I love our democracy. It’s representative, it allows for indigenous political representation and it gives everyone the chance to have a say whether they are a citizen or permanent resident.
What annoys me is our media coverage of that democracy. I believe that the mainstream media do an appalling job of giving you, the voter, real choice by limiting Political Parties from appearing in their debates.
Did you know that we have 16 Political Parties competing this election?
Tonight from 8pm, live streamed here at The Daily Blog and on www.kiwidebate.online I will interview 13 Political Parties to hear what they think the big issues of our country are and how they intend to solve them.
I will be joined by The Daily Blog panel of Unionist Kate Davis and Political Commentator Curwen Rolinson to review the answers and we also have a guest Twitter Panel tonight using the hashtag #KiwiFairGo with Twitter commentators The NonPlastic Māori , Jo Bond and LaQuisha St Redfern
Tonight we will talk to…
…because ina democracy every political party gets a fair go.
PS – The People’s Party, National & ACT didn’t get back to us to attend.
Some of these parties are fringe fruitcakes. They add nothing to the democratic discourse except a whole lot of noise. I think l’ll pass.
In the end there is either glory or war memorials.
A letter sent from Bill English to voters today;
Here is where we are with the National Party lies today!!!
To all you candidates; – read this and respond tonight to these lies that the National Party are telling the electorate right now.
From Bill English;
“With five days to go in this election campaign we’ve got great momentum and we’re looking forward to a huge final week.
If you want a National-led Government then you must PARTY VOTE NATIONAL. Voting any other way risks a Labour/Greens Government that will take New Zealand backwards. You will not help us by giving your party vote to any other party so please PARTY VOTE NATIONAL.
It’s now down to a very clear choice – going forward with National or backwards with Labour’s very different economic agenda, which includes more taxes, more spending, more debt, higher interest rates, and trade and industrial relations policies that would be very harmful to Kiwi businesses trying to compete around the world.
The Labour Party is the right party to lead New Zealand. The Greens are the necessary wingperson, the conservatives we require to tug on Labour’s ear. I fear that, without them, we are in dire trouble. So if it suits, strategically, Party vote Green, everyone.
God knows I’ve been furious at them at times but only because how much a strong Labour-Greens coalition matters to the future of New Zealand.
What other options do we have?
Realistically, others won’t get over the line. And with National at the helm we only have increasing levels of transnational criminality and poverty to look forward to, under the threat of being roped into a nuclear war!
Although, in respect of my earlier comment, any vote that is not in favour of the Transnational Crime and Foreign Espionage Party (the “National Party”) is better than a vote for! Good luck, all.
Superb work Martyn. What a pleasure to have a fair format, that gave everyone a chance to talk, without some jumped up TV host constantly interjecting for sensationalism and ratings.
Thank you.
Superb work! A huge vote of thanks to everyone who laboured to bring us this event, allowing us to hear voices from both the mainstream and the fringes of NZ politics. I too was impressed by both the thoughtfulness of the candidates, and the sense that they genuinely care about their fellow kiwis, and the future of this country. The mood for change that Martyn van Bynen spoke of was evident even in comments from parties I think of as being on the far right (eg Conservatives).
I think it’s important to remember that every party in parliament today began on the fringes. Even parties that never get into parliament provide a learning space for future MPs (eg Nandor and Metiria began their careers with the Cannabis Party), and many of the policies that governments adopt were originally generated by smaller parties doing the outside the box thinking and the dedicated research that genuinely innovative policy work requires. Like all extra-parliamentary political groups, small parties are an essential part of a healthy democracy, and it’s long past time the corporate media and especially the publicly-owned media acknowledged this.
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