Your views, August 17

Reaction to Election Blog [link at bottom of page]

A few of the bloggers have mentioned the electricity industry, one mentioned the rising cost of natural gas. However, something which is starting to creep into the minds of the general public now, yet still seems to be somewhat lacking in the minds of our leaders, is where oil supplies are headed. It is of course entirely unpopular to suggest that things could be any worse than they are now. Petrol is more expensive than it was a year ago, for example, and the standard response from many consumers has followed the lines of "the government must reduce petrol tax!". Considering that a barrel of oil has increased in price by nearly seven times (in US$ terms) since 1999, and considering that analysts tend to be forecasting ever higher oil prices for the foreseeable future, how much difference would a tax cut really make to the price of petrol five or ten years from now?

Of the political parties battling it out in the current election, only the Greens and, to a lesser extent, the Maori Party have offered anything close to an expression of concern about the issue - until the very recent suggestions of a plan being drawn up "because the IEA requires us to do so" [link at bottom of page]. Not because there is a very good chance that we may actually need to look at supporting our lifestyles through the use of another raw material and fuel resource, but because someone overseas thinks it may be a good idea. Are our leaders really thinking about our future as a society, as a nation? Are they thinking five or ten years into the future, or is it only relevant to them how we vote in September?

The answer to that would seem to lie in the promises made by both Labour and National to build more roads. A simple response would be the question: who will be driving on those roads when oil (and therefore petrol and diesel) is too expensive for the people of New Zealand to use, and too expensive for tourists to consider visiting New Zealand (given that a significant portion of an airline's running costs is fuel)? Have our leaders considered how tourism might be affected by the rising cost of oil? Have they considered how our imports and exports might be affected by the rising cost of oil? Have they considered how we might be able to afford to either import or domestically produce goods ranging from pharmaceuticals to paints to dyes to cell phones, toothbrushes, and electric power sockets when cheap oil turns into very expensive oil? The answer, it seems, is "No". Actually, it is worse than just "No". Dr Brash is so confident in the static price of oil, that he would apparently seek to encourage greater use of it by dropping out of the Kyoto Protocol and repealing the carbon tax. Clever thinking, indeed.
- Curt Kurschus

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Jon Stokes is right. The left tries to push images of the right wing extremes, such as the KKK, the USA bible belt, or even hillbillies. That is equivalent to saying that all Socialists are Communists. Of course now the Big Bad Wolf is the USA, but we don't hear much about the human rights situation in China, do we? At least the USA is nominally a democracy, but I don't think that can be claimed for China or North Korea.
- Pete Margetts


Reaction to Eyes right for the moral minority [link at bottom of page]

Morality (or the lack of it) is a big issue as far as I personally am concerned - my vote will definitely go with a candidate and a party who I believe will endeavour to raise the morality standard in NZ - it is in decline and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to see the cause and effect happening in our nation!
- Maureen McDonald

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You cant legislate morality. Oliver Cromwell proved that. Helen Clark is about to find that out but coming from the other direction. The vocal minority of homosexuals and the like are getting up peoples' noses. They are not persecuted but they would try to tell us they are and that somehow we are responsible for them not being able to breed and have an accepted 'marriage'. Civil unions are a sick joke. Her and her feminist stormtroopers are a pathetic unhappy group and most of the country has had it with their nonsense. The politically correct thinking being pushed by bureaucrats on her behalf has only been allowed by an apathetic and gutless press playing to an apathetic and gutless public that has lost the plot on what is normality. The only people they think it is acceptable to decry and ridicule are the Christian churches. I take my hat off to the pope who wasted no time in giving this disturbed crew called the Labour Government a rark-up. They are not going to change so the best thing to happen would be that they were voted out onto the street to find other work.
- M Yates

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I think it has nothing to do with what party is in, It's the people themselves, who choose what type of morals and values they have. It does seem to be every man for himself unfortunately, but thankfully there is still a lot of people and groups who care about others. I think Helen Clark has done a good job so far and made some good decisions. She will have my vote again, GO HELEN.
- Carol, Wainuiomata

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Yes. Moral issues are a major concern for me this election. I will be voting United Future because they stand for family values, and that can clearly be seen by their voting record in the last term. They are the only ones promoting income splitting, but your paper seems to be reluctant to give them any credit for anything. I don't understand it.
- Kevin Stitt

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The number one issue for me when it comes to the general elections is morality. This has been the clincher issue for me for many elections now. Societies fall to pieces when they move away from Christian values. I know many people vote according to how it will affect their 'back pocket', because they think being richer will make them happier.
- Ross Nixon

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I thank the Destiny Church for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from Brian Tamaki, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from Brian, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Australia. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Australians?

I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination, in Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole of Ashburton together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

- Paul Jancys

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Is morality an issue in this election? Absolutely. I find it bad enough that the PM can indirectly authorise breaking our traffic laws. What makes it disgusting is that she left those who carried out her wishes to fry in court. That is not leadership, that is cowardice. We remember that Labour wanted our 12-year-old children legally bonking each other. As parents, we resent that FPA are teaching our kids about sex in ways that few parents would agree with - if they knew. (We remember that the FPA gave a teenage girl contraception pills that killed her.) I resent that vocal & influential minority groups have more say than the majority - this is not democracy. We resent the heinous prostitution reform bill. Removing legal protection for parents who smack, while giving glib assurances that few believe? - I can quite safely say that if this comes to pass, I will no longer wish to bring up my children in this country. I am an IT professional who will have no problem obtaining work elsewhere. Who am I going to vote for? Local Vote: National (reasons: Christine Collins is not a feminazi and is very competent). List Vote: NZ First (reason: NZ First is devastating in opposition and is competent in government - also keeps coalition partners on the straight & narrow. Whichever way it goes, they are a safe vote)
- Mark Taylor

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Morality obviously means different things to different people. How moral is it for the National Party to promise to make it harder for the families of refugees to be united with their loved ones? How moral is it to suggest that things should be made harder for single parents in an effort to get them out of their homes to work - that may well be poorly paid and at hours when they are needed by their children? How moral is it to be one of the meanest of the developed nations when it comes to overseas aid? How curious people seem when they worry about the lifestyle choices of vulnerable, minority groups, while more pressing social issues are ignored.
- Phil

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Once again the ugly head of the self-proclaimed saviours of family and society has reared. I for one am so sick of those faux-christians blaming gay people for the demise of society and the breakdown of the family. It really is nauseating to hear the perpetual BS they gush forth comparing gay people to the heterosexual paedophile. If they put the same effort and energy into resolving our violent domestic crime, child abuse and rapes and murders, society would be a much better place. But I guess fear does funny things to funny people....Why on earth people like the destiny church/party and its sheep cannot understand that this country is made up of individuals who believe in all sorts of religions and and have their own belief systems that do not necessarily concur with Destiny's so where do they get off forcing it on others? Bishop bling bling and his wife et al are allowed their opinion sure, but to force it upon others?
- Scapegoat

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One can't help but notice the reporter had to scratch around from one end of the country to another in order to dig out people who claim to be upset at NZ's morality. These types basically fall into two categories. The same old wowsers that have been around since the year dot whom I have nothing against as long as they don't try and force their views on anyone else. And that other type of Kiwi who has been around since the first boat full of English arrived; the cultural cringers. If it's happening overseas then it just has to 'catch on here' as far as these types are concerned. They see the god botherers have made a comeback in the US so in the interests of denying New Zealand any cultural independence they jump on the moral outrage bandwagon. And no I have no interst in civil unions personally, our family of adults, children, cats and dogs is pretty much the standard nuclear set-up. But I do hate anyone who thinks they know what is best for others, simply because those that worry about others probably don't spend enough time looking at their own backyard.
- Ure Kismet

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Morality will definitely be a deciding factor. I'm looking for a major party to stand up and speak out for what is right, not what is popular. If they don't then I will have to choose a minor party, even if it means a potential lost vote.
- M Patterson

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I agree with many of the views stated here - especially that this government has not done enough to support families. This government has only offered assistance for parents returning to work after having children - nothing for families where one parent chooses to stay at home and invest their time in bringing up their families. Helen Clark has never had children so she needs to listen to parents who are choosing to stay at home. Even being able to income split (across a married couple) for tax purposes would be a huge benefit.
- Lara Crowther

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Morality as far as I'm concerned is about treating others as you wish to be treated, being a good citizen, caring about others, respecting the rights of others to simply exist in an environment free from threat or terror. Now we're told that it boils down to heterosexual marriage and children and anything outside of that is immoral. It's all fair and well for supporters of this framework to criticise all those outside of it, particularly Queer New Zealanders, because they forget that these people are also human beings that suffer, bleed, work hard, and surprise surprise, comprise families or are part of families. Nobody has any right to criticise someone for being born different to them. Heterosexuals have to learn to stop taking themselves too seriously because far from being moral, most it would appear are simply nasty, superior and vexatious.
- Allan-John Marsh

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The government will be routed. United Future offered family values then sold out by guaranteeing supply, regardless. There has been a systematic program of implementing a socialist and minority anti-male agenda and destroying the normative values of this society.
- Kevin O'Brien

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Morality is definitely an issue for me. I would never ever walk into a Destiny Church, but I may very well vote for them because they seem to be the only people standing up for in the best interests of the family.
- Anna

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Yes, morality is an important factor for me in this election. I voted for Labour but they have neglected to consider morality whenever they come out with bills and legislations. As a Catholic I still believe in family and marriage hence I will vote for United Future.
- Josephine Victorino

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For me morality issues are not a priority in this election. I am voting based on the real global issues that effect us as a small island nation, issues such as the economy, the environment and the looming energy crunch. This election is about preparing and living for the future, not about dreaming of a life from Last century. The issues that face us this century make morality based votes irrelevant and insignificant
- Craig Gillett

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The sooner we break down our moral standards passed down from our unenlightened ancestors, the sooner we can start seeing each other as equals. Rather than the gay, pot smoking, prostituting, sinners we are judged to be. Marriage is dead, I'm never going to marry and I speak for a large majority of my twenty something year old friends. Why add an external non-tangible pressure on a relationship, with the only benefit an ancient moral fairytale.
- Chase Walley

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In the USA 2004, a massive segment of Christian conservatives voted as a block. They were coordinated, they were educated, and they were at the polling place on the day in question. The more socialist liberal voters didn't have that clear leadership and voter coordination. In the same election, nearly 40 per cent of eligible voters didn't bother voting. 40 per cent! The Christian conservatives won. A year later, in NZ...we have a potential situation with a similar scent. The NZ right wing Christian coalition (backed by money from US chruch groups) will be voting in a block. The National Party is supported by the USA Republican party. The NZ "morale" conservative party leaders have their orders from their American masters. A vote for the Christian right is one step closer to having NZ become another colony of the neo conservatives of the USA. Kiwis should vote to ensure that control of the nation resides in the hands of Kiwis. Be conservative if you wish, but ensure you are a Kiwi conservative.
- Ziggy

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I believe morality is a key issue for this election. I believe that marriage (between a male and a female) is the cornerstone of the family and that family is the cornerstone of society. Family impact on every sector of society. The breakdown of families is a primary cause of all problems that impact on the health and stability of our country. I will be voting for the Party that stands for traditional family values.
- Liz Feltcher

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Yes, moral issues are definitely a vital consideration when voting, and I encourage other voters to hold our politicians accountable. There are numerous symptoms of moral decay in our society, often based on atheistic/humanistic values, and the current New Zealand government is providing endorsement. Such issues include the redefinition of marriage, on-call and subsidised abortion, and prostitution. Thank you for including the article "Eyes right for the moral minority;" please continue to educate the New Zealand community of their political options. However, please do not refer to those that consider marriage to be the union of a man and woman as the minority. This is not necessarily true and not depicted accurately by the statistics chosen for publication.
- Fergus

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To some people, it seems, morality means believing in God. Does that mean Graham Capill is a moral man? No. It is your actions that determine whether you are moral. Labour voters may just be people that believe that helping the poor, the sick and the marginalised is more important than claiming a belief in one (of many) version of religion - then acting to harm those less well off than yourselves.
- Russell Lockhart

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The direction of our society is of increasing concern to me. I regularly interact with young people and social needs and I believe that we are not in a good place. Just this morning I had an interaction with a class of year 7 and 8 students that reinforced the serious situation that we are facing in our communities and we need to see things turn around. I believe that the Labour government has been instrumental in not only allowing but driving social change that will bear negative fruit for many years to come.
- Bill Tissingh

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Yes, morality is an issue for me at this election. The break-down of the traditional family unit and the new PC families are of major concern. The government is opening the door to an anything goes society which is reflected in the attitudes and behaviour of young people and children in school. Lack of respect for adults, property and themselves points to a bleak society in years to come.
- Andrew

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Yes, moral issues will influence my vote in the election. I will be voting AGAINST politicians who campaign on a moral basis. I want politicians to focus on economy and education.
- Brian Logan