The Final (Electoral) Countdown - Part two – The Middle(ing) Row

Interplanetary explanatory

This week my invaluable guide to this year’s general election will focus upon those who lock this Parliamentary scrum. The ones who have an outside chance of making the subs bench and who might. Should something calamitous happen, actually get enough votes to grab a seat or even make it into Parliament.

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party

The first one of the locking brigade is the LCP. These guys almost made it into the tiny tots and are strictly speaking a one issue party, but given we have a referendum about that very issue I thought they just might be in position to snatch a surprise seat. Having said that, if the referendum is successful in legalising cannabis there would no longer be any need for this party to exist.

My opinion is that rather than vote for these guys, you would be better to vote for legalisation in the referendum. However, I thoroughly recommend checking out their website, especially if you are undecided about whether cannabis should be legalised. They have a lot of very good (and accurate) information about it there.

The part is probably only a 1 out of 10 chance to get a seat, but some may like to hedge their bets in case the referendum doesn’t sort things out. They could be a good bet to have on the bench.

The New Zealand Democratic Party for Social Credit

This party has been around for many years and some of us who are in the , ahem, slightly more senior demographic will be able to remember them actually managing to have some seats in parliament. This was all the more remarkable since that was in the days of our old First Past the Post electoral system.

Most of their votes arose from “protest votes” but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where they come from as long as you get them. They disappeared into the mists a little back in the 80s when they changed their name to The Democratic Party and then became a part of the Alliance Party and a couple of the MPs that got elected from that coalition were Socreds.

Now they are back with a rather lengthy moniker which incorporates elements of their past identities in one big mouthful.

I have rated these guys as possible locks because some of their policies which were considered pretty extreme many years ago have gained a lot more credence these days. The most obvious example is their economic policies. The main plank of these policies is being mentioned as possible strategies for the Government by such respected economic commentators as Ganesh Nana, Shamubeel Eagub, and Bernard Hickey (according to their website, anyway).

The Socreds are also championing a universal basic income and a tax policy that is designed to leave more money in the pockets of those who earn the least, free public transport, capped dentist bills and a rent to own public housing policy.

In the current environment these guys could possibly slip through and get themselves another MP.

The Maori Party

I have always felt that this party is somehow very un-PC. Imagine if we had a Pakeha Party? I’m just sayin’………..

I feel that in this day and age we need to be “together” and not “separate”. Let’s not forget that some countries have already tried this “apart – eyed” thing and I have to say that it did not end well. Now, don’t get me wrong; I am all for diversity, but there is a point where diversity can morph into separatism and we need to be careful that doesn’t happen. The Maori Party website does not fill me with confidence that their policies have taken this into account.

However, be that as it may, we do have this party and they are contesting this election, so let’s look at their chances of being in the next Parliament.

My view is that the wind will have to be blowing in the right direction and their traditional voters will have to have a major case of amnesia for them to get a single seat.

The Maori Party had their chances a couple of times to show that they were worthy of being in Parliament and doing right by their voters, and frankly, they stuffed it up big time. The problem was that they entered into a coalition (but not as we now know it, Jim) with the National Party and then tamely became their pet rocks for most of their terms.

This latest coalition Government is the first proper coalition we have ever had since MMP became our system of voting. They have been a Government made up of three parties that have operated on a consensus basis. This has sometimes meant that each of them has missed out on getting some of their policies over the line, which is surely how true democracy should work. The coalitions of which the Maori Party was a part have been coalitions in name only. They were actually National Governments with a couple of other parties there to ensure they could have supply etc due to them not having a clear enough majority to govern on their own. The problem for those who “coalesced” with the Nats was that they were treated as very minor partners and basically given a handful of magic beans (a portfolio or two) and a couple of minor policies that aligned with the Nats own thinking were allowed through, but nothing more. Not one single National Party policy failed to get through, while all but a very select few of their so-called coalition partners went in the bin.

Quite rightly the Maori electorate voters chucked this party out at the last election for selling them out so comprehensively. I don’t think enough has changed about this party for their voters to have forgiven them for that, especially as they are now led by a party hopping shock jock whose mouth runs away with him far too often.

I think it will be another three years of oblivion for the Maori Party

The New Conservative Party

The New cons (or the Nuke-ons) are a worry. They might get a few votes from traditional National Party voters who are sick and tired of the dirty politics of Little Bo Tox and Billy Bunter.

They are a party that sits (for the most part) just to the right of (insert the right-wing dictator of your choice here). They are opposed to abortion, cannabis legalisation and free health care for anyone who is unwell through using drugs. They also want to scrap all of the changes made to the Firearms Act last year and repeal anything to do with reducing carbon and other emissions, and “Boost business productivity by cutting red tape and developing primary industries such as drilling and mining”.

The Party, party they are not. The scary thing is that they are putting up more than 50 candidates and with the National Party faring so poorly in the polls, they just might get enough votes to get a few of their reactionary candidates into Parliament. The only upside of that is that if the polls continue the way they are it is only going to be seats in the opposition benches that they will occupy.

Hopefully this lot will not begin practicing the Dark Arts that the party from whom they will collect their votes currently practice. If that happens then gawd help us all. Put on your Hazchem suit if you see these guys out campaigning.

Outro the in door

Next week I take apart the front row of parties contesting this election. These are the ones who will stand the best chance of making up our next Parliament. I will also have a surprise Party for the 2023 election that might or might not be a bolter.