Political analysis and commentary shaping the progressive debate in Aotearoa New Zealand, focused on power, policy, and accountability.
MUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN about who “won” the 2017 General Election. Sharp differences have emerged between those who have judged the outcome as a clear National victory, and those who insist that Labour, with the assistance of the Greens and NZ First, has every right to anticipate forming a new government.
Saturday was election day in New Zealand, and while the final configuration of parliament is still being negotiated, as has become normal under the proportional representation system, it’s petty clear that New Zealand has voted for a continuation of a neo-liberal approach to governance.
One thing the Greens and NZ First won’t want to repeat is the Alliance experience in coalition with Labour from 1999 to 2002. With Ministers inside the Cabinet, committed to Cabinet solidarity, they had difficulty differentiating from Labour. This frustrated the party’s support base.
Last week saw the 35th anniversary of the Israeli war crime known as the Sabra and Shatila Massacre, when thousands of unarmed Palestinian refugees were slaughtered between 15 and 18 September 1982.
WHAT IF, three weeks from today, National decides that an acceptable deal with NZ First just isn’t on “the cards that count”?
The vilest incident of the campaign was not red-neck farmers protesting their right to pollute and degrade our waterways at our expense. It didn’t even involve the National Party directly. It was the vile, despicable, media-run campaign to denigrate Green MP Metiria Turei and drive her from the co-leadership of the party.
At the next election, Labour and the Greens must be better placed to strategically address “fake news” from the National Party. Labour and Green strategists must be conscious that the Nats will stoop to lies if their pre-election polling shows them at-risk of losing. A rapid-response task-force should be ready and well-resourced to counteract such lies; to do it immediately, and with energy.
REMEMBER: Anyone who enrolled when they advance voted will be counted as a ‘special’ vote & special votes won’t be counted for another 2 weeks. If there was a youth surge for the Left, it will be found there – we may not have a clear decision tonight
No comments or blogs published today. The argument and debate has finished. Let all New Zealander’s take the time today to focus on one thing and one thing only, voting as citizens.
The final day of campaign is upon us. Tomorrow is the “official” Election Day and nine years of National government is about to either end – or win a rare fourth term.
