I want to vote for Labour again. I do. But the fact is, Labour is a nominally left-wing party, and that makes it hard. Because why would I vote for a nominal party?
You have to ask yourself, what sort of society have we created when a government is more afraid of a few rich people that of a great many poorer?
There are many problems with New Zealand, but most of them can be solved by just sorting the main one: equitable distribution of the nation’s wealth. And that’s what the true left concerns itself with the most, which is what generates so much fear amongst the wealthy.
New Zealand Labour has never had the nerve or bravery to ever really address this issue, apart from a little fearful noodling about at the edges. Now once again we’re heading into an election cycle where the only consideration is to not startle the centre with any prospect of any real change.
When Jacinda Ardern first ascended to the Prime Ministership, she outlined commitments to national wellbeing and social issues including child poverty, homelessness and the mental health crisis. Labour might maintain progress has been made, but really? Do you feel these things have improved?
If Labour has, why hasn’t the government provided compelling evidence? Who is convinced?
I believe these promises were heartfelt. So what, or who, stopped any progress? It was either fellow ministers, the rich lobby or that fearsome, yet all powerful Middle New Zealand.
Possibly Ardern’s most risible mistake was declaring there would never be capital gains tax. It’s a terrible mistake for any politician to say ‘never’. And Ardern is very smart, so what on earth led to this ridiculous position, and even worse, the public statement of it? We may never know. But that, I feel, was the point at which this government really staked its position as being afraid to make meaningful change, and that it was, in fact, already prostrated at the feet of powerful and wealthy lobbyists.
And then Labour selfishly decided it had the votes to rule alone.
In retrospect, it appears that was Labour’s last brave act, even though I believe it was foolhardy to exclude the Greens.
Some ministers have read Piketty’s Capitol in the 21st Century – it’s a long volume, but if you boil it down, the message is simple: what Piketty calls ‘rentiers’ – landlords – lock up capitol while they impoverish their tenants. Their property does nothing for the nation while keeping wealth from circulating.
Ardern may be afraid that her New Zealand legacy might be that she was ‘the COVID Prime Minister’. And she, and her ministers, handled that extremely well, as evidenced by New Zealand having few deaths from the deadly disease. (I personally lost three relatives in the UK to COVID, by contrast.)
If Ardern wants to be remembered for anything else, I think she’s lost her chance to be bold, as that would have been at the beginning of the second term, since now apparently New Zealanders would rather vote for a human thumb than for her. Is there time to put the house in order before the next election? If that was done well, perhaps that would actually get through to voters.
In essence, Labour has the following problems:
No clear vision or message. (As a microcosm, look at the Auckland mayoral campaign. Winner centre-rightist Wayne Brown appears to have had so few actual policies, he was afraid to talk to media once he land-slid in. But he campaigned on simple messages that anyone could understand. Meanwhile, Efeso Collins had no clear messages apart from free transport, which made everyone think ‘shit, the bloody rates would have to go up even more to pay for it!’ Also, Efeso and his backers failed to mobilise the young vote while the old vote went to Brown. You can mobilise the young vote with messages of hope – the old react more to messages of fear. Why can’t the left understand this, as the right so clearly does?
Lack of bravery to push the issues it supposedly believes in.
Terrible advice (one example: Three Waters is a good idea, but a good idea badly sold is no longer a good idea. If the policy is designed to protect people from rate rises and make the system safer, why in hell has Labour been unable to get this message across? Instead, it’s just assisting all its critics by supplying the ammunition).
Inability to convey the successes it has had in fulfilling any of its aims.
If Labour is spending a fortune on advisers and specialists, maybe consider firing them all. They’ve been next to useless for decades already. Labour needs no help in digging the hole it is in any deeper. Why pay people to help deepen this hole? It makes no sense.
I like Jacinda Adern. She’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and I absolutely believe her heart is true. I believe the praise heaped on her beyond these shores is well deserved.
But the problems at home need addressing.