BayBuzz - Be in the know

One’s vote is not to be given lightly, but only after carefully considering all options. Who’s getting my vote in 2008?

Labour? Nope! I want less government in my life than Labour gives us. True, Helen Clark has governed under the difficulties of MMP with a great degree of shrewdness and competence. But she has gone down in my estimations of late with Labour’s turning on their sugar-daddy – and benefactor – Owen Glenn in favour of charlatan Winston Peters. I have few objections to Labour’s foreign policy and trade record and especially give her full credit for her refusal to send combat troops to Iraq. This respect though has been compromised by her “back of an envelope” calculation that under National “60 troops would have returned home in body bags”. At best this is appalling bad taste, and reveals recklessness born of desperation.

Labour’s tired. It’s time for a fresh approach. But what of the other solicitations?

ACT demands interest. Rodney Hide has enlivened the political scene and Roger Douglas has proved to be a man of uncompromising conviction, but ACT’s posture is a bit too absolute for me. In any case, while Hide has a good chance to retain Epsom, his failure to do so would likely make a vote for Act wasted.

While the honesty and conviction of the Greens and their uncompromising commitment to environmentalism is admirable and enriches the New Zealand political scene, they are just too far left to demand my vote. I don’t comprehend their anti-trade position; trade underpins this country’s prosperity, and always has. I have to admit though that I find enlightened their policy of reducing income tax and replacing revenue lost with a tax on energy, given the energy crisis facing the world.

I doff my hat to the Maori Party, now a potent political force, but it’s not for me.

Winston Peters awaits his fate in the knackers yard, hoping for a stay of execution. He’s all image and no substance. The rest are one man bands.

So Tom’s hunch is right. Ewan McGregor will be voting National. Here’s why.

Firstly, National has traditionally fitted into my right of centre economic philosophy, although at times out of sync with my social attitudes. For this reason I have always voted for National’s economic philosophy, which for a time meant voting Labour – but that’s history.

Second, notwithstanding National’s misjudgment in supporting the US-led illegal and disastrous invasion of Iraq, I believe that New Zealand has to maintain the closest possible ties with the America. Labour has striven to rebuild that relationship and we appear to be on good relations with the US, but a National Government would strengthen them as we await a new administration there.

Thirdly, we need a fresh approach, and I believe John Key, with his fiscal experience, moderation and ability to articulate policy and opinion, is well able to provide it. If nothing else, his seemingly natural smiling countenance makes for a happy contrast to the incessant Clark scowl (belied by her out-of-date and enhanced portrait on Labour’s billboards).

Key appears to be a man of integrity, notwithstanding his lapse over his declaration of Transrail shares, for which inexperience as a new member is no excuse. Still, he has been appropriately repentant and we can assume he will be more careful.

Key also has under him a young and enthusiastic team that will bring freshness, new style and a range of pre-parliamentary experience to the nation’s affairs. Huge challenges await the next government given the economic portends that confront us. And while this situation is not essentially to the discredit of the current government, a new administration unburdened by its recent record offers wider political options. In any case, while the political reality is such that lowering expectations is a poor option before an election, a new government unburdened by its recent past is more able to do it post-election. Expect it.

Finally, I applaud National’s promise of giving the New Zealand people an opportunity to endorse or otherwise our MMP constitutional system. After four terms of MMP we are surely entitled to this.