Election Day (+1) in New Zealand and its spurred me to get my blog in order so I can write about the historic nature of yet another democratic election and a referendum here in the Land of the Long White cloud (where sovereignty was founded by the great women of our nation. Piece of Trivia for you Pub Quiz types).
I have enjoyed the build up to the elections with the usual twitteraty declaring success by voting early and my facetalkers all complaining about the lack of better options. My family all clearly divided through time and circumstance. Mum is a staunch National Supporter from her farming background and Dad was a Labour supporter making for a fun election night in our household every 3 years. I am rather indifferent to change as I don't live here in NZ full time. But without making a vote I can't weigh in on any political discussions for the next 3 years. Thats the rules...
My favourite experience of this election was listening to special people at the library coming into observe their right to vote. When their helpers would show them the papers and then leave them in the booth alone, across the library I heard a familiar and seemingly fair question, "but which box do I tick?".
I took to asking my 4 year old nephew what I should do. And over our Vegemite and cheese toasties we consulted the party lists enclosed in the voting packs. Josh decided Number 4 Bank, John as the best candidate I should vote for. I'm not sure if its because he is four or because he recognises the name Bank or indeed has a friend called John but it was decisive.
We took shifts to go to the Polling Booth at my old Primary school so disappointedly surrounded on every edge with a fence and huge gates....what happened to freedom folks. Can't we teach the kids not to cross the threshold of the fence. Will we make All Blacks, Sailors or travellers out of our children if we lock them up everyday?
I digress
Gore Main School Hall - the thing I spent my last 2 years at school fundraising to build (and was built a year after I left!) was the scene. The players all familiar faces from past elections and school days. I took my Orange card to vote for firstly my local body candidate then my Party Vote. Completing this is always something I struggle with. Being from a National stronghold of Clutha Southland with the local MP being Deputy Prime Minister Bill English. To me, Mr English has not raised his children locally, nor lived locally in my 12 years of voting (and long long long before that). In fairness neither have I and this adds to my constant struggle to think for others outside of my own inner Southern circle when ticking a box. I can't imagine what he must do every day when thinking of his constitutes.
The Party vote like every other year has come down to my key policy of the season. When asked 2 years ago why I wouldn't return home I replied "cos I can't swim in the river, so why would I want to fish out of it". Clearly the environment is my most important policy whilst my pennies and possessions are off shore. Congratulations Greens....not least for working with National in the previous term to bring home insulation subsidies for all NZ'ers. I'm not so cold at Mum's now and she is happy and healthier.
The Purple form was for the Referendum. Part A - to change or not to change. Part B if you change what to First Past the Post (no bloody way), preferential voting, single transferable vote or supplementary member. There had been little detail on the referendum during the election but if changed I was an advocate for the Supplementary Member...more electorates and less Party seats.
Election Night was a uneventful evening for me. My channel flicking could have me down with world champions as I caught snippets and tried to make NZ TV a night of entertainment. The press were covering the successes of the night.
The Right Honourable Mixed Member Proportional representation. Hailed by the "third resurrection Winston Peters as the true success of the night. Winston will be back to haunt us in the new term. I wonder if those voting for Winston were fuelled by the idea of reality television coming to Politics. It seems the only likely reason as drama is his key policy. Closely followed by John Banks (see my nephew is onto something I tell you) winner of the controversial Epsom seat and the only ACT party member elected...see you later Brash. Then the failings of Mr Goff of the Opposition after conceding so many party votes to the jubilant Greens up in K Road! 10% of the Party votes what a coup.
The votes were counted by 11pm and it was clear the National Government had won its place back as the governing power under the MMP vote. We could have saved ourselves the time and effort and congratulated John at the World Cup Final with a firm and decisive hand shake afterall. I haven't heard a pep out of John Key but on Marae this morning (my Mum apparently watches this on Sunday mornings...nice one Nel!) the Maori leaders all from Right wing parties spoke of their desire to see poverty and domestic violence beaten. Here here folks.
Here is to democracy. And in the great words of Fred Dagg as we look to our friends in the Far East.
We don't know how lucky we are!
I have enjoyed the build up to the elections with the usual twitteraty declaring success by voting early and my facetalkers all complaining about the lack of better options. My family all clearly divided through time and circumstance. Mum is a staunch National Supporter from her farming background and Dad was a Labour supporter making for a fun election night in our household every 3 years. I am rather indifferent to change as I don't live here in NZ full time. But without making a vote I can't weigh in on any political discussions for the next 3 years. Thats the rules...
My favourite experience of this election was listening to special people at the library coming into observe their right to vote. When their helpers would show them the papers and then leave them in the booth alone, across the library I heard a familiar and seemingly fair question, "but which box do I tick?".
I took to asking my 4 year old nephew what I should do. And over our Vegemite and cheese toasties we consulted the party lists enclosed in the voting packs. Josh decided Number 4 Bank, John as the best candidate I should vote for. I'm not sure if its because he is four or because he recognises the name Bank or indeed has a friend called John but it was decisive.
We took shifts to go to the Polling Booth at my old Primary school so disappointedly surrounded on every edge with a fence and huge gates....what happened to freedom folks. Can't we teach the kids not to cross the threshold of the fence. Will we make All Blacks, Sailors or travellers out of our children if we lock them up everyday?
I digress
Gore Main School Hall - the thing I spent my last 2 years at school fundraising to build (and was built a year after I left!) was the scene. The players all familiar faces from past elections and school days. I took my Orange card to vote for firstly my local body candidate then my Party Vote. Completing this is always something I struggle with. Being from a National stronghold of Clutha Southland with the local MP being Deputy Prime Minister Bill English. To me, Mr English has not raised his children locally, nor lived locally in my 12 years of voting (and long long long before that). In fairness neither have I and this adds to my constant struggle to think for others outside of my own inner Southern circle when ticking a box. I can't imagine what he must do every day when thinking of his constitutes.
The Party vote like every other year has come down to my key policy of the season. When asked 2 years ago why I wouldn't return home I replied "cos I can't swim in the river, so why would I want to fish out of it". Clearly the environment is my most important policy whilst my pennies and possessions are off shore. Congratulations Greens....not least for working with National in the previous term to bring home insulation subsidies for all NZ'ers. I'm not so cold at Mum's now and she is happy and healthier.
The Purple form was for the Referendum. Part A - to change or not to change. Part B if you change what to First Past the Post (no bloody way), preferential voting, single transferable vote or supplementary member. There had been little detail on the referendum during the election but if changed I was an advocate for the Supplementary Member...more electorates and less Party seats.
Election Night was a uneventful evening for me. My channel flicking could have me down with world champions as I caught snippets and tried to make NZ TV a night of entertainment. The press were covering the successes of the night.
The Right Honourable Mixed Member Proportional representation. Hailed by the "third resurrection Winston Peters as the true success of the night. Winston will be back to haunt us in the new term. I wonder if those voting for Winston were fuelled by the idea of reality television coming to Politics. It seems the only likely reason as drama is his key policy. Closely followed by John Banks (see my nephew is onto something I tell you) winner of the controversial Epsom seat and the only ACT party member elected...see you later Brash. Then the failings of Mr Goff of the Opposition after conceding so many party votes to the jubilant Greens up in K Road! 10% of the Party votes what a coup.
The votes were counted by 11pm and it was clear the National Government had won its place back as the governing power under the MMP vote. We could have saved ourselves the time and effort and congratulated John at the World Cup Final with a firm and decisive hand shake afterall. I haven't heard a pep out of John Key but on Marae this morning (my Mum apparently watches this on Sunday mornings...nice one Nel!) the Maori leaders all from Right wing parties spoke of their desire to see poverty and domestic violence beaten. Here here folks.
Here is to democracy. And in the great words of Fred Dagg as we look to our friends in the Far East.
We don't know how lucky we are!
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