(Hat-tip NotPC)Rodney Hide spoke to the ACT Wellington conference at the weekend. He can say it for me;
There's no difference in policy between National and Labour. But if we keep doing the same old thing, we will keep getting the same old result. It doesn't matter who's administering the policy; it's the policy that counts first and foremost. It's policies that will determine our standard of living in the future, and determine whether New Zealanders choose to return to New Zealand or stay away. Labour's policies are bad for our country, bad for Kiwi families, and they will be equally bad policies under a National-led Government....
... John Key's aim is to win votes off Helen Clark. He will stick to her policies but be a new, fresh face.
It's clearly working: National is riding high in the polls. National's "no policy" policy is good for National – but it's bad for the country. National is providing no debate about the country's direction, what our goals should be, and what we need to achieve them. That job has been left to ACT.
ACT has plenty of policy – but is low in the polls. Let's hope that's not a lesson for politics in the future.
So far, National has released 16 policies. The latest is a commitment from John Key to re-arrange and re-prioritise sports funding. Now, I'm sure SPARC could do with its funding re-arranged and re-prioritised - but it's not the most pressing problem confronting the country. It's not going to change the opportunities and standard of living for New Zealanders – unless you're a SPARC staffer. It's not going to lift our country's performance or bring our kids home faster.
Yet our next Prime Minister devoted an entire speech to it. We're heading into the election with no policy debate or policy difference between the two old Parties.
10 comments:
JK has plenty of time and so many targets.
Serving notice to the bureaucracy via the soft target of Sparc I hope is only the start.
Any paring to the bone of the bloatocracy has to be so good for the country.
Yep, he certainly could not do any worse, and I for one think he will be much, much better. Not full of idiotologies, not full of PC bull, and most of all, not full of himself.
"Any paring to the bone of the bloatocracy has to be so good for the country."
Dead right. But you're not going to get it from JK. He's already said that he's not going to sack any bureaucrats.
"Pare to the bone"? Dreaming.
sus, attrition should account for plenty of socialist leaning bureaucrats.
Attrition won't quite cut it though, will it? A bit off here...a bit off there. True, effective, sensible restructuring requires a vision, and we are in need of a bold vision.
Which political party has that? Only ACT.
"JK has plenty of time"
NZ does not have plenty of time. Labour squandered the good years.
Lindsay, fully agree with you that Labour has abused and ruined NZ.
The reference to 'plenty of time' I made is more toward that he has to start policy somewhere and his 'time' will run out the day he is elected. Everyday her indoors does not announce the election date gives JK more time.
One can only hope that ACT is also there on the night with National and can assist with implementing the required change of direction.
Notice has been served.
All the best in your contest.
The Silent Majority said...
"Attrition won't quite cut it though, will it? A bit off here...a bit off there. True, effective, sensible restructuring requires a vision, and we are in need of a bold vision.
Which political party has that? Only ACT."
The attrition rate amongst socialists might be greater than you think should a centre right coalition prevail.
Transfers could see surplus public servants reallocated to Police (front line would be good), ambulance service, fire service, etc.
But you are right, some vision will not go astray,but if National doesn't get enough support can ACT work in a Labour led coalition (possibly with Winston Peters as Prime Minister)? Although with the returning Labour-led scenario there will be no reduction in civil servants.
This is great. Will nick it for Act on Campus clubs day signage!
"At the same time, Labour has wasted hundreds of millions in low quality, largely useless, tertiary courses."
It's a statement from the National Party which I agree with. What I have heard from the National Party are many statements identifying major problem areas in New Zealand - gangs, excessive spending on bureaucracy in the public sector, (welfare departmental spending was 4.5 per cent higher than welfare spending; departmental spending in education outstripping spending on early, secondary and teritary education) excessively high taxes; and recognition that we are losing many of our skilled workers overseas.
I don't hear Labour even identifying these areas as problems . I am not that enthusiastic about how quickly National will tackle the problem of excessive bureacracy but it's a step up from Labour's carefree spend up at taxpayers expense.
Gloria
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