My Random Unstructured Thoughts on NZ’s 2014 Election.

The result was a lot better than some scenarios might have been, but we still have socialist, big brother state government that is more dangerous than an outright Left win as it’s in the guise of a party professing to believe in small state, limited government. 

The most important debate to be had over the next three years in the pursuit of individual liberty, was Labour MP Maryan Street’s Dying With Dignity euthanasia bill. I am gutted that Maryan did not get back in last night as that means her bill is dead, with little likelihood the social conservatives in National will look at opening this essential debate. In a time when the Chief Coroner is trying to change the death certification process in order to catch out humane doctors over-prescribing pain medication to bring on early death in judged circumstances, this issue becomes urgent. I am still sure, although Maryan has denied it, Cunliffe pressured her to pull her bill from the ballot pre-election, an occurrence I’m sure Maryan herself now regrets, and I wish she could have been persuaded to have run with it, even if it had meant fighting her leader.

A heartfelt thank you to Labour MP Kelvin Davis for actually going against that same leader early in this election in taking the fight over Maori seat Te Tai Tokerau  to that abomination of hard-left/1% dirty politics, the Internet Mana Party, and ultimately obliterating them from the political map of New Zealand. In Davis, Labour surely have their most viable option for future leader.

While on the Maori Seats, I wrote a piece last month against the libertarian dogma of one-law-for-all in New Zealand and supportive of Maori self-determination. In that I stated the Maori seats only make sense in the context of Maori identity, not within the Left’s class war where the ruling ethic must be no self-determination allowed any group or individual. Maori Party leader Te Ururoa – wish I could spell that without looking it up each time – Flavell recognised this in his party’s Relationship Agreement – not coalition - with National, but was unfortunately punished for it by Maori voters who gave all but one of the Maori seats to Labour thus consigning their votes, with their hopes, to oblivion. I am glad that National will talk to the Maori Party, and personally hope they give Maori Affairs to Te Ururoa, so Maori continue to have a voice at the table where decisions are made. If Maori had given Maori Party seven seats, imagine the further influence they would’ve had.

The Greens found, again, the country doesn’t believe child poverty, or poverty per se, can be solved by growing the welfare state, but rather by dealing in the causes of poverty, particularly the cycle of dependence that has been grown on the state. Ahem, self-determination.

Thank you New Zealand voters for making Winston Peter’s irrelevant over the next three years.

Thank you New Zealand voters for keeping the xenophobic, authoritarian Conservatives irrelevant for the next three years, although this morning no commentator is giving Colin the congratulations he deserves: 88,000 votes *is* a remarkable feat.

This morning’s interview on The Nation between Patrick Gower, Jamie Whyte and David Seymour was a perfect example of how a cynical MSM operates to exact its hatred of Libertarian politics. Patrick, who had been monotonously grilling his two victims over the disadvantageous scenario of leader Whyte outside Parliament, looked Seymour direct in the eye and asked an unrelated policy question, Seymour began the answer to be interrupted by Patrick saying ‘why doesn’t the party leader answer that’, redirecting the camera to an obviously confused - because he wasn't asked the question - Whyte, so trying by deceit and malice, actually, a school boy level trick, to set ACT up as incompetent where it isn’t. Whyte has valid complaints at the treatment he received by too many journalists, putting the answers they wanted into his mouth, or letting their inner child loose to write some infantile articles and tweets on various pronouncements from him. Normally I like Gower, but this was showmanship, not interviewing.

The Twittersphere was repugnant abundant with the Left wondering why the Left vote  collapsed, given Hager and #dirtypolitics. This is my answer:

@avancenz 4 what it's worth, working & business NZ don't care about behaviour in the sandpit of the Fortress of Legislation, only policy.
— Mark Hubbard (@MarkHubbard33) September 20, 2014

@avancenz Majority of my rural & business clients would've voted Nats, I didn't talk to 1 over last 6 wks who'd heard of Whaleoil, or ...
— Mark Hubbard (@MarkHubbard33) September 20, 2014

@avancenz ... even knew what a blogger was :)
— Mark Hubbard (@MarkHubbard33) September 20, 2014

This Labour/Green wannabe government would’ve been dreadful: in his paid piece on NBR, editor Nevil Gibson sums up well the Left’s problem:

Labour and the Greens, with partial support from New Zealand First, pinned their hopes on defeating National with populist policies of nationalisation, price controls, higher taxes, increased minimum wages and curbs on immigration, investment and property purchases.

They all signalled major changes in monetary and economic policy that would have been detrimental to business and the country generally.

With that, thank goodness it’s over, I’ve been getting bored with my own blog. I’ll continue on politics from time to time, I’m built that way, but back to the odd book review and, well, life, pieces as well. Plus I’m almost finished a novel I’ve spent the last four years writing in every spare moment I can crib late night and early morning: it is probably unpublishable, (albeit I’ll try the traditional route), but I may soon post some discards. For the rest of today I’m reading David Mitchell’s new novel, The Bone Clocks; I’ve been looking forward to it for weeks.