17 Mar 2023: "The Netherlands woke up to a political earthquake Thursday after a farmers' protest party won key elections, throwing the government's environmental policies into doubt. The populist Farmer-Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging) or BBB, which was only set up four years ago, is set to be the biggest party in the Dutch senate with 15 seats".
New Zealand is a polarised country, with most voters, including myself, feeling uneasy about the direction this country is heading and that the government or opposition parties no longer represent our best interests. Perhaps more than at any time in our nation's lifetime, there is a desire for change, but change to what? A healthy, functioning democracy is one where the majority and minority feel their interests are fairly represented. New Zealand, once the world's envy for championing freedom and democracy, is now an embarrassment due to what is happening within its borders.
It is as if our government, including opposition politicians and many others within this beautiful country, are not working in the best interests of hard-working Kiwis.
Three Waters, Co-Governance, dissolution of Health Boards, loss of energy security (closing Marsden Point Refinery), increasing food insecurity and contamination, authoritarian vaccine mandates, allowing in genetic engineering, mandating fluoridation, the assault on farming, increasing poverty and homelessness, the undermining of the authority of family and parents with woke policies, generally, the centralisation of power, imposing censorship on dissenting voices, and corruption of the free press (media), thus disenfranchising the communities and the individual. What have I missed? There are so many negatives I can't keep track of, and I did not vote for any of these. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention the terrifying legislation going through the House that hoovers up natural therapies to be controlled by a public servant called the "Regulator"!
In summary, we are suffering under the massive burden of legislative excesses, government overreach, and centralisation, thus removing individual freedom of choice and the ability of communities to decide what is best for their people and environment.
In response to increasing unease and feelings of disenfranchisement, there is a proliferation of formation of new political parties and growing interest in the existing minor parties such as the Outdoors and Freedom Party and New Conservatives. Parties recently formed, or being created, include New Nation, Democracy NZ and the Freedom and Brian Tamaki's Freedom and Rights Coalition.
As witnessed during last year's Australian elections and our Tauranga and Hamilton by-elections, the minor parties that champion freedom and democracy were doomed from the outset because they split their votes, thus not passing the critical thresholds necessary to get into parliament. This is an unfortunate result for many of us because splitting the vote by having too many minor parties means we play into the hands of the major parties and their proxy minors, such as ACT and the Greens. But, there is an evident and potent remedy, and the Dutch farmers are showing us the way. But here's the thing: We can do better than the Dutch!
The solution is simple and exciting: The minor and emerging parties must put self-interest and egos aside and unite under one party that best represents the interests of all Kiwis while championing freedom and democracy. There are enough of us to gather at least 30% of the vote at the next election for a single party, perhaps much more, but this can only be effective if the vote is not split between many parties.
Under MMP, the third largest party usually determines who governs via a Coalition Agreement, including policies. Therefore, to bring about change with freedom and democracy being central, we must be the party that negotiates the Coalition Agreement and has influential seats within the government.
The good news is there are many talented and good people working quietly behind the scenes to bring about this dream of a single party that unites the freedom movement and represents the best interests of Kiwis.
So, this is a positive message of hope. Do not despair; exciting things are happening and soon to be announced.