If you want to know my picks for the Maori electorates you can take a look at my latest post over at Pundit. My calls are largely consistent with what I’ve been saying for the past year.
On a slightly related note I’m going to tell you how I plan to vote. Deciding to whom I’m going to give my electorate vote isn’t hard. Readers will know I’m openly supportive of Annette Sykes so I guess it’s no secret that’s where my electorate vote will fall. Yes, I live in Wellington, but I’m still enrolled in Waiariki (I’ll get round to changing this soon). If I was enrolled in Te Tai Tonga I’d be casting a vote for Rino Tirikatene. Rahui Katene hasn’t impressed me over the past three years.
Readers may, however, be a little surprised when it comes to my party vote. I thought about this pretty hard and I’ve decided to cast my party vote for the Greens – not Mana. Although I support Mana and almost everything the party stands for, I don’t agree with all of their policies. On the other hand, scrolling through the Greens catalogue of policies I found myself agreeing with almost everything. My vote will not be informed on Maori issues alone, if it was I’d vote Mana, but across the board the Greens have the most comprehensive set of policies and, in my opinion, the best plan for moving New Zealand forward. This doesn’t mean I’m all of a sudden an enthusiastic Green Party supporter. I really, really, really dislike Russell Norman.
I should add I’m not voting strategically. I’m voting on principle. Annette Sykes is the best candidate in Waiariki and the Greens offer the best plan for New Zealand. That’s it.
Principles = idealism. Strategy = realism.
ReplyDeleteFor the interests of maintaining a strong maori influence in government during these formative years of maori population growth, surely voting to keep Maori party in the house (if not in cabinet) is imperative.
While I do support the idea we may have a range of maori-issues parties, during a crucial time for implementation of good policy that fosters Maori prosperity it seems essential to keep maori influence in government.
Given their ability to work with either red/blue, the most effective solution is to vote Maori party?
For social/economic policy, I like the Green's sustainability-approach, but I'd rather vote MParty because they have better chance of actioning policy in these areas. Of course, this assuming Nats win it.
(nice blog btw)
Gotta agree with last commentator (including the compliment). On the Greens, I just can't get past the aussie twang.
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