It seems like a delay in the general election is imminent. But with any kind of delay, we need to ask what we are waiting for, and also how long are we going to have to wait.
The two suggestions that the media have mooted are November or early next year.
November is a stupid idea. By then, the American election will have taken place (first week in the month) and the US is likely to be in the grip of a new wave of cases. This is not rocket science. The onset of winter weather there, the ‘Covid wars’ around testing and mask-wearing (and even whether the virus exists) and the denial of the need for lockdown to stop the spread) almost guarantees things will be worse there, and numbers are climbing around the world. This does not provide a happy context for an NZ election.
While it is possible that New Zealand will have reverted to zero cases in the community (let’s hope so) it is just as possible that we will be in a similar or worse situation than today. Yes, sorry about that, but we need to realise that we are in this for the long haul.
In terms of 2021, my crystal ball is a little murky, but I do not think we will see off the Covid threat next year. I expect there will be reasonably effective vaccines but we will not see them here for more than a year from now, probably two. And the threat of international transmission into New Zealand will not recede either.
If the rule is that we cannot have an election until the whole country is in level one or two, then we might have a very long wait indeed.
In my view the calls to delay the election are about political expediency, not about fighting the virus. Parties are thinking that given more time, they will be able to get their numbers up. This is not a valid reason for an election delay!
Under all the circumstances given above, the fairest thing to do is have the election now, using a wide range of fair methods – early voting, postal voting and other options (I suppose online is out of the question, though that would be best) to get people to vote.
The purpose of delaying any election must be national interest, not political expedience. The current situation does not cut the mustard. Any party that has, or has not, shown its governance value during the 2020 pandemic must take its chips where they lie.
I want to be really frank, here: none of the parties in parliament, other than Labour, have shown any ability to lead effectively in these difficult times. There is no second chance saloon here: the people want to have their voice, to elect Labour, possibly as a majority government, to handle the pandemic and its aftermath. It is a vote of confidence, and it must be allowed to proceed.
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister, with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society. She usually blogs on justice, social welfare and education topics.
I’m in total agreement:
“In my view the calls to delay the election are about political expediency, not about fighting the virus. Parties are thinking that given more time, they will be able to get their numbers up. This is not a valid reason for an election delay!”
In my view the calls to delay the election are about political expediency, not about fighting the virus.
Exactly!
This is not a valid reason for an election delay!
True that. However, our PM has more info than we do and she has made wise decisions so far. Possibly the best thing we can do is send her our best thoughts, as in “Kia Kaha, PM”. (As well as our thanks for all she has done.)
Agreed Liz
The situation is just as likely to get worse over the next months as it is to get better.
D J S
Very one-sided argument – imagine if the roles were reversed and it was Key not Ardern – people on this site would be losing their shit. I agree with Bomber it’s unlikely to change the result however on the basis of fairness the election should be moved – even if just to allow parties to campaign on an amended basis under social restrictions.
To not do so would begin the road towards the type of partisan politics we now see in the US. Would you really want that to be Arden’s lasting legacy?
The Nats have had three years show us who they are. (…Ooops)
Frank TT I take it you have read what jonkey says about handling [ or not handling] the virus.
While he just doesn’t count, is not PM and has been back in banking, his disgusting utterances show why he should never have been PM>
I can go shopping, to the movies, to the pub. Why shouldn,t I be able to vote?
Every time the money printing bell rings, a rent-seeking bureaucrat gets wings.
If they do delay the election then they should delay it by no more than the number of days we were in level 2 as under level 3 we can vote and they can still campaign. As a country we need more certainty an elected government can do this. Delaying it too long sets a bad precedent as it can continue to be delayed. People want to continue to go about there business well voting is no different. It is also very obvious those calling for a longer delay have a vested interest and it is not the Covid.
Fascinating situation.
Had Ardern retained the September election date, she would have been labeled “arrogant” by the usual suspects.
Had she moved the date to November or later she would have been accused of being “weak” and “caving in to pressure from NZF”.
The October date is perfect. It takes all the oxygen out of the vested interest calls to push the date back to November or even later by Collins especially.
The only negative is that we have to tolerate 4 more weeks of Chucky and her vileness.
If they had the election today, National was on the way to the nearest landfill. Same result in September. Having 4 more weeks of the nausea-inducing Collins will only result in an even bigger wipe out for National at the polls. The NZ public is seeing evidence every day of what Collins is about and they don’t want a bar of it. NZ is bathing in the mothers milk of Ardern and would rather collectively be boiled in a cauldron of festering turds than see Collins as their PM.
Perfect elucidation.
Its more like that theyve handled this dismally. About to spunk $100b we dont have on short term ism and the second wave peak is nowhere insight! With restricted testing for the passed 5 months, less than 10% of the population has been tested, we’re in the shit!
As far as the election delay, lets just say this is the first delay of the election and it will probably have to be delayed again around about when the GFC MKII kicks in.
You’re crystal ball is at once clear and grubbied.
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