It seems that the Labour Govt. can do no right and the National Opposition can do no wrong at least since they rid themselves of the Brash Don. The new leader John Keys the golden boy from posh Parnell has cleansed the party of all hints of racism for which Brash tried to conjure up in the form of inuendoes (Maoris get special treatment etc and other crap not backed up by facts) and seems to have cleaned that slate white. Brash went "by lunch time" and left to the political language of NZ such gems as that and "doing an Orewa" or making racist speeches.
Anyway since John took over the Nats have raced ahead and put a safe 20% plus distance between them and Labour. In my view they are unlikely to tbe headed before November 2008 and it looks like curtains for Labour. The biggest irony is that National has refused to commit to a policy and their ballooning support is in spite of it. Why should they state policies while they are way ahead? They are so popular they don't need any. All John Keys has to do is wash his face and comb his hair first thing in the morning. By the same token we've seen every morning face Helen Clark has managed for the last nine years.
So much for the big boys and girls in parliament. The little fullas like NZ First, Maori Party, Greens, United and Progressives are in for a struggle. NZ First I think has wrung about as much as it can from the Anti-Asian immigration red neckery. It's plainly racist and fascist. Mr. Brown of that party is trying to say that all he wants is for everyone in NZ to be 'equal.' So why pick on Asians? This has been a recurring theme since the 'yellow peril' of the nineteenth century in this country. Nothing was ever said about the 'white peril' which engulfed this country in both centuries. So much for 'equality.' Brown, you're pathetic. The Maori Party would have won all 7 Maori seats last year. I get the impression that that may not be so now as Labour seems to have clawed back their support. This party is also bereft of policy but unlike National it needs some and badly if it is to survive beyond the next election. Labour does have policy especially on social and economic issues which Maori are responding to especially since the budget. We (Maori) can't eat the fore shore and sea bed while food and petrol prices sky rocket. Maori old age pensioners need at least 70 percent of the average incomes in order to live. It's these issues that will determine whether the Maori Party wins more than the four seats it currently holds. The same issues will hit the Greens. Whether they are organic or not, we will only eat those greens we can afford. As for Act, well........ Ditto for United. And I'd vote for Jim Anderton if I were in his electorate. He's the last true Kiwi Social Democrat left.
