The malfeasance of NZ First
There have always been two distinct NZ First electorates.
The first are conservatives who have felt left behind by neoliberalism and culture change and cling to Winston as their saviour. For them NZ First is a grassroots movement powered on cake stalls, raffles and knitting fundraisers. They have parochial values and a fear of eclipses.
Then there is the other electorate. The behind the scenes regional power houses and economic industries who are drawn to a State that intervenes on their behalf against an ocean of transnationals. It is this class of regional self interest that bankrolls NZ First and Winston has always known this. Chris Trotter does an incredible job of highlighting this dynamic in his must read blog yesterday.
Getting caught out serving two masters, provincial conservatives and regional crony capitalism is as politically embarrassing as it gets.
With the constant drip of insider information to the alpha shark of the Press Gallery – Radio NZs Guyon Espiner, the damage to the NZ First brand can not be over estimated.
From NZ First’s donations from Talleys that saw Shane Jones boasting about being the Ghost Fishing Minister and had the Government turn down a critic from fishing industry oversight, stopped cameras on fishing boats and intervened in a fishing boat caught illegally fishing is as damning as Jones helping out his Trucking mate up North.
Being investigated by the SFO is just the icing on top of a shit cake.
On top of their crony capitalism, NZ First has been a hand break for any real progress on a myriad of fronts from electric cars to a Capital Gains tax to dumping the 3 strikes legislation.
Labour cut a deal with NZ First in 2017 because we had no choice if we wanted National out, as the 2020 election approaches and NZ First sinks below the 5% threshold, it would be best for the progressive movement if NZ First were gone altogether.
The hopes of a second term Government now rest on Labour+Greens+Māori Party.
While NZ First is wrong, it is clear that all the political parties bar the Greens seem up to it!!!!
Lets put it in context! Our politicians are increasingly influenced by donations and lobby groups and the laws are not working because the donation splitting and auction type fund raising have been going on for a very long time and Labour and National in particular are on the forefront and are policy lite on donors like trucking and fishing!
Would not be surprised if it is another dirty politic move aka
A set up, to get rid of NZ First forever, aka you get Talleys and developers to donate to the NZ First Foundation and influence them, and then in an election year, reveal all!!! Two for the price of one! And so nice for the Natz who is Talley’s and developers real home turf to help their mates to victory!
Greens might have been shitty in power but so far they seem to be the least corrupt on political donations so that is a reason to give them another chance and a tick this election.
If you voted NZ First last time they are still probably better than the Natz who are up on corruption charges and don’t forget the Saudi sheep farm and the Hagamans made a $101,000 donation to the National Party during the 2014 election. One month later, the Scenic Hotel Group won a tender to manage the Matavai resort in Niue, which receives funding from the New Zealand Government.
What we really need is to ban ALL political donations and just have an old fashioned system where parties are funded by the state and just get a little amount and they have to concentrate on policies rather than paid advisors and social media attack marketing!
Otherwise COL are out, and it’s Natz and their new bene bashing policy, bring the workhouse back and more $$$$ for list MP seats and polluters.
I guess with Talley’s being so generous to National, NZ First, Labour and who knows who else, they can avoid solving climate change – you know our nuclear free moment…
The bold new plan to rescue the world’s oceans and prevent climate change, explained
https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/28712/the-bold-new-plan-to-rescue-the-worlds-oceans-explained/?fbclid=IwAR3-Ex7wDXpL51clJPRm1t6IYy8R09ZESxT-a1EcUBX1OsCwbq214PSjw8Y
Weren’t you cheering loud and dancing in Queen street when Winston selected Labour? Now why do you complain? If you sleep with the dogs you get the fleas.
Well in that case The Maori Party were bitten so badly they died!
Fleas are less life threatening than rabies.
Winston and NZF found guilty and convicted? No need for time-consuming trials. Just assume they must be guilty as Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett said so.
“Hand brake.”
A “hand break” is what that guy with the gloves is doing in Poi E.
Poi E – Patea Maori Club – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com › watch
https://youtu.be/DQLUygS0IAQ?t=1
In a sense, the coalition negotiations begin during the election campaign. If Labour+Greens want the Māori Party to govern with them (assuming they win any seats, 5% highly unlikely), they need to make sure their campaigns in the Māori seats are not vicious political mudwrestling, but rather respectful, dignified, and policy-based. What can the three candidates agree will benefit Māori Policy, and what lies beneath their policy differences? Policy, policy, policy!
Oh Strypey.., your heart is just to pure for electioneering.
…and how many tries will the Nacts and wannabes make to get rid of him…he is the lynch pin to the next General Election and they know it