INL Digital Edition August 1, 2020

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06 AUGUST 1, 2020 Electionlink Labour gains strength among voters but challenges rise Employment and Economy are major, influencing concerns Venkat Raman The following article, in pdf format was released on Monday, July 20, 2020 as Tourism Minister and Deputy Leader of Labour Party Kelvin Davis at the Electionlink (a special section in Indian Newslink launched once in three years before the general election) at Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Auckland City. Among those present were the then Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway, Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa, Labour Party President Claire Szabo, Labour MPs, new candidates contesting in the ensuing general election (on September 18, 2020), supporters and Indian Newslink sponsors. On the face of it, the general election, due to be held on September 19, 2020, could be a foregone conclusion, with Jacinda Ardern recording the highest ever public approval as Prime Minister and her Labour Party endorsed high in opinion polls. Predications are that Labour will be able to govern on it own; if it does, the Party would create history; being the first since the Mixed Member Proportion (MMP) system was introduced in 1996. That could set the trend to debate the efficacy of the system and perhaps lead to the establishment of a bicameral legislature. Rise of Jacinda Ardern A politician who was seen as a young woman with a lot of hope at the Indian Newslink Electionlink launch held on February 28, 2017, has today risen to be one of the most admired leaders of the world, and certainly the most determined Prime Minister of this Century. The empathy and love that she showed on the aftermath of the Christchurch massacre on March 15, 2020 made Ms Ardern the champion of the common people. According to her critics, she also handled equally well the Whakaari/While Island eruption on December 9, 2019 and the concerns it raised around the world. Covid-19 afflictions Covid-19 has afflicted most countries the Continents since December 2019 and continues to pose serious threats to human lives and economies. New Zealand is among a handful of countries that handled the pandemic situation well. The country is now fully open to all businesses with freedom of movement, although the borders are closed for international traffic. The government has the unenviable task of managing New Zealanders returning from overseas in isolation and quarantine facilities. This has become a messy task with breaches by some people and leaks by a couple of National MPs. The constant condemnation of former National Party leaders Simon Bridges and Todd Muller were seen as scaremongering tactics. Ms Ardern has a team of capable ministers who have risen to the occasion to position their ministries and officials for quick and efficient response to Covid-19 with cash and other relief packages to employed and self-employed people, businesses, and others. There have however been criticisms that the government has ignored small businesses. Tourism Minister and Labour Party Deputy Leader Kelvin Davis speaking at the Electionlink (of Indian Newslink) launch in Auckland on July 20, 2020 (INL Picture by Narendra Bedekar) The Judith Collins factor Notwithstanding the high level of public endorsement that Ms Ardern and Labour enjoy eight weeks into the general election, the rising importance of Judith Collins as the Leader of the National Party since her election on July 14, 2020 can neither be ignored nor underplayed. She is an aggressive politician and carries her campaigns on war-footing. That attitude could be selfdestructive. Since the onset of Covid-19, the National Party and its Spokespersons have continued to attack the government on every issue, while they should have been supportive in fighting off the pandemic. Nonetheless, the fact that the National Party is in the process of rejuvenation cannot be discounted. Ms Collins has stimulated national debate with her eye-watering $31 billion infrastructure upgrade plan required to fix the transport network in many cities, with the largest share going to Auckland, followed by upper North Island. Employment and Economy Labour’s election campaign rests on five major issues: (1) Investment in human capital (2) Creating jobs (3) Preparing for the future (4) Supporting small businesses and (5) Positioning New Zealand globally to promote trade, tourism, education, investment, and other sectors “It is about investing in our people, it is about jobs, preparing for our future, supporting our small businesses, entrepreneurs and job creators and positioning ourselves globally. I have seen economic downturns before and what they can do to those left behind. We must be mindful of the debt that future generations may carry because of what we need to do now. But we Kelvin Davis launches Electionlink with (from left) Ross Robertson, Jacob Mannothra, Iain Lees-Galloway, Jenny Salesa and others (Pictures for Indian Newslink by Narendra Bedekar) would be wrong to characterise debt as solely being financial. If we choose not to invest now, during the rainy day we have been preparing for, we burden the future with debt of another kind,” Ms Ardern said, speaking to the Labour Party Congress on July 5, 2020. The size of a country and its ability to punch above its weight is often a determinant on the global scene in gaining attention and response. On such a score, Ms Ardern has been able to establish synergy with diverse leadership across the world. New Zealand continues to score high on the world map as a reliable, well-meaning and honest friend, and its impressive status of being the least corrupt country on the Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International (although perception can be divorced from facts) is a source of endearment for international businesses and investors. Transparent governance But none of these would cut ice with New Zealanders who are largely unimpressed by grandeur. What matters to them is good and firm leadership, sound fiscal management, policies and programmes that promote a higher standard of living and most important of all, clean and transparent governance. As the election campaign gets under way, Labour’s slings at the possible cost of other National Party’s policies would be watched with abiding interest. Democracy under trial Democracy is going through a difficult time. Where autocrats have been driven out of office, their opponents have mostly failed to create viable democratic regimes. Even in established democracies, flaws in the system have become worryingly visible and disillusion with politics is rife. Yet just a few years ago democracy looked as though it would dominate the world. As the Economist wrote, democracies are on average richer than non-democracies, are less likely to go to war and have a better record of fighting corruption. “More fundamentally, democracy lets people speak their minds and shape their own and their children’s futures. That so many people in so many different parts of the world are prepared to risk so much for this idea is testimony to its enduring appeal.” Major investments keep the economy moving Investing in our people, backing businesses, and upgrading infrastructure and housing throughout the country are among Labour’s plan to recover and rebuild. Kiwis deserve high-quality care they can rely on; so, we are making sure that DHBs have the infrastructure that they need to deliver vital services for New Zealanders. That is why we are replacing Auckland Hospital’s 50-year-old infrastructure, future-proofing the facilities for generations to come. While often behind the scenes, away from patients and whānau, it is the critical infrastructure that keeps hospitals running. This work will get underway while the DHB’s existing infrastructure projects are progressing. Construction on the hospital will also create jobs, employing as many as 350 workers Labour Party Leader Jacinda Ardern with her supporters (Picture from Labour Party Website) on-site. Upgrading hospitals After a long period of under-funding, we are tackling the long-term challenge of bringing our hospitals back up to the standard New Zealanders expect. Auckland Hospital is just one of the health infrastructure upgrades being funded by our record $3.5 billion investment to improve our hospitals. We also announced more than $30 million in funding to support strategic tourism businesses. This investment will help drive domestic tourism through developing regional events and increasing businesses’ digital capabilities. Boosting tourism The funding will go to 126 tourism businesses in total, and could help protect the jobs of around 3000 people directly employed in the industry. This announcement means that the $400 million Tourism Recovery Package we announced at Budget 2020, is now fully allocated. We are expanding the Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities Retrofit Programme, making around 1500 older state homes warmer, drier, and healthier. The upgrades will take place in 30 towns and cities across New Zealand over the next two and a half years. Source: Labour Voices August 1, 2020
AUGUST 1, 2020 Electionlink Renewed confidence puts National back on the track But the mood of voters does not allow for guesses Venkat Raman National Party Leader Judith Collins is upbeat about the general election scheduled to be held on Saturday, September 19, 2020 saying that National will form the next government, but she is beset with a series of challenges that can prove to be formidable. Ms Collins is a stern, no-nonsense leader, who has proved her mettle as a Minister of the Crown holding a wide range of portfolios- 14 of them- during the John Key and Bill English governments between 2008 and 2017. Soon after being elected Leader of the Party on July 14, 2020, she dealt with decisiveness the indiscretions of two members of her Caucussacking one and demoting the other. She still has faces a number of issues, not the least of which is to ensure discipline within the ranks of her parliamentary colleagues at least over the next seven weeks. With the past two opinion polls showing National under poor light, Ms Collins has the task of getting her Party back on track with sound policies and programmes. Mere rhetoric would not go any good. The glasshouse effects The exit of Todd Muller as the Leader of the National Party had a rippling effect among politicians, National Party caucus and the media, but the hoo-ha died down as quickly as it rose; in fact, it was so short-lived that it went almost unnoticed. Ms Collins was perhaps a candidate of convenience and an antidote to the smote that National had suffered. She was in effect the instrument of painless change, orchestrating a move which could have otherwise caused ruptures. Clearly, the Nats cannot afford another division. For all the smear campaigns that he suffered during the last days in office, Mr Muller may not have been directly responsible for the implosion, but some of his own Bakshi launches his campaign in Panmure-Otahuhu Venkat Raman National Party MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi launched his campaign for the ensuing general elections at the Panmure-Otahuhu Constituency in the midst of a number of fellow lawmakers and new candidates contesting across Auckland. The event was held on July 25, 2020. The first India-born candidate to enter Parliament as a List MP in 2008, Mr Bakshi is currently the Ethnic Communities Spokesperson for his Party. Among those at the launch were National Party Directors Alastair Bell, Andrew Hunt and Stefan Sundae, current MPs Simon O’Connor, Alfred Ngaro, Agnes Loheni, Paulo Garcia and new candidates Christopher Luxon and Nuwi Samarakone. Following is an extract from a RNZ report: On July 14, 2020, the Party elected Judith Collins as its new leader to National Party’s Simon Bridges with (from left) David Carter, Mark Mitchell, Rima Nakhle and other MPs and supporters at the Electionlink Launch held on Monday, July 27, 2020 New National Party candidates from various constituencies in Auckland Nuwi Samarakone, Jake Bezzant, Lisa Whyte, Simon Watts, Bala Beeram, Rima Nakhle and Christopher Luxon. colleagues in the National Caucus did things that were unforgivable. Leaking names of Covid-19 patients to the media and scaremongering the public with unsubstantiated accusations were distasteful. Even as people were worried about their own health and the risk of Covid-19 spreading, the National Party leadership and some MPs National MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi speaking at this Campaign Launch replace Todd Muller, with Gerry Brownlee as her Deputy. Collins, 61, was first elected as an MP for Clevedon in 2002 and has been part of six Parliaments. “I think it is really important that we all have a common goal ... to get rid of the current government and put in place a better government,” she said after emerging from the Caucus meeting. “One of the things that unifies any party is if they see that we are getting the results that we want ... I think you are going to find that have been taking cudgels against Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the government for their translucency, without realising the glasshouse effect. Holding the government to account They were too willing to have a go at all their political opponents, interrogating their honesty and National MPs Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Alfred Ngaro, Simon O’Connor and candidates Christopher Luxon, Nuwi Samarakone and others we are very focused on winning. There is no chance at all that I am going to allow ... Ardern to get away with any nonsense to do with our economy. I am going to hold her to account. I would say experience, toughness, the ability to make decisions ... that would be myself. Jacinda Ardern is someone we should not ever underestimate. We are actually better. If you look at our team, our experience ... it is better than Jacinda Ardern and her team,” she said. She said the Party’s policies would integrity, without realising that they may one day be ensnared in their own words. But arguably, it is the opposition’s call to keep the government under check and pressure, giving the ministers a run for their policies and even the money that they earn. The Nats have done their job well on that score; but in terms of enunciating policies and programmes and readiness to take over the mantle of governance should there be a need, they have thus far failed to impress. Although thrillingly effective in the gladiatorial arena of the debating chamber in Parliament and, from Collins’ point of view, a welcome endorsement of her leadership credentials, Mr Muller’s imagery seemed less well-judged during his short tenure. Two tough Leaders Ms Ardern has earned the love and admiration of a majority of New Zealanders for her empathy and quick actions following the Christchurch massacre on March 15, 2019, the Whakaari-White Island eruption on December 9, 2019 and Covid-19 thus far this year. She has also shown her toughness in the handling of a number of erring Ministers of her Cabinet, more recently in the exit of Dr David Clark (Health) and Iain Lees-Galloway (Workplace not see any major changes. About Judith Collins Ms Collins, Member of Parliament elected from Papakura, has been the Shadow Attorney General since May and holds the National Party’s spokesperson roles for several areas, including Economic Development, Regional Development and Pike River Re-Entry. She has previously been the Minister for ACC, Corrections, Energy and Resources, Ethnic Communities, Justice, Police, Revenue and Veterans’ Affairs. 07 Relations & Safety). Ms Collins is also an Iron Lady and her non-nonsense approach was seen even during her early years as Minister of Corrections (2009), Police and later in other ministries. If people are tired of the incumbent government and need a change, they must be given adequate reasons for exercising their franchise in favour of the National Party. Inclusive Politics More, the Party would have to come out of its restrictive approach and embrace minority communities as well. There are wider issues to discuss, which this newspaper would do in course of time. The launch of Electionlink signals the beginning of the battle for the ballot. But Ms Collins would like to call it a War over Labour and its allies. Just how the situation would pan out remains to be seen. But we know one thing for sure; Election 2020 would continue to be wordy, nasty, and even personal, just as it has been over the past few elections. We would ask the parties involved to exercise restraint and concentrate on issues of concern to New Zealanders. According to her National Party profile, she holds a Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws with Honours and a Master of Taxation Studies from the University of Auckland and was a lawyer and company director before being elected to Parliament. Mr Brownlee said he was there to support Collins “and the rest of the team and that is what I will be doing.” He ruled out ever wanting the leadership. No further distractions Ms Collins replaced Todd Muller, who resigned on July 14, 2020, saying that it had become clear he was not the best person for the job. Mr Brownlee offered his sympathies. “I was devastated for Todd Muller and his family, I found Todd a wonderful person to work with ... I am sure that he will continue to be just that,” he said. Ms Collins said that the Party would continue to support Mr Muller in what was a difficult time. She said it was important that National MPs had no further distractions before the Election.
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