Letters: National's hard of hearing

Prime Minister and National Party leader Bill English.

Thank you, National. You've done some good things no doubt, but you have ignored the people's wishes on too many issues that they said were important for too long.

You didn't listen to Rob Joy and almost all of New Zealand on water, you didn't listen to 90 per cent of councils (and 91 per cent of New Zealanders polled) on bottle deposits, or hundreds of groups and councils on plastic bags.

You ignored the science on pesticides and intensive dairy, and dragged your feet on global warming, as if it can wait until the economy can afford action.

You allowed, no, you welcomed overseas home-buyers and ignored the economists who said a small increase in purchasing at the margins can have a significant impact on house prices - which it did.

Now over half of Aucklanders sit in fear of the next rent rise, their dreams of ownership dashed.

Instead of listening to us, you dined with and listened to industry lobbyists and vested interest on all fronts.

You didn't listen to Campbell Roberts and hundreds of groups all over New Zealand on poverty and homelessness.

You didn't listen to New Zealand when the people said don't sell our state assets, or when they said they wanted Country of Origin labelling (we just want to know where our food comes from).

You didn't listen to people's concerns about privatisation of prisons or teachers' calls for more teacher aides to help them manage the overflowing classrooms due to poorly thought-out immigration policies, or the call by principals or reduce the massive levels of meaningless administration overwhelming them.

Overall, you didn't listen, and overall you didn't share the benefits of the economy with all New Zealanders. And now you seem to have woken up to these issues, saying poverty can't wait, a few weeks before the election. It's too little too late.

Don't get me wrong, the Labour government you ousted nine years ago was out of ideas with similar blindness - they became arrogant, and also weren't listening.

I want a government that cares, now. I want a government that listens. Not just to well-paid lobbyists, but local groups, ordinary people, whistle-blowers and independent scientists who aren't being paid by vested interests.

I want a government that listens and governs alongside the people.

Thank you National, but you've had your turn, and have rewarded your friends and supporters well. Now it's time for some heart, and for the economy to work better for everyone.

And to be honest, despite your new-found love for and interest in the poor and the environment and a more balanced economy, I don't trust you to have changed enough to implement these promises yet. You have run out of steam.

Goodbye for another nine years National. I'm sure you'll come back with some great ideas by then. For now, though, I think it's time to go.

WARREN SNOW
Ahipara