The Beehive and Parliament Building, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Double dip against the MMP spirit
It seems the Electoral Commission may have dropped the ball when it set the rules for when a candidate dies before the election and it is too late to have a replacement. The purpose of MMP’s party vote is clear — to allocate the 120 seats according to the percentage won by each party that passes 5 per cent threshold.
The problem of overhang, resulting in more than 120 seats due to a party gaining an electorate seat but falling short of reaching 5 per cent party vote, has been dealt with in an imperfect compromise. But the case in Port Waikato is quite clear. A byelection there should not result in an additional seat — 120 is the basic number any byelection must work with.
We are told that if the National candidate wins the byelection, his list seat, which he will get by the party vote, will go to the next person on the National list. This is wrong. The National Party winner of the byelection should simply swap his list seat for the electorate one. There is no need for an extra seat in Parliament. What is proposed looks very much like double-dipping and an abuse of democracy and the intentions of MMP.
Russell O. Armitage, Hamilton.
By the numbers
National alleges Labour has mismanaged the economy. Let’s take the ratio of government debt to GDP, a universal indicator of fiscal prudence. For 2022, New Zealand had 53 per cent; Australia 56 per cent; Germany 67 per cent; the UK 103 per cent; Canada 107 per cent; the US 134 per cent. Well done New Zealand. But our health and education sectors need financial investment instead of the expense of dental care to under-30s; rather, educate them to take care of themselves. Numbers via Wikipedia.
Steve Lincoln, Botany Downs.
It’s academic
Simon Wilson’s opinion piece (Herald, October 10) about co-governance, highlighting Newton Central School’s cultural success over the past quarter century, is certainly enlightening. I wish there had been some mention of the school’s academic success over the same period. That is, after all, the most important reason for the school’s existence; to help all children get a good handle on numeracy and literacy in preparation for adult life. Sadly, we are currently failing many of those children.
Larry Tompkins, Tūrangi.
Act of retaliation
With the recent intensification of hostilities in the Israel-Palestine conflict and the questionable belief that unprovoked attacks would not be met with retaliation, it is essential to highlight the inherent folly in thinking that any country, including Israel, would not react to such aggression. Regardless of the deeply-rooted issues in this conflict, the principle remains: any act of aggression against a sovereign nation is bound to provoke a response. Drawing a parallel with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it is evident that such actions come with foreseeable consequences. To label subsequent defensive measures as acts of terrorism and somehow unwarranted is not only inaccurate but also undermines the complexities of the situation. It is crucial for all parties involved in conflicts to consider the foreseeable repercussions of their actions and seek peaceful resolutions.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
Occupying force
Killing innocent people cannot be condoned; however, New Zealand’s one-sided support for Israel, the most brutal occupying regime in the world today, is misplaced. Israel has zero regard for human rights in Palestine, killing civilians without investigation, imprisoning thousands, including children, without trial for years, and collective punishment, including destroying homes and evicting Palestinians from homes they have lived in for decades on flimsy pretexts.
Israeli blockades and sanctions keep Palestinians in penury (their GDP per capita is 6 per cent of Israel’s). With unemployment at 50 per cent, 75 years as an occupied territory, tens of thousands in refugee camps for decades and no hope of independence as Israel keeps expanding illegal settlements in Palestinian territory, forsaken by the international community, lashing out with violence is unsurprising. New Zealand should stand up for the principles, values, and human rights of all people. The international community must insist that Israel withdraw from Palestinian territories and help its people to live in dignity. If we don’t insist that Israel changes and creates conditions conducive to peace, expecting peace is pointless.
Kushlan Sugathapala, Epsom.
Cause for celebration?
The fact that 10-10-2023 was “celebrated” as World Homeless Day, after nine years of National and subsequently six years of Labour, says it all: our lovely Westernised country has not even got the basics right.
On the news, this day was almost portrayed as if somebody cared, with even Green Party members approaching homeless New Zealanders as if it was a great gesture. What has happened to the leaders of both of our largest parties in their so-called quest for compassion to all New Zealand?
René Blezer, Taupō.
A bigger slice
Most of the politicians are debating how to divide up the national cake by increasing taxes on the rich and giving money to the poor. They seem to forget that, as Maggie Thatcher said, “socialism works until you run out of rich people”. Singapore became prosperous by welcoming foreign investment and keeping government small and efficient.
We have a bloated government and hate foreign investment. Surely the various parties should be competing with each other by promoting policies that would increase national wealth and thus reap more taxes.
Bryan Leyland, Pt Chevalier.
Kicking off
The All Blacks can thrash Ireland but they need to drastically improve their kicking: 1. Kickoffs need to be just over the 10m line so they are contestable. 2. All kicks need to be short enough and almost vertical so that there is not a Will Jordan repeat. 3. Instead of battering away at strong defences, kicks need to be just behind the defence so the Irish are continually turning around. 4. They need three players running after each kick: one who palms back the ball with one hand (he can stretch much higher) and two to take the ball. If your rugby writers feel these have merit, please ask them to pass on to Fozzie.
Bruce Phythian, Parnell.
Wasted votes
This election has shown both of the major parties are incapable of producing a comprehensible, credible or worthwhile economic programme. Both have unfathomable holes in funding for their costly promises. Labour is a failed Government which did not carry its constituency with it and squandered its absolute majority. National wants to return to where we were a decade ago and would resume its record of degraded public services so that it can please its supporters with tax cuts (if they are real). A vote for either of these tired and useless old parties is a vote against a better future.
Denis O’Rourke, Christchurch.
State of the union
Angus Deaton and Anne Case, two economists from Princeton University, have identified a serious socioeconomic divide in the US that may be appearing here too. It is between graduates and non-graduates of university. Graduates have prospered significantly since 1979 while non-graduates haven’t. The result is the welfare of university graduates now far exceeds that of non-graduates. Deaton and Case cite several possible reasons for this, including that non-graduates don’t take good care of themselves and/or pursue good prospects.
But they stress two points, both related to making the poorly-educated feel “less than”. One is the increased economic and political power of corporations (employers). The other is the decline in the power and social cohesiveness of labour unions. In the past, unions acted as a countervailing power to burgeoning corporate muscle. Increased corporate concentration due to lenient merger and acquisition permissions, increased corporate political influence, and disinformation about the impact of unions on employment and non-union wages have weakened unions.
Our Commerce Commission must become tougher on mergers, acquisitions and monopoly power, and we need unions to become more populated and assertive to protect the welfare and esteem of less-educated workers.
Robert Myers, Auckland.
On election
We’ve heard a lot from various politicians and the media as we near Election Day, October 14. For them, here’s a short parable: Truth and Lie ran into each other one day. “I could never be like you,” said Truth. Lie laughed, replying, “That’s true, but I can be like you, whenever I choose.” B. Watkin, Devonport.
On inflation
A solution to inflation is to rein in and control the profits of the banks, supermarkets, oil companies and electricity providers. Which political party has the guts to do this to keep more money in New Zealand? Richard Taylor, Onehunga.
On leaders
Do two Chrises add up to one Crisis? Wendy Newton, Birkdale.
On co-governance
Simon Wilson misses the point in his article on co-governance. There is no anti-democratic co-governance at Newton Central School. Instead there is only democratic governance, whether is is by consensus or majority vote, where people listen to each other. This is the way it should be. Bruce Robertson, Westmere.
On rates
Janie Weir (NZH October 10), Government, councils and state schools start paying rates for using publicly-owned property. Robbing Peter to pay Paul comes to mind. John Norris, Whangamata.
Election 2023: National, Act and NZ First are most likely to govern, but what might that look like?
Act and NZ First appear to be in conflict, giving the impression of an uncertain outcome. My guess is they are engaging in political posturing to ensure the best outcome for their party in the post-election coalition negotiation. David P.
The spring clean is happening and Labour/Green will be thrown out. The trend has been for a National/Act Government, and this is the likely result. Winston is playing the statesman as he knows it is likely he will not be the king maker. Mark I.
All we can do is hope that the polls are inaccurate and/or sense prevails with the undecided segment. Jonathan F.
It is not beyond possibility that Winston would side with Labour. That is a far scarier prospect. Anthony W.
Whatever the ultimate combination on Election night, over 70 per cent of NZ don’t want what we currently have — which is a Labour-led government. Be it National and Act or National, Act and NZ First, what it will look like is hope and ambition and a desire to be better than we have had for the last six years. Bring it on. Jo M.
I have watched both PM Job Interviews and would like to congratulate the panel. The format was a welcome change and far more revealing than the overtalking and interruptions by candidates (and in some cases moderators) in the so-called leaders’ “debates”. Tom B.
A group is embracing the opportunity to honour Te Tiriti with the Pākehā Project.