I can personally attest it’s far harder to pull off than it looks.
As the late, great Terry Pratchett once said “Pulling together is the aim of despotism and tyranny … Free men pull in all kinds of directions.”
Ordinarily, that might be true. But in these exceptional circumstances, free men of all persuasions are choosing to push back in one direction and one direction only. Against National.
Against being taken for granted by a government which seems to regard democracy as a once-every-three-years checkbox formality rather than a genuine necessity for consultation. Against the arrogance implicit in National’s selection of not one – but two dud candidates, on the assumption Northlanders would just blithely vote for them anyway.
And against the sort of party which sees infrastructure improvements as a pork-barrel bribe to be handed out in an electoral lolly-scramble the moment they fear they might be losing.
When Winston wins on Saturday night, it won’t just be his finest hour. Nor, regrettably, will it singlehandedly sound the death-knell for this gangrenous government.
But it will be the start of something glorious. And a moment of sheer, unadulterated terror for the National Party.
To quote The Other Winston … “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
In the mean-time, and for the next 48 hours … we truly are ALL BEHIND YOU, WINSTON!
[Off topic] – is the accompanying cartoon sexist or is it sexist? how times have changed.
The cartoon itself isn’t sexist because the marching men are depictions of Churchill and his cabinet.
It’s just that the whole society was sexist no women in cabinet
And his cabinet by random chance just happens to consist entirely of men.
We’ll forgive the artist but still appreciate how far things have moved since then.
And standing right behind Winston in the cartoon is the greatest Prime Minister the UK ever had.
That was the War Cabinet, so it includes Labour as well as Conservative.
“We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
Quote – that other Winston
GO Winston!
Yahoooooooooooo !!!!
Stick it to em , Winston !!!!
Damned right we won’t surrender.
I feel that Winston has been misrepresented by many. His heart is in the right place and he does care about this country. Wish I could say the same about the Key / Joyce train wreck. Glad to hear that many are getting fired up about good and positive change. We need it after the horrors of the past few years. Get out and vote – make a difference.
If Winston wins, the last election will definitely be seen as the high point of this government from which it will slowly descend
Although I get your point, I’m honestly not sure that “high point” is really a good phrase to apply to them.
Hahaha….yeah…..perhaps the low point for NZ.
They should have been put out of their misery 6 years ago.
Then we wouldn’t have the Brazilians asking ‘ please explain ‘ about the GSCB spying.
I still don’t trust the guy. But hey, more power to his hairy arm if he can give Key a figurative black eye!
This is the beginning of the end … for Key that is. Particularly when the revelations of the dubious activities of the “prominent NZer” come out, which should seal the deal for the non knighthood for him.
A new beginning, not only for deserving Northland, but also for the whole country 🙂
Go get ’em Winston.
Most kiwis just want a fair go. A roof over their heads, a job that can support a family, put decent food on the table and a friendly community to live in – basically everything this current government strives against. New Zealanders will not get close to this if we are slaves to foreign corporations/countries. This is the messages Winston is saying to the people of Northland (and the rest of New Zealand).
Kim, you have nailed it again. For once I have nothing to add…..!!
So very accurately and honestly put Kim. Thank you.
I don’t trust Winston Peters, he is the consummate politician. He’s wily and slippery but he’s got staying power.
I trust JK and the Nats even less though.
There’s one thing I do trust Winston on though, and that’s to do his best to keep NZ owned by NZers. I’m not sure if that trust is misplaced.
I never thought I’d see myself voting for Winston Peters. But in this case it’s a vote against National. It’s highly tactical. Looks like the locals here around me have cottoned on pretty quick to this tactic.
and that’s the rub…..zillions think just like you and here we all are yelling GO WINSTON…..used to take a war to have that happen
“Pulling together is the aim of despotism and tyranny … Free men pull in all kinds of directions.”
I actually hate this quote. It’s exactly the kind of right-wing, Ayn-Randian douchbaggery which says that the individual is everything and that the collective is tyranny. The consequences of such a view is to atomise society into individuals, who – conveniently for the powers that be – do not recognise that they have COLLECTIVE interests, and therefore do not come together to organise against the status quo.
The problem isn’t people pulling together, it’s doing so under orders and upon threat of punishment.
Good blog post besides, though.
Interesting statement of doctrine, Sam.
Unfortunately for those of us who would prefer a philosophy that can be printed on a bumper-sticker and still be read by those who follow, life is a bit more complicated.
Sometimes you have to pull together to earn the opportunity of going your own way.
This doesn’t trash collectivism, but it does remind us that group action is usually a means to an end and is rarely the end itself.
Nicely put. This is the kind of argument I use when people deride unions. My response is to say, stop and think about the meaning of the word. Union. Unity. United. Joining together to make things better. How is that a bad thing? People need to step outside of the contexts that the media constructs, and remember what things meant before they got shaped into the comfortable narrative.
Hear hear.
I suspect Winston took a look at the 2014 results before deciding to enter the race; and of course he waited to see who else was entering. A close examination of the 2014 data would have revealed that Sabin’s majority was largely illusory, and that the bye-election was by no means a “forgone conclusion” for National.
Go Winston.
And good on everyone who united to make it happen from the political parties to the commentators.
And thanks to the good people of Northland who are hopefully going to make it happen!
Send a message to Government!
Democracy is NOT for sale and neither is NZ!
Our “democracy” is about as democratic as that in the US and as such I suggest that somehow* the National guy will win…
*denotes National rigging the by-election – seriously, don’t be surprised to see it happen. I don’t think National will allow Peters to win, by any means necessary.
Yes unfortunately that is a back alley tactic of National, to come from behind and slip something from the manual of underhanded schemes to win unfairly from losing.
The sad thing is I trust Winston even less than I do John Key. Just look at his documented history.
And while this may appear on the surface to be a strike against John Key, all we are doing is strengthening NZF which ultimately weakens both Labour and the Greens because it’s from us that he is taking votes.
All we are doing is hurting ourselves for the sake of an attack that really achieves nothing but bluster and hot air.
Voting for Winston and NZF is the equivalent of voting for Jean Marie Penn and the National Front in France. Nationalism diminishes us all.
“because it’s from us that he is taking votes.” followed by “Nationalism diminishes us all.”
So you prefer tribalism… is that it? Or you want to leap-frog the steps needed for people to cast out fears? People grow at their own pace and no amount of scorn will make it happen any quicker.
Could you let it be that NZF is the conservative left and is a viable alternative to the conservative right? Those are the votes I suspect NZF is aiming for, and that section of the voting community has been betrayed, derided, and scorned by both ‘left’ and ‘right’. Dinosaurs and Luddites, to some of the ‘smart young things’ in the urbans.
I’m not greatly happy with the ‘baubles of office’ bloke, though I like the party’s ideas on rail and coastal shipping. And I rejoiced hugely when Ron Mark returned to the House.
Yet it could be that Mr Peters has finally found his place and people.
I hope so. I hope he wins and I also hope he does well by all his people in the north. They surely do need a champion instead of an echo.
Awesome Andrea.
Kinda is a lil ‘ me…I always went for the Alliance, Anderton , Harre and Peters….common denominator when I stop and analyse it?….
They all were pretty much for this country’s sovereignty and the preservation of that….in the midst of the neo liberal corruption waves of the 1980’s and 90’s.
Or maybe I’m just Old School .
I don’t care..that’s where I am…and …latterly..was happy to vote for Hone and the IMP as well.
@ Timothy.
I’m not a big fan of elements of Winston’s attitude but I’m curious to know what you think it is with “Winston’s documented history” that’s somehow worse than John Key’s, Stephen Joyce’s, Paula Bennett’s, Simon Bridges’, and a number of other Natsis?
Despite his being ridiculed from way back – I’m thinking he has actually been right on the mark on a number of issues starting with “the Winebox affair” and continuing on to the “Sabin Affair”.
I’ve never voted for him, but I sure as hell would on an occasion such as this, and maybe even in future if Labour doesn’t return to its founding principles.
Incidently, the only ‘principles’ National appear to have relate to anything that’s self-serving cronyism – whether its public service appointments or crony capitalism.
And at least Winston understands that democracy means something more than majority rules and an elected sictatorship
Ah grasshoppas ,
The master stroke is not Winston tapping into Northland neglect syndrome ,that has been building for a long time.
The master stroke is that finally Labour has seen the tactical advantage of not splitting the left vote , effectively withdrawing their candidate ,to get Winston over the line .
Andrew Little has shown real pragmatism in effectively taking Labour from the race.
Had left wing parties worked out strategic electorates in the last election( like National did in Epsom )they could have won collectively another 3 or 4 seats and won the election .
Full credit to Winston but also to Labour for finally playing for a Left team win .
Precisely !!! – well said , Black Lemming.
Slowly …the need for ruthless , practical , tactical , and long term strategic moves are being brought to the fore by many to oust this anti democratic govt.
It is a joy to behold.
The Left co operating to get rid of this cabal of self serving , neo liberal globalist oligarchs.
I also have a minor complaint….who ever is doing the moderating seems a bit slow on the uptake. Its taking hours for my comments (literally ) to be processed.
If you prefer me not to post fine. Just say so. As I’m aware their are many other good opinions and more informed ones than mine.
Say your prayers little one,
Don’t forget , my son ,
to include everyone
Tuck you in , warm within
Keep you free from sin,
Till the sandman he comes
Sleep with one eye open ,
Gripping your pillow tight….
Exit : light
Enter : night
Take my hand
We’re off to never never land….
Somethings wrong , shut the light
Heavy thoughts tonight,
And they aren’t of Snow White
Dreams of War, dreams of liars,
Dreams of dragons fire,
And of things that will bite
Sleep with one eye open ,
Gripping your pillow tight….
Exit : light
Enter : night
Take my hand
We’re off to never never land
Now I lay me down to sleep,
Pray the Lord my soul to keep…
If I die before I wake ,
Pray the Lord my soul to take…..
Hush little baby don’t say a word,
And never mind that noise you heard…
It’s just the beasts under your bed,
In your closet , in your head…..
Exit : light
Enter : night
Grain of sand
Exit : light
Enter :night
Take my hand ,
We’re off to never never land….
Sweet bloody dreams Key , Joyce, Bennet , English and all the rest of you haunted National party ghouls….
Don’t let Peter’s win of Northland tomorrow give you nightmares tonight….
Ah, so luv it Wild Katipo.
The electoral law does not allow me to make certain comments now. But all I wish to say is, dear Northlanders, VOTE, please VOTE, VOTE according to your conscience and for a better future of your part of the country, do not miss the opportunity!
Best wishes, from one in Auckland, who does though care for the North!
Mike – What kind of comments can you not make because of electoral law ? Just curious.
BLAKE – as far as I know any vote soliciting and advertising for candidates must be stopped at a certain time before the polling booths open and close again. Maybe I was a bit overly worried last night, but asking people to vote for Peters in Northland may have fallen into that period where one is supposed to not promote a candidate in a running election.
In this case I was tempted to openly tell people to vote for Peters, despite of some concerns, as this election in Northland was a special one, that will reduce Nationals ability to govern, and makes Key depend more on some other minor players, which is after all a good thing.
As the votes have been cast now, we can feel relieved that our hopes have come true, and the first major loss to National has taken place since Key took over as leader and PM.
This may well be the beginning of the end for Mr Spray and Walkaway. So let us also hope Peters will appreciate the votes he got from otherwise Labour and Green voters, and be more cooperative in future.
I have a sense that Winston wants to go down in NZ history, for the good of it. He was again quoted on TV3 news tonight, how he admired Adenauer, the German Chancellor and head of government, who oversaw and enabled Germany to rise again to prosperity after the WW2 defeat.
Adenauer was respected and revered for generations for having restored his country to democracy and economic and social achievements, that set it on track for a better future, for generations that followed him. He was over 80 years old, when he was in charge, so Winston aspires to a similar achievement in his country. Also he respected the just deceased Singaporean PM of years, who turned the small island state into a blossoming economic and social state, within a few years.
Winston seems to have a historic view of things, and it is my impression, he wants to sort out the future of this country, for the betterment of all New Zealanders, to bring more social and other justice, and do this by creating economic and social environments that will deliver.
Any person reaching his age will tend to feel a sense of duty and responsibility, beyond his ego. And that is where the Nats may have miscalculated him badly.
Indeed….he is the elder statesman.
And Bravo …weve all had enough of these arrogant younger politicians with their massive ego’s and even more massive ambitions.
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