Opinion – The Age of Reason – By Peter Carr.
What does one sandwich between last week (Euthanasia) and next week (Cannabis)? As both are connected to the upcoming election I may as well stay on the theme.
Promises, promises. All of them easily broken at a later date or at best watered down. A weak tax format from Labour, so much infrastructure from National that the land will sink – and the Greens scrambling to either be loved by the Blue team or hopeful that the Red team will not have enough support to get across the line unaided. A vote for NZ First is clearly a lottery with its leader shying away from agreeing with anything that the current government (its partner) desires to undertake. Covid restrictions are being used as a political football and Labour pitched their tax take for the upcoming three years at a level so that MP’s did not get penalised. Shame on them.
Perhaps it is time – in fact well overdue – that we looked back to 1993 and ask ourselves if we are better governed by what we had before or is legislation sufficiently improved to permit us to enjoy a superior lifestyle? What is very apparent is that in New Zealand there are 120 well paid MP’s allegedly servicing five million people. About one to 42,000. Electoral seat sizes are gauged upon the population of the South Island divided by 16 – equating to around 57,000 people per electorate seat. In the UK the figure is around 96,000.
Now ask yourself are we better off than the UK? All of their MP’s are elected and accountable in the hustings. Half of ours have no ‘seat’ responsibilities yet claim a high salary equal to that of a properly elected member. While I hate referenda, I really think we are well overdue to measure the fiasco that permits three parties to govern in an alliance when the party on the opposite benches polled more votes that the one the other two are currently propping up. And take a look at the ludicrous USA system where the opposition (Democrats) polled 3 million votes more than those who currently rule (Republicans). And ponder if their electoral college system is sensible or practical.
Whichever way you vote – and please do – take a good hard look at not only what is offered but the depth of the people bearing gifts. Aeneid, 20 years prior to Christ’s birth, said something about Greeks in that vein. Smart fellow!!
