In my article entitled ‘Next Election Don’t Cut Off Your Nose’ I said that I defy anyone to give me the name of a current politician, or someone thinking of putting their name forward, who would make a perfect leader. There isn’t one. My article received 81 comments including some saying they wouldn’t vote National, citing their leader as the reason. On Friday Cam wrote an article, some of which was also critical of National’s leader. Cam, in deference to whose power with the pen and turn of phrase I respectfully bow my head, garnered 179 comments!
Here’s what was interesting. The discussion turned largely into a debate on virtually all of the current leaders and, predictably, there wasn’t a majority opinion on any one person. Mr Peters was favoured by him whose power with the pen and turn of phrase I respectfully bow my head in due deference to, while there was a range of opinions on others.
I prefer not to debate the pros and cons of Winston Peters as my references to leaders are more in terms of future Prime Ministers. Most found fault with one or other of the leaders mentioned. This exactly illustrates the point I was making. If we don’t vote for a party because we don’t like its leader and cast a vote elsewhere, there is a risk of votes becoming too thinly spread, allowing the party we don’t want to win the election.
This scenario is playing out right now in the Auckland Mayoralty contest. Four candidates are on the right and only one on the left. If those who want a right-wing Mayor don’t get behind one candidate in sufficient numbers Mr Collins will ride in aboard one of his free buses, trains or ferries. Which, of course, aren’t free at all. There is no such thing as a free lunch or a free ride. Rates will increase and we will all pay for the privileged few.
Another digression! To get back on point if we can’t form a majority opinion on who might make a good leader then, to ensure we get a right-wing government, let’s take the leader out of the equation.
Let’s instead start focussing on the policies.
After all, it’s the policies that are enacted into law that are going to make a difference in our lives and the country as a whole. I am not going to traverse them here. You can reference my previous articles, many of which reflect the position of both National and ACT.
Many of the policies both parties agree on are ones which will change this country’s economic and social trajectory. They are by no means Labour lite. It is these policies we need in place to give this country some meaningful hope for the future.
We cannot continue to fall down OECD and other international rankings. We cannot afford to have a generation failing at the basics to the point where they are virtually unemployable. This is precisely where we are heading under this Government due to Jacinda Ardern’s refusal to change the dire situation she has got the country into.
I’m not saying a leader isn’t important, but if you asked me if it were the leader or the policies of the party that were more important, I would answer: policies every time. Of course, in the age of television, you do need a leader who can articulate the policies well and come across as believable. Ardern’s only ability is to spout BS. Covid won‘t save her at the next election even if she’s brave enough to still be around.
You can’t compare leaders on the right with Ardern. It’s chalk and cheese and is not comparing apples with apples. It’s like comparing running the North American Unilever operation with wrapping fush ’n chups.
My pivotal message is that by voting on a party’s policies rather than who the leader is we will increase the chances of electing the type of government we want. Up for discussion obviously, so go for it!