KEY POINTS:
Here is a selection of Your Views:
Auckland Boy
Going by these responses, it seems the only reason people intend on voting National is that "they are not Labour". Can't find many National policies listed here, hardly a ringing endorsement!
Luke Mason
Labour. The short mindedness of the bored fence sitting middleclass will put everything in jeopardy. Say goodbye to Kiwisaver, kiwibank and say goodbye to wage rises for hard working doctors and nurses in this country.Say hello to food banks, interest on student loans and privatised medical services. Thats what you get when a banker runs the country. Not to mention the nuclear policy! gone by lunchtime.Think people. It's not personalitites it's policy, read closer at who you're actually voting for! Just read 'The Hollow Men' and you might get an insight at the new right's real agenda!Wake up NZ.
Luke (LMP)
Labour. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. Nat-prats are usually accountants who are socially inept and pronounce Maori, 'Mouree'
George goldsmith
"Time for a change" yeah right.
Rob
I'm still undecided but I'll probably vote Labour. The extraordinary incompetence of National's 2 most recent governments should sound the alarm for everyone. Muldoon's decision to end the previous Labour government's savings scheme and the horrendous Employment Contracts Act 1991 were 2 of the worst governmental decisions of recent decades. Decisions that, to this day, we are still paying for in terms of our low capital formation (a major factor in our inability to keep hold of our companies) and our low wages. I am hopeful that National in 2008 will offer a more sensible approach but wise heads would reserve judgment until we hear more from them policy wise. Unfortunately, if the responses of many on Your Views are anything to go by, wisdom is a virtue in short supply. Describing a government that presides over a country that has the world's 2nd most business friendly regulatory environment as 'communist' beggars belief! I'm talking about NZ for those who still haven't caught on (see the world bank site www.doingbusiness.org/EconomyRankings). Continued references to 'nanny state', 'PC gone mad' and similar clichéd drivel (generally from National supporters I'm sorry to say) offers little hope that we, as a population, have the ability to engage with serious issues on anything other than a childish basis. Grow up folks! My apologies to any reasonably minded National supporters who might be out there (evidence suggests they ain't contributing to this anyway).
True Public
No to Labour. Because:1. too socialism resulting in favour to druggies, criminals and doles. Ignoring mainstream people who is contrubuting taxes. 2. not genuine (too PC). Attending Muliaga funeral was to buy vote. PM has habits making conclusion quickly- attempted to punish by publicising the innocent man who cut power and is doing his job by working hard and paying taxes to be able to contribute for those on sickness benefit and other WINZ benefits. 3. dictatorship- especially deputy PM is ignoring public request tax cut and all the time yelling his cynical views. 4. trying to promote their policy with public money- fledge card, trying to build stadium but it is guessed they will promote as Helen, Mallard or Labour stadium. 5. wake up NZers. Analyse properly their lips and words. 6. I don't like NZ reporters and journalists because they don't make efforts to penetrate the middle class and working class to report their voices / views. They wrongfully project as public opinion from people without job who got luxury time to talk to media.
Robert
There are some fairly strange views here.People say Nanny state after Labour say you can't hit children (smacking is allowed).People say Labour are overspending when National wanted to borrow money to spend even more money and Labour are saving surpluses. People say Labour are hurting Fiji with their policies when National stated they would do the same thing.... hell John Key even stated he would not see the Dahli Lama(sic) if China opposed it.People really should wait for policies / decide based on them before making a decision. Still from what I see National and Labour will be doing basically the same thing next election.
Kay
As a long-term Invalids Beneficiary- not by choice-I've learned to dread every general election since Ruth and Jenny's infamous Black Budget of 1991. Anybody on a benefit or low income in the 1990s is unlikely to forget the misery National caused us and they can never again be trusted. I'll continue to vote Labour, but like many others I know it's purely tactical to try and keep the others out of power, not because we actually support them. (National might like to remember we are a very large voting bloc.) At least when I cast my vote that gives me the automatic right to complain.
Elizabeth
I would vote Labour the others have nothing better to offer.
Hyperborean
Sigh, some people are just so naïve. This left vs right paradigm (not actually left or right, but usually based on what one perceives ones class to be) is a product of your conditioned minds and is merely a ploy to make you think that there is actually a choice. There is no choice - whoever is 'voted' in, the overall policies will remain in accordance with the same agenda. (Though, typically in New Zealand, sport is more important than national sovereignty, so most of you will miss what I'm getting at.) What I do find even more tiresome than living in what is becoming a police-state under a tyrannical government, however, is the self-righteousness of leftists who claim they are doing good for humanity's sake, as no more harm is done by those who 'think' they are doing good. (Do they not know the origin of socialism, and more importantly, of its ultimate intent?) They are merely 'useful idiots', unquote, whose shallow, child-like conscience is eased by their political ignorance. The only way that a socialist could actually help humanity is by committing suicide. In any case, in my opinion, both parties are effectively 'socialist', as their policies will undoubtedly be of an 'internationalist' or global (-isation) bent. Generally national parties are as their names might suggest - national, whereas socialism is actually an international ideology, though the difference these days is negligible. They are both sides of the same coin. Countries will no longer exist and democracy is a mirage (always was). Wake up you dodos or you'll fast become extinct like the kiwi (or was it the other way 'round...?).
Annette Moody
Labour, there are some good initiatives being presented currently. It is not time for a change.
Arron
While Matthew Pilott's views appear selfless and caring in rather wanting a supported society than a bit of extra money, they are unfortunately misguided. What the left can't seem to realise is that if you take away incentives to work and contribute to society then everyone suffers. Cullen and Clark's communist ideals have been imposed on NZ for a decade now, and the result is that productive people are leaving the country for greener pastures where their skills will be rewarded. The welfare state has also created an entrenched class of bludging low-lives that will keep breeding more losers. While the parents may be a lost cause, there is still hope for their children but only if we stop spoon feeding families and give people reasons to work and better themselves.
Matthew Pilott
It's a sad, but understandable situation, reading through these views. Everyone who supports National is saying "I work so hard, I've had no help, the government is communist and supports bludgers and not workers" and so on. They also accuse Labour of "nanny state" intervention. They should look at these examples closely, and think about how they will help NZ as a whole, not just from a self-centred perspective as it's clear they're doing now. Those who support Labour are interested in the welfare of society as a whole, and appreciate the progressive social policies that are now in place due to Labour. It's pretty clear, vote National if you're in it for yourself, and vote Labour if you want to help NZ as a whole. Me? Labour, clearly. I'd rather have a happier, and well-supported society than an extra $10 in the pocket! There's more to it than your bank balance. Think about how well NZ has done as a nation over the past eight years, before voting based upon the petty grievances and selfishness that National is capitalising upon.
Margot
This question is almost patronising. It's a no brainer National. The woman's libbers out there will see red when Auntie Helen is out on a landslide.
Tom, On OE in London
I will put money on Labour getting back into power because people will realise there is no real alternative in Parliament. Labour has had such a great track record, compare what Labour has done in 3 terms to what National did in the 90s. Everyone that says they'll move to Australia if Labour get back in, off you go! House prices are higher, cost of living is higher and you'll never feel like you're at home. Australia is not this rosey paradise most small time New Zealanders think it is.
Don
I'm voting Green again. Not that I'm a tree hugger, nor that I think the Greens are especially credible in their policies or people. (In fact many of their people seem like crass idiots.) However, National, Labour, etc, are so similar to each other that a vote for one of them really is wasted, and most importantly they do need a conscience in the House. Environmentalism isn't a bad thing, bits of it grate against specific parts of society when it restricts their aims, but the mainstream parties water-down environmental policies to make them more acceptable anyway. If my vote for Green helps cause the governing party to restrain its actions by an extra per cent, then I'm happy. If they restrain them for the benefit of the environment, then so much the better. Having spent most of my adult life living overseas, I appreciate what a wonderful environment we used to have here, and could have again if we treated it with a little more care and respect. The mainstream parties will just ignore that and get on with their backing-groups' doctrines unless they see that there's sufficient Green vote out there.
Carol
I will be voting National. I am just as tired as everyone else of living in a nanny state where there is no incentive to work and get ahead why should you when the state gives so many handouts to discourage you from doing so. Labours policies have discriminated against families without children, driven employers and businesses to the wall and contributed the most in over 30 years to the brain drain in New Zealand. Helen Clark has been one of the most manipulative politicians this country has ever seen. I am under the impression that governing bodies are 'public servants' I certainly feel that this government has provided the public no service at all!
Mary
At the moment I'm apolitical for the first time in my life. The reason for this is because there doesn't seem to be a party which is supportive of the working class and underprivileged in this country. Being working class, I always voted for Labour in the days when it was the working and ordinary person's party. Since Rogernomics and the introduction of the shocking free market economy (and now social engineering), my vote went to the Greens instead, but because of the policies of the Sue Bradfords' of that party, I won't be voting for them again either. National, NZ First and Act are out of the equation for me as well, as they are right wing and supportive of corporate greed and control, and so therefore not in line with my philosophies. At present, although Pakeha, I'm considering the Maori Party, which if anything does seem to represent the ordinary person. But I will have to investigate their policies further to consider actually voting for them. So if there was an election held now, I wouldn't know who to vote for, and from what I'm hearing out there, I'm not on my own in this respect!
Millie
NZ will vote the Nationals and their cronies in again at its absolute peril. Let's not forget, for instance, the Employment Contracts Act and its still enduring legacy of low wages, an entrenched underclass and social dysfunction. Nothing has done more to damage the fabric of NZ society it is a mean-minded, mean-spirited shadow of its progressive/egalitarian past. It's a pity NZers don't study what goes on in our own country as closely as the Aussies study us they've been able to join the dots between the bad policy of the National's Employment Contracts Act and the ongoing negative social consequences NZ is experiencing. Guess they must really be smarter than us after all. Or maybe all the really smart NZers left when National was last in power. The Aussies are likely to vote their government down and bring in a Labour govt this year primarily on this point to get rid of an IR regime brought in a year ago by the present govt that is very similar to the Employment Contracts Act. The problem with the messes the Nationals make is that they are so fundamentally damaging and take so long to clean up. We need to keep moving forward with Labour and shut down the shrill and increasingly vocal rabid right/fundamentalists with their embarrassingly infantile incantations and fear mongering (does anyone take all this 'reds under the bed/the trotskies are coming to get us, watch out for the commies' propaganda seriously, I mean really). And all this complaining about a nanny state while at the same time whingeing like big babies about tax cuts no insight at all into the more fundamental issues at stake, no vision for the future. Divide and destroy is the National's way we just can't do that to ourselves, we're better than that.
Dr O.P. Inion
National can't do any worse than Labour.
That said, following a number of attempts to engage National political figures in "meaningful" dialogue at the "present time" I have developed the view that they will be equally ineffectual if voted into "power".
One political jellyfish will be replaced by another. Good luck New Zealanders. If you earn less than $100,000 per annum depart for Australia. You will enjoy a better climate, lower rent and more pay. Return to NZ when there is a sense of reality about the place.
NZers live in cloud cuckoo land.
Andrew Atkin
I will be voting for National because I have studied them (as much as I can), and I think they're the best of them. And to all you people that think politicians are spawn of beast why not make your own political party? If we are to be complacent, and not apply for the job ourselves, then do we have the right to be so contemptuous?
Alan
My vote will be for National at the next election as I have had a gutsful of Helen Clark.
David Holland
Who would I vote for? Perhaps I am a little deluded but I always thought that we lived in a democracy. We seem to have a situation where too many people are paid too much money to dictate to us because we don't live in their cloud cuckoo land. There seems to be a burgeoning imbalance between those who produce the wealth and those who produce nothing, but who think that they have a better use for our money than we do. Do politicians of either bent really serve their constituents? It should be compulsory for every politician to serve their first three months in office on the income of a superannuitant. The "perks" that are enjoyed should definitely be trimmed, particularly after the incumbents have been voted out. If you tried to run a business in the manner in which most governments are run, you would not be solvent after a week. They serve us, we are not here for their benefit, but you would be hard pushed to demonstrate that under the present or past regimes. MMP has the tail wagging the dog, FPP results in constitutional arrogance, democracy suffers under either of them. So who would I vote for? frankly, I don't trust any of them!
Andrew Austin
NZ First gets my vote. They are the only party that has consistently delivered on their promises and actually made a tangible difference for the ordinary kiwi.
Antoninus-7
A pointless debate since 'democracy' doesn't exist [& even if it did, it wouldn't work ].'Democracy' or mob-rule is just a modern tool in the service of materialism, of the mass-ification of ignorance & mediocrity: its fundaments cannot seriously support themselves.One of the false cornerstones of 'democracy' is the vote, which [ apart from being an illusion, in any case in very poor taste ] ideally should be a collective judgment on the art of governing. Still, no one could sincerely defend the eccentric idea that a 'majority' is spiritually-intellectually-emotionally qualified or even has sufficient [ any ]knowledge about administration & government to the point of exercising judgment on these matters.... would they...? Certainly, Helen Clark is no more qualified than the average taxi-driver... so, I guess there's method in their madness...But, my last democratic right will be the right not to vote a right that I shall exercise...'National' or 'International' hmmm; they all look the same to me...
sasha
We moved back in Dec, after 10yrs in ozzie, it has been a big mistake, this country is going backwards and not for the better, the high taxation, high cost of living, excessively high cost of housing. The more you work the harder you work, the harder you are penalised and a govt acting as big brother over your life is not having a life. It's back to ozzie for good this time, at least life is enjoyable and affordable. The other big shock has been seeing our country NZ sold down the road to Overseas investors, before much longer NZ,S will not be able to call NZ their own. I find this the saddest thing of all.
Graham Lewis
I will be voting Labour even though they not perfect I've got a long memory of nationals dislike of the poor and low paid treatment of the worker .Granted this room for Labour to improve itself. I have come to the conclusion that they are all a bunch of useless Tories but they just go under another name.and that we are ruled by the IMF though the loans we have borrowed from them,as u can see similar policies from country to country when they borrow from the IMF. A country should be judged on how it treats its poor.I think both labour and national should quit pushing the greed barrow and look after the less fortunate ppl to create a decent society.
Colin England
Don't know who I'll be voting for at the moment I'm not fond of either National (because they really are only after the power being in government brings) or Labour (Because they still only cater to Big Business). To those who think MMP is a failure they should probably study their history a bit better over the lifetime of FPP in NZ more often than not the wrong party was in power. Between 1936 and 1996 we had more National governments but more people had actually voted Labour. Will National engage in social engineering? Yep. They will cut taxes for the rich, introduce policies that are detrimental to the average worker and actively increase poverty (implement Supply-side economic theory). This is social engineering. Social Engineering another meaningless term dreamed up by the right-wing radicals to scare the average Joe Public into supporting policies that will actually be bad for him but great for the very rich.
Roy
oting for National.Due to Labours policies. Mostly in Pacific Islands. Im Former Fiji resident, and it seems like Mrs Clark has some personal agendas re Fiji. She is asking for democracy but in Fiji without understanding the Fijian politics. Also at the same time she has gone and banned all the key ppple and business pple from travelling to NZ. But cant say anything to US re its democracy in Iraq. Also couldnt meet up with Dalai Lama supporting China a communist country. etc
Sharron
Yes, I will be voting National. NZ is fast becoming a communist state with comrade Helen in charge. If Labour gets voted in again, we will be leaving to go to Aussie.
Leslie
Goodbye Helen, Hello John.
Mel
Labour gets my vote! My memories of some 'horrid years' under a National Government will never be erased! Aside from that, the policies Labour has implemented seem to be working, don't they? And remember, it's always easy to make all sorts of promises and betterments when one is in the current 'Opposition Party'. Be careful New Zealand is all I can say! Remember those awful 80s!
Richard
My family and I are sick of Labour telling us how to live. We also resent the fact this Government rewards those who have slacked off and those who have studied hard and put in the house pay for it. I had no special help from any-one have a mortgage, wife and kids, I work long hours, money is tight. I know people who do nothing and have more ready cash than me. Not completely happy with National but they are a much better option than what we have now.
Dougal
It seems that most people in this country have very short memories and no ears. Here are a few questions for them. I predict that under a National Government:
* Housing costs would have risen to the same extent if not higher, as they wouldn't even consider regulation.
* The health system would be privatised (has no-one else inferred this from National's policy).
* University fees would go up.
* We'd not have Kiwisaver.
* We'd not have Kiwibank.
* There'd be no 20 hours childcare.
* The public sector would be slashed, sounds nice, but these people do actually do something, and sometimes to save/make money you have to spend it.
* There'd be no major investment in infrastructure projects.
* There'd be no action taken on CO2 emissions.
* We'd most likely find ourselves in Iraq.
* I'm sorry Fijian Indians but National's stance on democracy would be less understanding (maybe that's good).
* Oh, but we'd have more rugby stadiums and tax breaks to benefit the rich.
Wake up NZ, don't be fooled by a few careless words, actions speak louder.
Frank McIvor
Undoubtedly National, if for no other reason that John Key and a number of National MPs have at least some real-life business experience, more than the present incumbents of high office in NZ. Yet again today Cullen announced another Government surplus which he flatly refuses to return to those from whom it was taken. With Labour, we're all slowly becoming worse off year on year. Everything may not look too bad at the moment but what happens when the real downturn in the economy happens?
Steve
If I knew it would make any difference I'd vote ACT, otherwise National. It is the government's job to govern and administer, not divide and rule and relentlessly control our lives every which way possible and at every possible turn. I believe in individual responsibility and unlike just over half the electorate (at the last election) I don't want the government to hold my hand and walk me through life.
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