Personality or policies: What will decide Kiwi-Indian votes?
The debate whether this election would be eventually fought on the basis of ‘personality’ or ‘policies’ has become relevant more than ever before.
This question, which seemed to be at the periphery of the country’s political debate just a week ago, has been jettisoned to the centre of the political debate after the latest Newshub-Reid Research polls released Wednesday night.
There seems to be no iota of doubt that Jacinda Ardern has swept the nation by storm as Labour surged by a whopping nine per cent from the previous low of 23.3 per cent to a high of 33 per cent.
The Green Party has received considerable flak losing about 4 per cent, bringing them down from the coveted position of being the third largest party in New Zealand politics to trail behind their nemesis, New Zealand First.
Surely, this upheaval has not happened on the basis of any major policy announcement alone in the last two weeks, accentuating the question of the debate if this election is being fought on the basis of ‘policies’ or just personalities.
However, this has not changed the country’s bigger political picture at all except strengthening Winston Peters’ kingmaker position, which is again a reflection of personality over policy.
Raising any debate on this question would be amusing to the ears of the National Party, which has already upped the ante that this election should be fought on the basis of policies and not mere personality.
Led by Prime Minister Bill English and the key party-strategist Steven Joyce and other leaders in the current ruling coalition like ACT Party’s David Seymour have been making loud noises that this election, and for that matter any election, should not be about personalities.
Coming from a side that has stuck to power for the last three consecutive terms riding high on Sir John Key’s personality, this argument does not hold much ground.
Labour on the other side, and even the Green Party, fresh from the wounds of losing their long tested co-leader Metiria Turei, who was forced to resign from her position, is understandably trying to underplay the role of personalities in this election.
This is after the Green Party had chosen to stand by steadfastly behind their co-leader who shocked the nation by voluntarily disclosing her benefit fraud of a quarter of a century ago, and summary dismissal of two fellow Green MPs who dared to criticise the co-leader.
Was it a question of personality or was there any policy on display?
The question is surely being debated on the national political scene.
It will be interesting to see what the Kiwi-Indian community has to say on this important question that has gripped the country – are elections about personality or policies?
The Indian Weekender reached out to few members of the community and some prominent community leaders to feel the pulse of the Kiwi-Indian Community.
“My vote is for Labour, and it has definitely changed after Jacinda,” said a young mum at Sandringham shops, who had no qualms in accepting that she is under the spell of Jacinda-mania.
However, not everyone in the community was as open and willing to give away as this young mum.
“I can feel the exuberance around Jacinda’s rise as the new Labour Leader, but I am still keen to hear what does she has to say on immigration policy,” said one shopper at Lotus Supermarket in Mt Roskill.
“Labour Party had been making a lot of noise around how record immigration numbers were not welcome in New Zealand anymore, and we would like to hear what their new leadership team has to say,” said another shopper who chose not to give away anything before the actual election day.
Similarly, the opinion was divided among community leaders and the key influencers within the community about what they thought would be decisive in this election – personality or politics.
Bhiku Bhana, President of New Zealand Indian Central Association, was apt in his opinion that Jacinda’s elevation as new Labour Leader would create “interest” among young voters in the community.
However, Mr Bhana chose not to comment on the actual impact on the choices of the voters.
Similarly, Veer Khar, the former President of Indian Association of New Zealand (erstwhile Manukau Indian Association) was affirmative about the relentless positivity brought in by Jacinda’s elevation as Labour Leader.
Purushottam Govind, President of Auckland Indian Association, thought otherwise and asserted that Jacinda’s elevation would have no impact whatsoever on the Kiwi-Indian voters.
In this regard, The Indian Weekender is carrying a direct comment from two key Kiwi-Indian political leaders contesting this election Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Priyanca Radhakrishnan on the question what will matter most in this election – personality or policies.
The debate whether this election would be eventually fought on the basis of ‘personality’ or ‘policies’ has become relevant more than ever before.
This question, which seemed to be at the periphery of the country’s political debate just a week ago, has been jettisoned to the centre of the political...
The debate whether this election would be eventually fought on the basis of ‘personality’ or ‘policies’ has become relevant more than ever before.
This question, which seemed to be at the periphery of the country’s political debate just a week ago, has been jettisoned to the centre of the political debate after the latest Newshub-Reid Research polls released Wednesday night.
There seems to be no iota of doubt that Jacinda Ardern has swept the nation by storm as Labour surged by a whopping nine per cent from the previous low of 23.3 per cent to a high of 33 per cent.
The Green Party has received considerable flak losing about 4 per cent, bringing them down from the coveted position of being the third largest party in New Zealand politics to trail behind their nemesis, New Zealand First.
Surely, this upheaval has not happened on the basis of any major policy announcement alone in the last two weeks, accentuating the question of the debate if this election is being fought on the basis of ‘policies’ or just personalities.
However, this has not changed the country’s bigger political picture at all except strengthening Winston Peters’ kingmaker position, which is again a reflection of personality over policy.
Raising any debate on this question would be amusing to the ears of the National Party, which has already upped the ante that this election should be fought on the basis of policies and not mere personality.
Led by Prime Minister Bill English and the key party-strategist Steven Joyce and other leaders in the current ruling coalition like ACT Party’s David Seymour have been making loud noises that this election, and for that matter any election, should not be about personalities.
Coming from a side that has stuck to power for the last three consecutive terms riding high on Sir John Key’s personality, this argument does not hold much ground.
Labour on the other side, and even the Green Party, fresh from the wounds of losing their long tested co-leader Metiria Turei, who was forced to resign from her position, is understandably trying to underplay the role of personalities in this election.
This is after the Green Party had chosen to stand by steadfastly behind their co-leader who shocked the nation by voluntarily disclosing her benefit fraud of a quarter of a century ago, and summary dismissal of two fellow Green MPs who dared to criticise the co-leader.
Was it a question of personality or was there any policy on display?
The question is surely being debated on the national political scene.
It will be interesting to see what the Kiwi-Indian community has to say on this important question that has gripped the country – are elections about personality or policies?
The Indian Weekender reached out to few members of the community and some prominent community leaders to feel the pulse of the Kiwi-Indian Community.
“My vote is for Labour, and it has definitely changed after Jacinda,” said a young mum at Sandringham shops, who had no qualms in accepting that she is under the spell of Jacinda-mania.
However, not everyone in the community was as open and willing to give away as this young mum.
“I can feel the exuberance around Jacinda’s rise as the new Labour Leader, but I am still keen to hear what does she has to say on immigration policy,” said one shopper at Lotus Supermarket in Mt Roskill.
“Labour Party had been making a lot of noise around how record immigration numbers were not welcome in New Zealand anymore, and we would like to hear what their new leadership team has to say,” said another shopper who chose not to give away anything before the actual election day.
Similarly, the opinion was divided among community leaders and the key influencers within the community about what they thought would be decisive in this election – personality or politics.
Bhiku Bhana, President of New Zealand Indian Central Association, was apt in his opinion that Jacinda’s elevation as new Labour Leader would create “interest” among young voters in the community.
However, Mr Bhana chose not to comment on the actual impact on the choices of the voters.
Similarly, Veer Khar, the former President of Indian Association of New Zealand (erstwhile Manukau Indian Association) was affirmative about the relentless positivity brought in by Jacinda’s elevation as Labour Leader.
Purushottam Govind, President of Auckland Indian Association, thought otherwise and asserted that Jacinda’s elevation would have no impact whatsoever on the Kiwi-Indian voters.
In this regard, The Indian Weekender is carrying a direct comment from two key Kiwi-Indian political leaders contesting this election Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Priyanca Radhakrishnan on the question what will matter most in this election – personality or policies.
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