RICHARD PREBBLE: The importance of being a smart voter
An Epsom National supporter asked whether he should vote for Paul Goldsmith.
Why would he?
National’s problem is not winning too few electorates. It is that it will win too many.
Under MMP, electing another National electorate MP does not increase National’s representation. It means one fewer National list MP.
Epsom has a distinguished parliamentary history of electing independently minded MPs.
Sir Ronald Algie, Auckland University’s first professor of law, represented the area, then called Remuera, for 23 years.
Before entering Parliament, he resigned his professorship to lead the Freedom Association, which opposed increasing state control.
He became one of New Zealand’s finest parliamentarians.
What would Sir Ronald make of Paul Goldsmith’s police state proposal to remove the right to silence in certain criminal cases, with up to ten years’ imprisonment for refusing to provide information to police?
National’s willingness to compromise fundamental principles is why James Christmas is standing for ACT in Tāmaki.
Like Sir Ronald Algie, Christmas is distinguished in public law. He advised both John Key and Bill English.
He was once regarded as National’s future Attorney-General.
National has instead selected as its candidate a former “Head of People Operations”.
What Parliament needs is a first-class constitutional lawyer.
The answer to that Epsom voter’s question is that he should vote for David Seymour.
In Tāmaki, the issue is protecting the rights that make us New Zealanders by electing James Christmas.
It is not always the smartest political party that wins elections.
Often, it’s the smartest voters.
Richard Prebble is a former Minister and ACT Party leader who writes at I've Been Thinking
I'm very surprised that Prebs appears to not understand the implications of overhang.
To save the sinking ship, the only long- term hope for NZ is a Right Coalition for 4 terms. Even then, not sure.
A massive challenge when the current and coming generations have had 30-40 years of pro-ethnocacy indoctrination via the failed Education system (Left and Right responsible.)
Worldwide, the pendulum of wokeism is starting to swing. Will NZ hold the line and advance after this horrendous experiment in cultural marxism ? Another term led by Ardern: NZ would have become the world champion of this disastrous ideology.
Voted done and dusted
The election is the first and simplest hurdle. Once past, if successful, then comes the far harder but just as consequential hurdles if who what which Ministry.
Just enough National ( as it is now) to get government and no more. Because if people like Mr Goldsmith
I hope Chris Bishop makes it
And then, the hardest task- whether or not a new Minister be a bronco buster, or eat dirt quickly.
We are in special times.
2026: Not whom you admire as a politician but how to bar the Left from power.
This election is crucial for this reason - and if the strategy works, there will be just 3 short years to develop a long - term strategy to stop the clear 2040 He Puapua plan. Providing this is still possible - not sure.