Green Party candidate for Otaki Bernard Long with his hybrid car.
Green Party candidate for Otaki Bernard Long with his hybrid car.
While the new Green Party candidate for Ōtaki might come from a background in finance, he has always walked the talk when it comes to social justice and climate change.
Waitarere Beach man Bernard Long, 71, has never been afraid of standing up for his beliefs.
He actively protested against French nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean, the Vietnam War, the 1981 Springbok Tour, and more recently had supported the Extinction Rebellion movement.
Long might look familiar, too, as he had also acted extensively on stage and appeared in numerous television advertisements in the last 40 years.
Waitarere Beach man Bernard Long is the Green Party candidate for Otaki.
"I am standing as the Green candidate because I am concerned about climate justice and social justice," he said.
"Social justice is a particular passion of mine, ever since I can remember...we face persistent social justice challenges and more seriously, climate induced crises."
Long and his wife Lynne, who are due to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary soon, have two children and five grandchildren. Their future forms the basis for much of his political agenda.
"Voters may be anxious about the climate crisis but are immobilised through fear, apathy or self interest ... if a voter is having difficulty with that call I suggest they just ask their children or grandchildren what they think about Climate Justice," he said.
"The interests of the present generation do not automatically come first."
The Longs are proud "greenies". They drive a hybrid car, grow their own vegetables, have chooks, use solar power to heat their water, supplement their electricity, and don't travel by aeroplane.
In 2017, the couple toured New Zealand for a year on Vespa motorcycles. He described what he saw as "the horrifying degradation of our previously healthy nature and how this breaches our obligations under Te Tiriti".
To outline Long's own socialist philosophy, he was a strong proponent of a Citizens Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice, Capital Gains Tax and a pilot Universal Basic Income programme, or UBI.
"Who would have thought UBI would be a centrist party policy today as part of the equality solution and the health crisis we are in," he said.
"This proves the world is now different and we can face the big unthinkable decisions we need to around public transport, housing, social justice, environmental protection, endless consumption and growing, making, repairing and buying local."
Long said a strong Green presence in government was needed to ensure action on climate change. A target for zero carbon by 2050 is a start, but "way too late".
He said with between 10 and 12 MPs in government, the Green Party could bring that target forward to 2030.
"This can be achieved by a combination of strong political action supported by assertive activism," he said.
Long was involved in financial services for nearly 50 years in advisory, sales, sales management, marketing and administration functions, before retiring three years ago.
He was one of the pioneers in the development of financial planning as a profession in New Zealand, establishing and managing the financial planning operations in National Mutual and Tower insurance companies.
He was the chief executive for Goldridge from 2002 to 2007. He initiated and managed the management buy out of Tower's majority interest in Goldridge.
The Longs ran a multi-site Goldridge, then AdviceFirst practice, from 2008 until retirement.
Long held a Diploma of Business Studies and a NZ Diploma in Life Assurance. He was granted Certified Financial Planner status in 1998, an international designation, and was an authorised financial adviser.
He was trained at the Institute of Directors and held board positions with Long and Associates Ltd, Victoria Custodians, Goldridge Ltd and Horowhenua Supergrans, and was currently on the Levin Budget Services Board.
He completed a Toastmasters course early in his career and was a regular platform speaker at corporate events and industry forums.
The Green Party has announced Bernard Long as candidate for Otaki in the upcoming 2020 election.
He has also been a long-time volunteer with Levin Rotary and Levin Budget Services and continues to play an active role in community organisations.
"I'm standing as the local candidate in this election to help build the momentum for change that is desperately required. Climate action, inequality, and valuing nature need to be at the forefront of all that we are doing," he said.
