The New Zealand election proved the old adage that “governments don’t win elections, governments lose them.” Many politically centrist labor voters switched their vote to National, which had campaigned as “Labour lite” pledging to keep popular labor policies while opposing any law changes that they labeled “nanny state.” Many voters however also voted to the left of labor, the Green Party increased their vote by 14,101, winning them two more seats in parliament, while the social democratic Alliance Party saw a modest increase in their vote and two new options on the ballot.
The Workers Party and the Residents Action Movement (RAM) received 824 and 405 votes respectively. The single issue ‘Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party’ saw an increased vote, and the joke ‘Bill and Ben Party’ started by two local television celebrities received over 10,000 votes. Despite a predicted high turn out, many people did not vote at all.
National received 45% of the vote, and is moving quickly to form a government with the free market ACT party (3.7% of the vote) and Peter Dunne, the sole MP for the centrist United Party. Prime Minister elect John Key is promising major and controversial reforms within his first 100 days, such a ‘razor gang’ to cut public spending, and the reform (or possible repeal) of the Resource Management Act, a move that is sure to draw opposition from the Green Party, now the third largest party in parliament, and the wider environmental movement.
Civil liberties are threatened as soon everyone arrested for an punishable offense will be required to take a DNA test. In education National is brining in “national standards” and has talked of appointing ACT leader Rodney Hide as minister of education, a move that would no doubt be unpopular with education unions.
