His Government eventually fell over in a gin-soaked moment on national television, just on three years later after he had a few issues with the country’s finances. This resulted in an early election which saw Labour take the reins and the beginning of Rogernomics. Big changes which New Zealand is still dealing with.
The 2017 election was memorable under MMP as the first time a major political party took power without polling the highest on the night, thanks to a minor party.
New Zealand seems to have changed in recent years. We all seem a bit, well, jaded about politics. We do not seem to view our politicians with any great expectations of better things to come.
We are facing some big challenges just now and there seems to be a collective head-in-the-sand approach from both our major parties. One did not seem to know what to do anymore, overwhelmed by events and running on empty, and the other does not want to seem to do anything to address our future, except offer tax cuts.
But being New Zealand, we will likely muddle through. Some good stuff will happen. Some stuff will change. We may be facing a period of austerity in an effort to haul back inflation.
Sadly, the thing about austerity is it is not usually shared around. Some of us will take huge hits, most will have to tighten the old belt a bit, but a few will do very well, thank you. I will leave you to decide where you may fit in the coming three years.
As an experienced voter, I have seen governments come and go. Good ones, average ones and even a bad one or two. At the end of the day, there is always a reckoning for whoever has the reins of power. That reckoning is delivered by us, you and me. The people of this country, with all our different views and outlooks. All our different cultures and ways of life.
Politicians come and go, they have their moments in the sun and then usually fade back into deserved obscurity, some having done marvellous things and others having just turned up for a while.
Most know we hold them to account. The good ones never forget that, never get too ahead of themselves. Do their best in the time they have and then return to the private lives most of us enjoy.
The bad ones are always the most entertaining in my book. The ones who forget who put them in Parliament, who actually employed them. Ones who like to be just a bit better than the rest of us.
Many of those political careers end in headlines and ignominy. But some survive to go on their merry way in high-profile roles gifted to them by a grateful government - grateful to be rid of them. Maybe an ambassadorship perhaps or a comfortable board position somewhere.
Most able ex-politicians just go back to their old lives, old jobs or a quiet well-deserved retirement.
Anyway, change has arrived. The people, us, have spoken. A new government. I wish them well.
