Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: 'Local' election issues common to all

The days of having just two political parties to choose from are long gone. Photo / File

It would be hard to imagine New Zealand returning to First Past the Post (FPP) as the electoral system of voting for our government.

Since 1996 when Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) was introduced we have had options. A plethora of political parties, or combination of parties, to choose from.

In FPP days we ticked either National or Labour, as these were the parties that formed the government and that was it. Very clear cut. With MMP other political parties started to get traction. New Zealand First, ACT, Green Party, Maori Party and other minor parties that have long since been and gone. I like the fact that we now have more choices.

Speaking this week to a number of younger, and many first time voters, they were amazed to hear that a few years ago we had only two main political parties. They seemed genuinely surprised. Surely this is something they learn in school. They were shocked to think the Green Party with its policies around a cleaner, greener and more sustainable environment wasn't on the scene back then. "Who promoted and raised environmental issues" they asked. Good question. Who indeed. It appears to me that young people in particular are very concerned about the environment. They want it to be looked after better in the future than it is now and was in the past.

I think every political party has some good policies. Policies that would make New Zealand a better place to live in and raise a family. It's just a pity we can't take the best policies from each party and roll them into one manifesto.

A manifesto common to all parties that would be honoured after the election. But that's a stretch too far - asking for cross party co-operation to support the best policies to deliver the best outcomes for the country.

It's a pity they don't think like this because one political party will never have all the answers to progress New Zealand's economic recovery, faster, sooner and better. And we need to do so in a whole range of areas. In the last month I have attended four public meetings, one more to go, to hear our local political candidates talk about their policies. How these will address not only some of our local issues but national ones as well. Not surprisingly our local issues are not so local. They appear to be the same in many parts of the country.

People want local jobs, a living wage, affordable housing, children's lives to be valued and steps taken to address areas of child poverty and its causes. The removal of GST from basic, everyday food items would be a great help. So would a reduction in power prices and any tax cuts would be well received. Not earth shattering stuff really. Just relief in areas that would make life less of a struggle for many families. When major restructuring took place in New Zealand in the mid 1980s; disestablishments, downsizing, corporatisation and reorganisation of government departments and businesses, we were told this was necessary because as a country we needed to produce more. In all sectors. Increased productivity would see us come right. We had to become more competitive too, be able to foot it with the rest of the world. Knowledge and Innovation became one of the "cargo cults" of the time. Along with the Level Playing Field, Nought - to-Two Per Cent Inflation and Fiscal Balance.

Thirty years down the track we don't have much to show for the sacrifices made then. Just a replacement cargo cult, now "Rock Star Economy". Time for a government, of whatever hue, to pursue a wide range of even handed policies. Otherwise the "Rock Star Economy" may be replaced by "A Rock and a Hard Place". Ouch.

• Merepeka lives in Rotorua. She writes, speaks and broadcasts to thwart the spread of political correctness.