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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.deaf-l
Date:         Fri, 9 Oct 1992 10:29:00 +1300
From:         IS30124@OTAGO.AC.NZ
Subject:      Re: hello - bio

Hello Michelle,

>hi, Barry.
>My name is Michelle Muth.  I just recently joined Deaf-L.  I wanted to note
>about something...  I am curious... Why do u hate politicians??  I know not
>all of them break promises.  I, myself, want to be a Senator someday. Despite
>of my deafness.  I know for sure that I will not break any promises.
>
>xx  Perhaps, you have had bad experience in your country??
>
>I know here in the USA it is dirty business... but, hey somebody's gotta do
 it!!
>well, take care...
>michelle

Ummm, it's a little hard to explain. Basically it's because NZers are angry
about NZ politicians not changing their own system. There is basically a
two-party system (Labour and National) which the politicians want to keep and
which a lot of NZers want to discard. There was a recent referendum on
electoral reform. Only about 50% turned up to vote. I suspect that the
government deliberately confused NZ people to keep the voter turnout low. Of
that 50%, 80% voted for change to a proportional system (which gives seats to
more than 2 politicial parties) as against 20% for the status quo (first past
the post which the politicians love!). There were 5 types of a proportional
system. MMP - Mixed Member Proportional got 60% of the votes for change, and
STV - Single Transferable Vote got 20% of the vote for change. The referendum
is not binding, and they are giving us a second referendum which is a waste of
public money. I think the new electoral system should be in place within 4
months, but the way the politicians are fiddling, it could be 1996 or 1998
before we get it. The National govt was elected with only 40% of the total vote

It's not hard to guess why politicians are being so treacherous - the
politicial system is their own system and they have to give their vote on
changes to it, so keeping the status quo is very much in their own personal
interests. Our prime minister, Jim Bolger, is probably trying to sabotage the
electoral reform process. The govt is arrogant towards the poor and powerless
people. It's the most right-wing govt I have ever seen. They are going too far
with the economic reforms and they won't acknowledge they make mistakes.

There are other reasons, too. NZ is still undergoing a massive economic
restructuring. Even though we are seeing some economic growth (now 2.8%), there
is still a lot of unemployment and the violent crime rate is increasing fast.
The tax system is getting very expensive, too. The tax take now is about 60%
higher than the tax take 6-7 years ago. Parliament rams through legislation
without the government consulting people. Government very rarely tells people
what is going on. At the moment, there is some sort of restructuring of the
public health system and a lot of politicians are hiding the truth from people.

There is more to it, of course, but I hope this gives you an idea of why
politicians are so unpopular in this country in the 1990s.
Cheers,
Barry Kirkland.
IS30124@OTAGO.AC.NZ
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