There are three interesting stories in the media this morning each of which have implications for this year’s election.
Firstly the SST is reporting that there will be a push to put the anti smacking law (or as I prefer to call it the anti child brutalising law) back on the political agenda this year. Apparently there is a groundswell of opposition to the thousands of ordinary kiwi parents being imprisoned for delivering the lightest of physical admonishments to their children. There is also the reality that the law change is causing a positive attitudinal change and that the number of prosecutions are very small and the punishments are light but since when has reality got in the way of conservative belligerence? If only these people were as upset about child poverty …
The second story is about how the real chief of the ACT party, Steven Joyce, visited Rodney Hide to see if he would stand again for the Epsom seat. Rodney has stated that he will not stand. This particular piece of news shows beyond doubt that ACT is a puppet party controlled by National. New Zealand they are twisting electoral rules to gain an unfair advantage.
The third story may be the most significant, Kim Dotcom is said to be planning the launch of his own political party this month. I have mixed views about this. Although it would be very pleasing to see Dotcom confront John Key on the campaign trail, and although I find it hard to believe that someone as interested in meeting local famous people as Dotcom would not have met Key before the raid on Dotcom’s house, I am afraid that he may maroon some protest votes in a party that will not make the threshold and perversely may help National. And although I am sure that his policies on freedom would be sound I am not so sure that his business policies would provide the necessary oversight required. After all he is a German entrepreneur with a dislike of any sorts of restrictions.
It is shaping up to being an interesting year …
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