A reader finds it unacceptable that the three party leaders have not been able to form a government four weeks after the election.
It was obvious after polling on election night that the incoming government’s numbers would require an accommodation with NZ First. Special-vote counting confirmed this.
It is totally unacceptable that more than four weeks after the election, there is no information, there appears to be no sense of urgency. By Tuesday night this week, the leaders of the three parties had not gathered in the same room. Unbelievable. Even without negotiating teams, there was bridge building, bonding and a clearing of the air that should have been taking place among the three leaders.
Winston Peters continues to play his petty games. His failure to talk to media, his absence from Wellington and even his own caucus on Tuesday — more political grandstanding and ego nonsense. David Seymour extended an opportunity to him immediately after the election and again after special votes were counted. Publicly on numerous occasions since, he has said he is available any time, anywhere to meet Peters. No response. Most teenagers are more mature than Peters’ actions demonstrate.
Christopher Luxon talked of his negotiating skills, his business acumen and ability to get things done. He has promised us he would get on with it and that they were ready to govern. All we have seen so far is a failure to deliver, little progress and the same parroted answers that say nothing and fail to satisfy the waiting voters.
The people of NZ voted for change. It’s about time we started seeing some of it. It is time to deliver.
Rubin Levin, Devonport
Form a minority govt
I strongly suggest Christopher Luxon simply ignore Winston Peters and form a minority government. It is very unlikely all other parties would combine to vote with NZ First to bring such a government down and indeed the other members of Peters’ party would not either. If they did cause a new election their actions to date would be very likely to see a reduction in their share of the vote to well under 5 per cent.
It is almost certain their leader would not either because he’d lose his baubles of office, which can be his only objective.
His actions to date are in direct conflict with the party’s name. To quote Monty Python: “Get on with it!”
Rod Lyons, Kumeū
Refund the money
If one of the future parties fails to send its leader to a meeting without notifying the other leaders, I would suggest the word “dysfunction” is already a suitable description of that future coalition?
Would the phrase “harbinger of discontent” sum it up?
If the expense of flights and limos were added to the taxpayer, I suggest those leaders refund the money — the public doesn’t like wasting its time, money or expectation of cohesion.
Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri
Putting NZ first
Winston Peters is making a laughing stock of his party, NZ First. His childish “hide and seek, no show” behaviour shows he has no interest in putting NZ first. I understand the parties have differences, but one would like to believe all three leaders would make every effort to get the show on the road as soon as possible. Come on Winnie. Grow up and put NZ first.
Janet Boyle, Ōrewa
Get to San Fran
In my view Christopher Luxon should get on a plane and immediately head for San Francisco. He can represent New Zealand as “President-elect”. It seems the three stooges (Luxon, Seymour and Peters) aren’t the people trying to negotiate forming the new government. Others seem to be doing this at a level below.
I think it is imperative our country is represented in San Francisco at the highest level. Apec is huge and an opportunity not to be missed. It could be ages before Luxon gets the chance to meet with the two most powerful men on the planet, Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, not to mention the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Canada, Indonesia and many others.
Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay
Why do we allow it?
I am a firm believer in democracy and all it brings to the table. I will defend it and take part. The current situation where one man is holding up the forming of a government is laughable.
There is no doubt NZ First was elected into Parliament. With just over 6 per cent of the vote, NZ First is delighting in keeping the majority of New Zealand voters waiting to have a workable government.
There must be reform in the system that sets a timeframe for negotiations. I dread to think how much this charade is costing the NZ population.
One party with just 6 per cent of the vote holds too much sway over the direction of policy and government. If we were to have a national referendum and 6 per cent of the responses said no and say 70 per cent said yes, we would not accept the 6 per cent vote. Why, then, do we allow this fiasco?
Gary Neil Denney, Eden Terrace
The MMP system
Well said Hylton LeGrice (NZ Herald, November 14). MMP voting in its current form is grossly deficient in enhancing trust in NZ democracy. Surely we can do better.
We need to retain proportionality in parliament and yet allow “the people” (i.e. us) to exercise personal choice in each individual voted in or out. Appointing MPs via a “job lot” as in an auction should become impossible. Human nature has always favoured some and rejected others. Such reality, despite sometimes being brutal, should not be blurred.
Dr LeGrice’s list of defects in our MMP system barely scratches the list of its defects. Can’t we do better? And soon.
Rob Munro, Wadestown
Seditious behaviour
Those who are threatening the government with violence if there is a referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi should take the time to read Part 5 of the Crimes Act 1961 that outlines seditious offences. This legislation, in part, includes the following: “To incite, procure, or encourage violence, lawlessness, or disorder; or to incite, procure, or encourage the commission of any offence that is prejudicial to the public safety or to the maintenance of public order; or to excite such hostility or ill will between different classes of persons as may endanger the public safety.”
This offence is still on the books and comes with a maximum term of 14 years’ imprisonment.
Mark Young, Ōrewa
Pharmac and funding
As far as one can discern, Pharmac’s decisions regarding drug funding do not seem to factor in the reduction in the overall cost of an affliction if it is not treated. A prime example is the initial decision not to fund ustekinumab (Stelara), a “wonder” drug for Crohn’s disease — despite the high initial cost, the savings in medical and hospital care, let alone the alleviation of suffering, would more than compensate for the initial cost over the long run. (Disclosure here — my daughter is treated with Stelara in the US at minimal cost.)
This paradigm is also evident in the decision not to fund a number (recently reported as many as 17) of cancer therapeutics that are funded across the Tasman and elsewhere in the OECD. The basic problem seems to be the categorisation of the Pharmac budget independently of the overall healthcare budget. Brooke van Velden seems to be cognisant of this anomaly, so here is hoping that Act and NZ First can fix this.
Ericson List, Pāpāmoa
Govt and Supie
Robbie Paul’s article (NZ Herald, November 10) was interesting but sad. It is assumed that Supie had a viable model, otherwise Icehouse would not have invested in it.
I suggest the Government become a 51 per cent shareholder post-IPO (just as it has with Air NZ and power companies).
Advantages:
1. It could well achieve exactly what the Government’s goal is in regard to more competition in groceries
2. It should be much more efficient and cheaper (than Foodstuffs and Woolworths) loading goods from a pallet into boxes for distribution without all the staff stocking shelves, at checkouts, etc.
3. It will be much better for greenhouse gas emissions to have electric or hydrogen delivery vans compared with individual trips. I never bought via Supie, but it would seem to be best to deliver to each neighbourhood at a fixed time from, say 7pm, to minimise traffic congestion.
Bruce Phythian, Parnell
Greens on right track
Bruce Cotterill (NZ Herald, November 11) argues the Greens should stick to environmental policies. In my opinion, that would be a disaster for the Greens and New Zealand. They would lose perhaps half or more of their votes by ditching the social justice element, and New Zealand would lose one of the only two progressive parties (the other being the Māori Party).
Joining a coalition with National — which wants to restart offshore oil drilling and kick reducing farming emissions further down the road — and Act will be a swift path to oblivion at the next election, as happened with the Māori Party when it joined a right-wing coalition or New Zealand First with Labour. The Greens’ strong showing at this election proves they have their priorities right.
Kushlan Sugathapala, Epsom
Another simple fix
Regarding Auckland Transport and simple fixes: Ensure public transport runs when there are events at Spark Arena. An illustration of this was last Thursday’s excellent The Corrs concert, which finished at 11.15pm. I discovered there were no Tamaki Link buses after 10.30pm, as per the normal Thursday schedule. If there was a weekend schedule, then there would have been buses funnelling people back until midnight, thus reducing evening traffic.
Andrew Parsons, Ōrākei
On negotiations
If the three leaders cannot even organise to sit down in the same room together, what chances are there of a “strong and stable government”? Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.
On coverage
Political reporters are virtually salivating over the drama they are trying to create around coalition talks. At times they seem hell-bent on looking for anything that indicates this coalition will fail. Perhaps they could encourage us to see the positives and be patient. We know “all good things come to those who wait”. Janet Boyle, Ōrewa
On NZ First
At the last election, I thought my normal vote for Labour would not count. So I voted for NZ First — and I’ve got exactly what I was looking for. Roy Taylor, Northcross
On maturity
When are the three petulant, primer schoolchildren finally going to sit around the table together like mature adults in the national interest — and act like adults? For goodness’ sake, grow up please! Bruce Tubb, Devonport
On bridges
As the Taparahi bridge is set to open early and the construction team have proved their timeframe abilities and skills, can we have them start on a new Auckland Harbour crossing next month. A new harbour crossing this time next year would be a nice Christmas gift to Auckland. Chris Mann, Mount Albert
Fire crews were quickly on the scene and it appeared to be under control within minutes.