As we all watch either the revitalisation of the New Zealand Labour Party or its implosion, I think that what we are actually seeing is the grab for jobs and the relinquishing of work to sit on the sidelines in Parliament today. No one really wants to be unemployed in New Zealand not even MPs in opposition parties. A Shadow Cabinet position is better than nothing at all.
Perhaps the tragedy of the situation is that the Labour Party really has few MPs to juggle with and there should be work for all and specific agreed guidelines for priorities for their Party policy, the actions and behavioural norms of MPs over the coming months i.e. no bad mouthing in public, and a concerted effort to bring the Labour Party together in some form of united front and to change the way that New Zealanders observe and respond to party politics and specifically to the New Zealand Labour Party. Hopefully a fairer society of Labour Party Members that is inclusive of all its members whether Parliamentarians, paid members of the Party or simply the watching public will results from all of this
The Labour Party Leaders road show would seem to have not only grabbed the headlines but gained the interested attention of the onlookers in New Zealand. People would seem to consider this move of inclusive selection (in one form and another) to be the fairest way forward for the Labour Party giving members, unions and MPs a say in their next leader of the Party. This is seen as a fairer way to deal with in in-party personality and political problems though not a fairer way from the other political parties perspectives it would seem to the watching public.
Why didn’t this government seek and instigate digital voting by email and by telephone as soon as they came to power? It could have been started in the Local Body elections and if a success then worked through to the national elections in 2014 and we might have turned round the disease voting apathy and appalling voter turn out figures.
New Zealand is a political mess because the majority of younger people feel that they have no mandate to get involved, their votes does not count and anyway no one is driving policy so that there are jobs for the future. They think that political is not fair.
Older people despair of the language of the conservative National party that seems to be uncaring of their older generations and unwilling to address the problems of their desperate financial situation and the increasingly frightening rises in costs of living from power to food to transport to rates. They think politics is unfair to them as a group.
In the middle are a group of middle years people who see the Prime Minister as one of them – he speaks with a lisp, he is a good joker and he gives every one a hard time when in front of the media and although this group do not agree with the policies being espoused all the time, they like him. This group thinks that nothing is fair and so we all have learn to live with an unfair society.
New Zealand’s reputation for being a caring and attentive society with politicians at the forefront of that care network is very much in break down mode:
There is a shortage of work, education is not succeeding because of political interference, health is failing because there is not enough staff to go round, funding is not apparently where it should be and our health a safety reputation is on the fence because the basics are being ignored – and of course much more besides like community housing.
So why isn’t any government department detailed to look at the work environment with the intention being to increase the jobs available and to increase the skill base for workers in this country. Right now the trades should be in focus with college students being encouraged to enter the trades training schemes and filling the vacancies being filled by ‘fly by foreigners’ and people outside the areas not going to those places with work because of the cost of housing etc.
Why are small county towns, small provinces not being strategically supported to find work for their districts and regions so that their young people can choose to stay and / or the middle age bracket (45 to 70) being supported to either continue in their work or being found work that pays beyond the basic levels in their districts etc.
The pension is not enough to live on and so many people are seeking work even though past the retirement age because they cannot afford to live any other way.
I guess while we are on the topic why can those on work and income be fined for stealing from the government but those who owe millions in taxes get away with it? Is this a case for having internal auditors and tax police to deal with this problem – another industry to consider that would benefit the country as a whole? Mind you it would probably put a few tax accountants and tax lawyers out of business but thee country would be better off methinks in the long run!
Lets get New Zealand back to that fair society we were so prominently known as only a couple of decades ago!
Pauline Edwards is a strategic analyst and planner, professional fundraiser, management consultant and feminist.
In the past I have work in a numbr of Government departments in a variety of management roles
I have been a TV1 / TVNZ director, producer and started and headed up the training and development department Notably I have worked as a Change Manager for MAFTech and an internal auditor for Special Education Services.
I am increasingly aware that the older and younger generations who are not receiving a fair share of government attention in a problem solving model that would see the younger generations not running up debt as they take to further education following useful time at school and the older generation receive a fair assessment of their worth through an independent audit of their pensions that presently see 20% of pensioners on the breadline or below the breadline.
I believe that New Zealand needs to return to its roots which a fair society for all New Zealanders whatever their age of status in life.