Tides of change for the future
Political events in 2014 were worthy of a fast moving soap opera, full of twists and turns. There were larger than life characters, lies and skulduggery, rumours and moments of truth. At the end of the election, after a presidential-style campaign, the voters opted for stability and continuity. John Key was re-elected for a third term. The Green Party welcomed his promise to govern for the benefit of all New Zealanders, and we will hold him accountable for doing so.
Elections cycles are short in New Zealand. The three year term means that we are always having an election, preparing for one or recovering after one. But underlying the political waves, there are important tides of change. Being in politics is not just about winning or losing elections, but changing people’s minds. There are positive changes that have emerged from the election.
One of those was the growing realisation that it is unacceptable for New Zealand to have one in four of our children in poverty. This not only harms those children but, as research has shown, it means that we all suffer from an unequal and unsafe society and a lower standard of living. The Greens have put this issue on the forefront of politics, and we will keep up the pressure for real change.
The second is the widespread recognition that our environment is being destroyed by a drive for the polluting kind of economic growth. The quality of our rivers is a national disgrace and that the growth of dairy farming has been the major cause. The Greens will continue to build political support for change to ensure there is acceptable water quality in all our rivers.
Unfortunately, time is running out for progress on the most crucial issue for our planet and humanity, climate change. The year has ended with the government adopting a ‘head in the sand’ approach – doing as little as possible while our greenhouse gas emissions increase. As New Zealanders, we need to feel proud that we are living up to our responsibilities as a good global citizen, as well as taking advantage of the opportunities emerging in the global economy.
The Green Party returned to Parliament with fourteen MPs, the same number in the previous term (unfortunately I was number 16 on the list and missed out). They are a fantastic team, experienced and on top of their portfolios. They will build coalitions for change that will benefit New Zealand but will also stand up for our principles against undemocratic government or bad policy, as has been necessary against the anti-terrorism bill.
Thank you to all those in the Indian community who supported the Green Party during the election, and we look forward to engaging with many more Indian Weekender readers in the year ahead.
Political events in 2014 were worthy of a fast moving soap opera, full of twists and turns. There were larger than life characters, lies and skulduggery, rumours and moments of truth. At the end of the election, after a presidential-style campaign, the voters opted for stability and continuity....
Political events in 2014 were worthy of a fast moving soap opera, full of twists and turns. There were larger than life characters, lies and skulduggery, rumours and moments of truth. At the end of the election, after a presidential-style campaign, the voters opted for stability and continuity. John Key was re-elected for a third term. The Green Party welcomed his promise to govern for the benefit of all New Zealanders, and we will hold him accountable for doing so.
Elections cycles are short in New Zealand. The three year term means that we are always having an election, preparing for one or recovering after one. But underlying the political waves, there are important tides of change. Being in politics is not just about winning or losing elections, but changing people’s minds. There are positive changes that have emerged from the election.
One of those was the growing realisation that it is unacceptable for New Zealand to have one in four of our children in poverty. This not only harms those children but, as research has shown, it means that we all suffer from an unequal and unsafe society and a lower standard of living. The Greens have put this issue on the forefront of politics, and we will keep up the pressure for real change.
The second is the widespread recognition that our environment is being destroyed by a drive for the polluting kind of economic growth. The quality of our rivers is a national disgrace and that the growth of dairy farming has been the major cause. The Greens will continue to build political support for change to ensure there is acceptable water quality in all our rivers.
Unfortunately, time is running out for progress on the most crucial issue for our planet and humanity, climate change. The year has ended with the government adopting a ‘head in the sand’ approach – doing as little as possible while our greenhouse gas emissions increase. As New Zealanders, we need to feel proud that we are living up to our responsibilities as a good global citizen, as well as taking advantage of the opportunities emerging in the global economy.
The Green Party returned to Parliament with fourteen MPs, the same number in the previous term (unfortunately I was number 16 on the list and missed out). They are a fantastic team, experienced and on top of their portfolios. They will build coalitions for change that will benefit New Zealand but will also stand up for our principles against undemocratic government or bad policy, as has been necessary against the anti-terrorism bill.
Thank you to all those in the Indian community who supported the Green Party during the election, and we look forward to engaging with many more Indian Weekender readers in the year ahead.
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