United Future

Peter,
Great article. Articulate of what I read in "commentaries" by journalists who think they are "experts" on such matters as the Marine and Coastal Bill. The Tui billboard "Yeah Right" always works for me.

The political discourse in New Zealand is an interesting one. MMP has definitely changed the political landscape. No doubt about that. But the major stakeholders of the two main parties still able to impress voters for a vote in their favour. No doubt about that. Since MMP started the style of electioneering has become more personality driven than party driven and so the heat is on the key candidates to deliver on what they say. No doubt about that.

The caliber of said candidates is questionable. Mature thinking is always the indicator of a promising outcome in the House. Camera lovers or scare-mongers with no brains maturity, starts to wind me up the wrong way. Definitely no doubt about that. Political discourse in New Zealand has come along way and I must say, with due respect to many, that the selfishness of some tends to blow the wind the wrong way. Notable of late is the debate over assets selling. What was missed was the economic necessity and the point that the companies will still be 50% own by the government. In the real world, a small country like ours simply cannot afford, anymore, the notion of a state centred ownership of commercially viable businesses when the deficit has blown through the roof. It's a case of not having the cash to buy toilet paper when you need it. Hospitals cannot afford a sudden disease riven society who has no toilet paper. Education missed the point, as well, for the lack of proper funding for resources. The dominos fall all the way to an end, but where is that end? Can we stop it?

The sequel to the movie "Wall Street", as "Wall Street: money never sleeps" shows actor Michael Douglas give a lecture on finance, which by the way, has Oliver Stone written all over it, makes an interesting point and a prophetic one, when he was addressed the younger audience: "You are the new generation called "NINJA Generation- No Income, No Job, no Assets." And I was struck by the commonality of it worldwide, of that problem. One friend commented to me the other day when I told him about the scene, that I am one of the new generation, even at my age of 51, on Invalids Benefit, no job, and sadly no credible assets. I firmly am in the mind now that the discourse in my country should really be about access to essentials, and also healthy debate as to whether we should consider not buying guns for the police, because the risk would be far greater - "Onus probundi" - the burden of proving. Have gun, have rebellion, have tragedy, have unrest and resentment of the power of a gun. America still hasn't learnt that one yet and we sure better not go there AT ALL. There is way too much violence already - guns will not solve the problems social issues have.

So the comment you made Peter, QUOTE: "a cynical electorate that becomes increasingly disengaged from the political process." UNQUOTE, means for me a serious and worthy point. Negative debate may sometimes be useful, but public disengagement is a serious problem because we have so much coverage from our "experts" that the public get rather tired of the immature and silliness of individuals whose only reason for being in Parliament to to criticize their opponents. I would like a public discourse on how to address the NINJA generation problem before we all retire. It is, for me, the central issue for 2011.