The National Party Conference last weekend has produced a range of reactions. The media, predictably, were overwhelmingly negative as the last thing they want is a National government. Their bias has been repaid handsomely by the government in return for which they are required to toe the party line. This they are only too happy to do. To have a narrative that you get paid for enunciating is a dream come true. National would end this cosy little relationship.
There has also been some negativity expressed regarding the Board and the re-election of the Chairman, Peter Goodfellow. I don’t believe the Board or the Chairman have a great influence on election outcomes. Many people couldn’t name these people if you asked them.
What is important is the policies and this is the area I see as crucial to National’s chances in 2023. Policies are the means whereby the public get to assess the direction of travel the party is taking. Party unity on the policy front is crucial. All MPs must be in agreement. There will be differing views in some areas and some MPs will be forced to make compromises for the good of the party. Those who are affected should keep it to themselves and not make the mistake Chris Bishop did by taking to Twitter with his views on Conversion Therapy. Nothing on Twitter is private and it is naïve to think so.
I am aware there is a faction within National that holds different views on these types of matters. They are all from much the same generation and tend to hold more liberal views generally than do other members and supporters of the party. I would caution them to recognise that their views may not reflect the majority of the party membership nor indeed many in the wider public who will be looking to see if National is a voting option. I would caution the Young Nationals likewise. New Zealand is still, by and large, a pretty conservative country and while their time may come, it has not yet arrived. After the debacle of this government, strong leadership will be required to fix the mess left behind and they are not the ones to provide it.
National as it is has got too far away from its founding principles. Judith is aware of this and I believe will take the necessary steps to right the ship. Not perhaps as many steps as we would like but nevertheless enough to make the party again recognisable as a party of conservative values that those on the right can have confidence in casting a vote for.
In order to achieve this, the liberal end of the party will have to compromise, probably on more than one piece of policy. Any liberal thinking MP who finds this too difficult should think twice about whether they are in the right party. As someone suggested the other day, there is an option: If you want National to be Labour lite, join the other side of the House, who might be more on your wavelength.
The first thing National has to do is to regain the trust of rural New Zealand. The farming community is the backbone of this country and should be recognised as such rather than penalised for their hard work. They must also introduce policies that set them well apart from Labour.
Examples include:
- Repeal all Marxist legislation
- Ensure the lights can be kept on
- Ensure children attend school by appointing a truancy officer to every school
- Reinstate oil and gas exploration
- Remove unnecessary regulations and taxes from farmers
- Bring back charter schools
- Budgetary advisors attached to WINZ
- Regular home visits by Plunket nurses during the first six months of a child’s life
- A five per cent deposit for first home buyers with the Government guaranteeing the mortgage
- Cut staffing in the bloated public service
- Reinstate targets in MSD and other government departments
- Reintroduce technical colleges at secondary school level
- Maintain Marsden Point in its present form
- Revise the school curriculum to focus on the three R’s, maths by rote, and the truth re our history; remove all material not directly related to core subjects
- Rule out Maori separatism
- Ensure our global warming and associated targets are realistic and appropriate for New Zealand
- Fund the Police and not the gangs
- Build roads and a second harbour crossing including rail
- Send Te Huia to the knackers yard before it disintegrates completely
- Abandon Auckland light rail projects
There are no doubt others but those I have listed would show National on a very different path from Labour and give voters a real choice. The liberal wing of the party must accept that being Labour lite is not an election-winning strategy. Strong leadership and policies that reflect what National stands for and are designed to get this country back on track are what is needed.
The leadership we’ve got. We await the policies. There is much work to be done.
Please share this BFD article so others can discover The BFD.