With the extraordinary shock resignation of Key, the entire NZ political landscape has fractured and morphed. Factoring that in, here is the updated TDB special for the 2017 election.
For me, that was the final straw. To tell us to our face that he aligned with our values and concerns while secretly meeting Key to try and get the spying powers past was a total betrayal.
We have a corrupt work and student visa system in place bringing in 250 000 migrant workers/students on top of record immigration of 70 000+ each year. We have a Government who are doing this because it keeps their property bubble high and it pushes down labour demands.
We have a corrupt corporation running prisons which are producing men and women more damaged when they come out than when they went in. We have allowed anger to influence social policy and that social policy is merely creating an ocean of spite.
Now, as a cis white male who benefits from the patriarchy (despite not supporting it), I have to check my privilege and not start mansplaining (as if explaining ones thoughts on an issue is a bad thing) because free the nipple protests seem to me to be identity politics at its most elitist, middle class and alienating.
…our country has just witnessed the biggest con job of a Political manoeuvre to immediately replace a Prime Minister who suddenly ended his career and stepped aside for two politicians whose political thuggery towards the poorest and weakest amongst us are a matter of public record. Not only is this false coronation accepted but there is no scrutiny as to why Key has suddenly stood down.
How long can this status quo continue?
The die is cast and Prime Minister English has made his first mistake which will deform the next 10 political months.
If the Mt Roskill by-election taught the Opposition one thing, it’s that when they team up and don’t run against each other, they beat National.
It is depressing to think that we will see a 2017 election with the same current affairs gatekeepers doing the same idiocy dressed up as public debate.
National is in deep trouble and they know it. The shock resignation by John Key (the why of which has still not been investigated) has left National high and dry. The cavalcade of mutant circus freaks vying for leader of the National Party reminds you their talent pool is more of a shallow puddle.