In my previous article I wrote about the vision I have for New Zealand. I pointed out what needs to change. I noted how the egalitarianism that made us respected has been snuffed out, and quickly acknowledged some of the likely sources of resistance. This article looks at the way forward if New Zealand is going to progress as it should.
So, where to start? To some extent answering that question has already been attempted by Green Party M.P. Golriz Ghahraman, who had a Bill of Parliament waiting that addresses the imperfections of the voting system we call Mixed Member Proportional. The Electoral (Strengthening Democracy) Bill was drawn from the biscuit tin in mid 2022. The Bill of Parliament was voted down 108 to 12 in 2022. However, it contained useful proposals that should be continued, possibly in entirely new legislation:
- The legislation would restrict the ability of moneyed donors to swing the election by simply out donating to their favoured parties
- It would lower the entry threshhold for parties to get into Parliament to 3.5% of the party vote – parties like The Opportunities Party would get in
- It would lower the age of voting to 16 – a measure I don’t support, but imagine is likely to remain in the legislation at least until it gets to the Select Committtee
What this would mean for New Zealand is that smaller parties lacking the resources and internal organizational structures that the larger parties have would get a look in. Potentially damaging – and dangerous – overseas lobby groups would be put on a shorter leash. It would also make possible the implementation of the Electoral Commission’s overall recommendations to improve the voting system.
With the democratic process in New Zealand having been strengthened to make it one of the more robust in the world, work could now progress towards exploring what future constitutional arrangements are needed. We are one of few countries without a formal constitution in the traditional sense. Britain is another. Any such work would need to recognize the Treaty of Waitangi’s place in N.Z. law – something that the current Government seems to be committed to ending.
Funding the vision
In terms of the vision I espoused in the previous article, I envisage a Capital Gains Tax, with something like a $10,000-15,000 no tax bracket for lower income earners. Somewhere between 90-95% of all people would be getting an income tax cut. The alternative is a Land Value Tax similar to what The Opportunities Party, which is the largest party outside of Parliament was promoting at the last election.
To further assist with revenue, closing known loopholes in existing tax laws would be a priority; capping rents on properties at 50% of renters income so that for example someone on $800p/w after tax would pay a maximum of $400p/w. Given other living costs such as food, transport, education and health, the money saved would be going back into the economy as private expenditure and – of course – covered by Goods and Services Tax.
Infrastructure
Several areas currently being neglected for Government funding would be revived, including passenger rail in the South Island and an overnight ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton. The funding would come from the ending of the Roads of National Significance programme.
Removing as much freight from roads and putting it on railways would be one of the key priorities; making public transport free in all urban areas would be a second. One of the most expensive purchases that most people make is buying a car. New Zealand has one of the oldest vehicle fleets in the O.E.C.D. and also one of the most crash prone and inefficient. I would end this by taking G.S.T. off hybrids, electrics and hydrogen powered vehicles; buying back anything that is over 15 years of age.
T.O.P. also promoted allowing councils to keep the G.S.T. that they collect off council rates. I would continue this, but require it to fund infrastructure, such as sewerage, water and so forth.
Decriminalizing cannabis
New Zealand had a golden chance to do something historic in 2020 when we had a referendum on cannabis legalization. It was rejected because a small but noisy minority waxed lyrical about how bad it would be for crime statistics, whilst completely overlooking how many minor offences would not have to go through the court system any longer. At the very minimum it should have been decriminalized to, say, 20 grams per person. The law change would not affect methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, or any other significant drug. I voted yes, but would have preferred to decriminalize with an option to fully legalize later on. The money saved from court proceedings would help fund education and medical work on the effects of narcotics.
Housing
My brother has American in-laws in Minnesota. His father-in-law is a retired builder who used to build houses for clients around Mankato and surrounding areas. American construction methods differ from ours in that a lot of materials are prefabricated offsite and transported in for assembly. Thus their houses are constructed relatively quickly compared to us. After conversations about that, it occurred to me that we should be ring fencing timber, steel and aluminium products for the New Zealand sector so that it is self sufficient and not so reliant on foreign suppliers.
Only New Zealand permanent residents and citizens would be able to buy houses or properties in New Zealand; a cap of 20 residential properties per person would be set.
Ministry of Social Development overhaul
I have had several years of experience with the welfare system in New Zealand. Never has its future looked so grim as politicians looking for short term gains wildly swing the machete at anything that has fiscal flesh on it. I am NOT advocating for people to stay at home all of their lives and do nothing – and the vast majority of people naturally want to work and contribute – but when one is on the benefit, they must be able to survive and not have to rely on the charity of strangers or organizations like City Mission and the Salvation Army. To that end a complete overhaul of Ministry of Social Development and its umbrella agencies like Work and Income New Zealand, Child Youth and Family Services and Studylink is needed. All agencies under the M.S.D. umbrella have long records of not being all that efficient with their funding and resources, so this would help to improve outcomes.
Better outcomes
To some extent, New Zealand’s corporate culture, particularly in the public service needs to take some responsibility for the poor view that the public appear to have of them. Swollen managerial salaries that come ahead of the needs of lower level staff and a preference for expensive consultants instead of hiring specialist staff, are part of the problem.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
New Zealand needs to honour the Treaty of Waitangi. It and te ao Maori, are the inspiration for a lot of people visiting New Zealand, to come and learn about our culture. The current explosion of people learning te reo Maori, broadcasters using it and its appearance on public signage is an indicator that official New Zealand understands the significance of it.
Unfortunately, not everyone is on board. Whilst everyone is right to have their own opinions, there are some people who believe that Maoridom is taking over the country. They propagate a fear that is being circulated by lobby groups such as Free Speech Union, Taxpayers Union and Hobsons Pledge.
New Zealand needs to see the remaining Treaty settlements through to their conclusion. It needs to give Ngapuhi, the largest iwi and the one to have suffered the gravest of the injustices committed, with the most complex origins time to organize. Internal politics of this aside, former Minister of Treaty Negotiations Tim Groser understood something that has clearly evaded the current M.o.T.N., Paul Goldsmith: co-governance is not the threat to N.Z. that it is being made out to be.
The international community
New Zealand is well respected around the world for its fairness, comparative belief in justice for the little person. People admire us for our clean environment, low levels of corruption and our attempts to address our past. We have always been open to asylum seekers and refugees from places less fortunate than our fair islands. We have generally been a good respecter of international law and the legal structures on which the current system was founded.
We have tried to be efficient with our international aid. At times I have felt that we can afford to give more aid, but it would need to be targetted to achieve certain aims and not just be a case of throwing money around as those on the right would suggest. We need to view our presence in organizations like the United Nations as an investment in our future and not “nice to have” things that might appear unappealing to the austere fiscal eye. At a time when international tensions are at or near an all time high, we need to be standing up and being counted.
This will take time. The overused phrase “Rome wasn’t built in a day” is true. The longer term investments will take a couple years to put in place and then longer to start to generate the outcomes expected of them. If we are going to get out of this current rut of socio-economic mediocrity we need something other than the current slash and burn mentality of services, whose past record suggest we are nuts for continuing down that path.
Leftist Kiwi Writes 