Jay Kuten: We need to send message too

WINSTON EFFECT: John Key and National had their clocks cleaned.

"Whom the gods would destroy, they first embolden with pride of power."

Euripides might as easily have said that about the National Party in 2015 as he did in another context in 450 BC.

The first major sign of the wheels coming off National's bus is the loss the party sustained in the Northland byelection.

There's no blaming it on the weakness of Mark Osborne, although it is true that on television he looked like a deer caught in the headlights - a posture only highlighted by the manner of the Prime minister's treatment of him, like some over-eager boy scout hoping to win a merit badge by helping an old lady cross the street.

National and John Key were so worried by their internal polling that they pulled out all the stops, brought in the ministerial team and even put Key's popularity on the line - a serious side bet that failed to pay off.

The final, self-administered wound was their sudden recovered memory of Northland's need for bridges and roads which had that cheesy look of blatant bribery.

They lost a seat that had been safely National's for 34 years and Winston Peters cleaned their clocks to the tune of a 4000-vote majority.

The folks in Northland sent their message - they did not enjoy the disrespect with which they were treated.

It is not just Northland which Mr Key and his party fails to respect. It is a failure to respect all New Zealanders when the PM single-handedly and without parliamentary debate puts 140 young men and women of our military in harm's way.

It is disrespectful when our local National MP, Chester Borrows, rationalises his leader's sending our people to Iraq by asking what do we have a military for if not to use it. The answer to that rhetorical feint is this: it is called a Defence Force, not a War Force and as we are not under attack, why go to war?

It is disrespectful when the current Minister of Defence, Gerry Brownlee, proposes to privatise military canteens - the Hot Shots - which offer victuals and goods at a discount to serving military. Yes, it is a perk intended to supplement pay; it is there to honour their service, a description difficult to ascribe to the many perks jealously guarded by our parliamentarians - especially ministers.

The same minister, as Minister of Transport, failed to respect the security provisions of Christchurch airport. His punishment of a mere fine says there's one law for ordinary New Zealanders and another for the arrogant and powerful.

Disrespect for the house poor folk describes Bill English's failed attempt to privatise state housing by foisting it off on community groups.

And then there is the cricket. Can anyone doubt that had the World Cup been won by the Black Caps, Mr Key would have presented himself for a photo-op alongside Brendon McCullum and the rest, if only to let that victory over-ride the dazzling defeat in Northland?

Most of the country was ecstatic over the achievement of the team in going as far as it did. I don't even understand cricket, but I sure know when a team's made a tremendous effort. So also did a great many ordinary Kiwis who showed up at the Black Caps' homecoming. Except Mr Key. The fact of the missing Mr Key said it all - for him, it is not how well you play that counts.

It is not the national cricket team but the National Party team which plays us badly. We need, locally, to take a leaf from Northland's book - if the only thing National respects is winning, the corollary is that their biggest fear is losing.

Whanganui has been taken for granted just as has been Northland. Just the threat of loss to Winston brought them bridges and roads.

We, too, sure need the shoring up of our infrastructure, the return of jobs taken from the Department of Conservation, the courts, and the NZTA. We could use increased funding support for our hospital, and the local UCOL. We, too, need to send National a message. Maybe we'll invite Winston.

Jay Kuten is an American-trained forensic psychiatrist who emigrated to New Zealand for the fly fishing. He spent 40 years comforting the afflicted and intends to spend the rest afflicting the comfortable.