What a fascinating month in our nation's political history. MMP has served up a new style of coalition, and it's an exciting prospect. We have achieved many firsts and broken new ground with a whole new style of collaboration, and I’m hopeful that Aotearoa will lead the world in political thinking to solve some major issues that don’t just affect us.
As I’ve got older my interest in politics has increased especially as I realise that often I and others have little idea of how policies are going to play out in the long term. During the Lange Government, I joined the farmers march on Parliament demonstrating against our farm subsidies that had been taken away from us, and yes we were very cross. The march achieved a bit of blood letting but bugger all else.
The irony was it was the best thing for the farming industry and within a few years we were back on our feet and considered world leaders due to not being subsidised. The Lange Government was, in my lifetime, the most beneficial for farming in my 30 years in the industry, but at the time we didn’t appreciate the tough love.
Maybe this Coalition will be a huge boost for farming as well - we will be wiser when we look back in a few years time.
Regardless good luck to the new administration in the Beehive.
I think this article by Rod Oram is the best I have read summarising the team that will lead us forward.
Harv
CQ Founder
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