Campbell: Ten Reasons For Not Voting National

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, September 19th, 2017 - 33 comments
Categories: accountability, election 2017, national - Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Gordon Campbell on Werewolf sets out ten reasons not to vote National:

Ten Reasons For Not Voting National

Three more years of business as usual is the real risk.
by Gordon Campbell

…the last time Labour was in power it ran eight straight years of budget surpluses and created such current staples of mainstream governance as the Cullen Fund, Kiwisaver, Working for Families, the China free trade deal and Kiwibank. Rather than spending up large on its pet social causes, Labour paid down government debt, thus leaving New Zealand pretty well placed to ride out the impact of the Global Financial Crisis. Whatever else he was, Michael Cullen was hardly a tax and spend lightweight.

The point being…if anyone you know is thinking of voting National in Saturday’s election, there’s still time for an intervention. You owe it to your friends and relations to intercede. Why? Because there’s plenty of evidence on National’s mediocre-to-awful track record over its nine years in power. We can’t afford another three years of drift. Here’s ten examples:

In each case below see Campbell’s full article for multiple links and excellent discussion.

1. Ordinary people have been systematically denied their fair share of the country’s wealth.
…
2. For nine years, National’s response to climate change has been abysmal.
…
3. National has systematically underfunded the public health system.
…
4. National has systematically reduced the funding for mental health services.
…
5. National has run its re-election 2017 campaign on a strategy of lies based on social divisiveness and fear of change.
…
6. National has demonstrated a systematic inability to recruit and retain teachers.
…
7. National has presided over huge rises in house prices, while selling off its existing stock.
…
8. National has been hostile to forward planning, especially with respect to alleviating poverty.
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9. National seems incapable of a significant response to youth suicide.
…
10. National has sat on the sidelines while the student debt mountain has risen.

Standardistas may wish to add their own entries to the list (in fact the full piece continues in footnotes!). Campbell concludes:

The main risk factor for New Zealand is not the threat of change, but in perpetuating the status quo. For nine years, National has demonstrated its inability – or disinterest – in governing for the benefit of all New Zealanders. Overall, there’s been a stunning readiness by government to kick for touch over the challenges involved. As a consequence, the past nine years of drift have left a poisoned legacy for subsequent generations. The track record on child poverty, on the under-funding of (pre-school, primary and secondary) education and the unchecked levels of student debt, youth suicide and environmental degradation comprise a continuum of failure. […] Basically, if New Zealand is to have a future, it can’t afford another three years of the current crew.

Time to #ChangeTheGovernment.

33 comments on “Campbell: Ten Reasons For Not Voting National ”

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  1. Ed 1
    19 September 2017 at 7:23 am

    Only 10 reasons.
    I can think of many more.

    • popexplosion 1.1
      19 September 2017 at 10:21 am

      yeah. Nats don’t believe in govt, don’t get it, want govt out of the way. Know bleeding idea. Patchup botchup.

  2. Incognito 2
    19 September 2017 at 7:37 am

    For me, it boils down to one reason and one reason only:

    National is the party for the few

    • popexplosion 2.1
      19 September 2017 at 10:22 am

      No I disagree. National is a cult. Whose arise can be shined better to look good for the few. I doubt the few want sycophants.

  3. katipo 3
    19 September 2017 at 8:11 am

    Relevant to reason #2 and the decision to de-electrify the NI Main Trunk Line…
    “Leaked documents show that KiwiRail’s decision in December 2016, to replace electric locomotives on the electrified section of the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) with diesel locomotives, was based on flawed logic and justified by misleading information.”
    https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2017/09/19/kiwi-rail-de-electrification/

  4. cleangreen 4
    19 September 2017 at 9:11 am

    Good article thought provoking ;

    Rogernomiics was the single policy that has ruined our once proud solid performing resilient ecomony that kept all our “essential services ticking along” but since everything was privatised’ we are truly ‘rogered’ now with broken state housing, hospitals, schools, roads, rail, local councils, electricity systems, health sevices, clinics, jails, and ACC services.

    We are heading into another depression sooner than later, and Auckland will survive the fall if labour reverse their continuim of rogernomics.

    All labour now needs to win the election is to say “we are disbaning all rogernomic’s policies.”

    • popexplosion 4.1
      19 September 2017 at 10:29 am

      Privatization means someone taking profit and so costing more. It was part of a movement that foresaw decades of lower price high density fuel flowing out of Arabia and so wanted business to expand. That time has past, we now move into a era of limits which ends with zero waste closed system where profit is marginal if at all. The world is getting it, but National aren’t. Crazy cultists.

  5. mary_a 5
    19 September 2017 at 9:23 am

    All of the 10 reasons above, plus more, including …

    the lies and
    the lies and
    the lies
    My God Natz can lie!

    Kick ’em out on Saturday!

  6. roy cartland 6
    19 September 2017 at 11:38 am

    Well I support Gordon for PM! If only…!

  7. tracey 7
    19 September 2017 at 11:59 am

    The deliberate tactic to turn farmers against others and vice versa to retain power is appalling. The farming community are being used and the city/townies buying into it by hating on the farmers should also hang heads in shame. Joyce, English and Fed Farmers have taken The Prince too far. Only Ad is envious.

    We are all in this together

    • roy cartland 7.1
      19 September 2017 at 12:52 pm

      Not farmers – polluters. Plenty of farming goes on that actually benefits, yes benefits, the environment. If one kind doesn’t, or is in an area grossly unsuitable for it, they can either change or pay a bit.

    • Ian 7.2
      19 September 2017 at 8:44 pm

      The water tax would have cost my family business $ 52000 last year at 2 cents per cumec. A labour and green Government would totally destroy my family business if they introduced all the punitive taxes they have said they will legislate. You don’t get it do you ? The farming community is under attack ,and we are not going to sit back and take it up the arse. The ill prepared ,incompetent and useless labour party strategists that have no idea on how the Ag sector operates in NZ are the ones that need to hold their collective heads in shame. I can think of a more appropriate place they should poke their heads but this is a family show.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 7.2.1
        19 September 2017 at 8:51 pm

        Choke on it. If you can’t make a living without obeying the law and paying your taxes, move on: there are plenty of people who can replace you.

        • Ian 7.2.1.1
          19 September 2017 at 10:42 pm

          you will never get it. I am not going away whatever happens on Saturday. I paid a lot of tax last month and feel good about it. I can now do whatever I like with whats left. You should try it if you have any balls,but I suspect your balls were pushed up years ago.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 7.2.1.1.1
            19 September 2017 at 10:51 pm

            Hysteria about destroying your family business one minute. “I’m alright Jack” the next. Malignant conspiracy theories, querulous climate ignorance, dishonesty, and the laughable shadow of insecure one-upmanship.

            I would try it, but I haven’t saved up enough for a pre-frontal lobotomy yet.

          • ianmac 7.2.1.1.2
            19 September 2017 at 10:53 pm

            Yes Ian. Glad you feel good about paying at least some of your tax. Just think how good you would feel if you paid it all. Instead of hiding liability.

            • Ian 7.2.1.1.2.1
              19 September 2017 at 11:06 pm

              If I told you how much tax we pay,you wouldn’t beleive me . I actually beleive our tax system is pretty fair at the moment and am quite happy to part with approx a third of taxable income to keep the country moving.

      • JC 7.2.2
        19 September 2017 at 9:16 pm

        Ian, I think you are reasonable bloke. (Seriously)

        I’m disappointed to hear that your current farming practices in Canterbury may cost it considerably …

        I appreciate that you have been considerate enough to:

        Put some of you farm into a QE 2 covenant, as you state.

        Also, as you state, you have spent $25 K on riparian plantings last year.

        All of that is commendable! (Seriously) And the fact that you are on this site, (Sound chamber) is worthy of applause. It is great to have others perspectives!

        I just believe that you, and perhaps others are being misled…

        http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1709/S00523/dairy-farms-using-same-amount-of-water-as-60-million-people.htm

        http://www.labour.org.nz/fact_check_water_royalty

        I’d really appreciate your real perspective… Just how much will things change under another government?

        • Ian 7.2.2.1
          19 September 2017 at 10:56 pm

          Thanks JC for a bit of Aknowledgement and you are correct with what we are doing with planting and National trust stuff. The amount of water we use is a Red Herring. It is a very small part of the Rangitata rivers annual flow and we store it during periods of high flow to supplement the reduced take our consent provides when low flow trigger points are reached. The amount of water flowing down the Rangitata over a year has to be seen to be beleived but can be monitored on the ecan website 24 / 7.
          If there is a change of Government and labour continues along the line they are hellbent on,expect open revolt.

          • adam 7.2.2.1.1
            20 September 2017 at 2:49 am

            Farms need to realise that open revolt by you lot is a no win situation. You made your bed with a government who did nothing in 9 years when things needed to change. To then threaten the public because things have to change, seems a little silly and a tad over the top. The reality is the world is changing, and in environmental terms not for the better, then to threaten violence becasue you no longer are getting a free ride, is just childish.

      • Exkiwiforces 7.2.3
        20 September 2017 at 12:10 am

        Ian,

        If you are one of these stupid dairy farmers on the Canterbury plains then I really have no time for you and your following Canterbury dairy farmers because of the long term effects that dairy industry is doing to the Canterbury plains with its poor soils and to the stratum. But if you are one of the smart farmers that didn’t fall for dairy Ponzi scheme (which is going to go tits up regardless of the water tax, by some of the actions of your follow dairy farmers or when war breaks out in the North Asia) and have stayed as mixed cropping/ sheep or cattle farmer then hats off to you. Because dairy has no place on the Canterbury plains, Hawkes Bay, Central Otago or the MacKenzie Basin because of the long term environment issues and the harsh dry summers and the winters are just as bad if not worse than summer.

        I’m a former farm cadet from Canterbury before it became user pays in other words I would had to get student loan under the 91 National government to finish off my studies. Because the stupid farmers at the time didn’t want to pay the levy for the Cadetship scheme or pay a decent wage to help us finish our studies so most of us left the Farm Cadetship scheme for better paying jobs or took our skill sets overseas. Like I did after I did my 5yrs in the NZ Army and with military service and my training I received as a cadet it has come in handy as peacekeeper in ADF or on my bush block in Australia.

      • Psycho Milt 7.2.4
        20 September 2017 at 6:43 am

        The water tax would have cost my family business $ 52000 last year at 2 cents per cumec.

        In other words, your business model is predicated on taking 2.6 billion litres of water per year from the local aquifers. Something that helped discourage that business model would be a good idea.

  8. Zeroque 8
    19 September 2017 at 12:17 pm

    Untrustworthy spinners, should have heard Coleman on RNZ this morning for a prime example.

  10. Dot 10
    19 September 2017 at 2:47 pm

    And then there is Climate Change and
    our environment —- mark D.
    for the National government over the
    last nine years.

  11. Janet 11
    19 September 2017 at 7:11 pm

    And their determination to sign NZ up to TPPA come hell or high water.

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