Nelson Polling Could be Significant

Leighton Baker, Conservative Party Leader. The debate and discussion at the start of the last week of the 2017 General Election around the significance of the Nelson Green Party polls has been described as inaccurate at best, and completely misleading at worst.

There is a side note to the story not being told. According to sources in a particular street in Nelson, the Conservative Party Candidate is leading by a reasonably sizable margin.

“Our internal polling of Pudge the Cat, Kiwi the Dog, Ester the Goat, and Bruce the guinea pig, suggests a swing to the relatively unknown lifestyle block farmer and Conservative Party stalwart, Simon Gutschlag.”

Gutschlag agrees there is a sniff of change in the air. “Actually, that could be the cows next door, but compared to the poll earlier in the week – I’d be more inclined to go with the bovine smell.”

Candidate Gutschlag continues. “We’ve been inundated with invitations to speak at events, kiss babies, and our polling has been audited by an extremely independent 10 year old.”

“This is not a game we are playing here, lives could be affected by a poll suggesting that the goat has changed its allegiance from lighter blue to green or as we say in rural NZ –  from “lite to trim”.

Patrick Gower was quoted this week as saying the Nelson polling was “fake news”. “You couldn’t be more correct Paddy – the real news is that in the words of Edmund Blackadder, Nelson could well be a ‘Rotten Borough’.”

List MPs Go Home!

The Conservative Party of New Zealand is calling for a change to our electoral system whereby list MPs from parties that do not form Government, do not enter Parliament.

In 1999 81.5% of respondents to a referendum on “Should the size of the House of Representatives be reduced from 120 members to 99 members?” voted yes. As with all other Citizens initiated referenda, the government of the day totally ignored the result.

With our proposal, the leaders of the parties affected would remain in parliament, and retain the voting rights as per the percentage received in the General Election. All conscience votes would be put to Referenda for the public to decide.

Although we recognise the effort that list MPs put in, they do not represent a specific constituency, and the votes of their leader can reflect the percentage support for that party, “Do our list MPs give value for money when we could have saved up to $100ml in the last 15 years, money that could have been spent on knees, hips, or education?” asks Leighton Baker, Leader of the Conservative Party.

Leighton Baker wrapping up with 48 hours to go!

Leighton Baker, Conservative Party NZ leader. Leighton talks about what we must all consider now with 48 hours to go to the election. Leighton quotes Martin Luther King Jnr on what we need to think about in who to vote for, supporting our own convictions and values.

Cowardice– asks the question, is it safe?

Expediency– asks the question, is it polite?

Vanity– asks the question, is it popular?

But Conscience asks the question, is it right?

There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor Politic nor popular. But we must take it because it is right.

HIT THE RESET BUTTON -HELP US CHANGE THIS COUNTRY-QUICKLY!

We have received so much support from voters wishing to join up with us to help make New Zealand a better country. The pic shows a selection over the last few months . We would love to have you on-board so let us know how you want to help.
See our policies to help NZ do an about change and stop the progressive degradation of our country

* BE HEARD! We know you’re tired of being ignored by successive Governments over-riding the public will. It happened in the smacking referendum and others as well. See what we are proposing on how to reset democracy in NZ with our BCIR POLICY (Binding Citizens Initiated Referendum) and DEMOCRACY POLICY.

* WE LOVE, RESPECT & VALUE LIFE. We value life in all its forms from Fetus to Death and it’s time to stop the culture of death developing in this country. See our HEALTH POLICY.

* HOUSING FOR ALL. We all need somewhere to live and it’s now in short supply, increasing prices beyond many of us. See our HOUSING POLICY.

* OUR PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. Lets stop the abuse and talk about the elephants in the room. See our DRUGS & ALCOHOL POLICY.

* THE NATURAL FAMILY UNIT IS BEST FOR ALL– Governments just don’t get it! We need to value and protect the traditional family which is the basis for a healthy culture in NZ. See our FAMILY POLICY. We also want to make sure no vulnerable people or families get left behind so see our WELFARE POLICY.

* PROTECT OUR HOMES AND BUSINESSES– We need to turn around the feeling we have that crime is on the increase and we don’t feel safe at home or at our small retail businesses. See our LAW & ORDER POLICY and JUSTICE POLICY.

* OUR YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION NEEDS TO BE REAL– We need to arrest the problems faced by some of our youth and keep them from crime. See our YOUTH CRIME POLICY and our BOOT FARM POLICY.

* MOVING FORWARD WITH MAORI– Looking at working together as Kiwis. See our MAORI & TREATY POLICY

* A FAIRER TAXATION SYSTEM– We have the answer in the ROBIN HOOD Tax i.e the FTT policy. This is radical but can make all the difference. See our TAXATION POLICY

* WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THE WORLD STAGE– Radical solutions, but small as we are we can make a difference. See our FOREIGN AFFAIRS POLICY

* HELP US BUILD A RESILIENT RURAL ECONOMY– The health of New Zealand’s economy is dependent on the rural farming community. See our AGRICULTURE/AQUACULTURE POLICY

* WE ARE COMMITTED TO PRESERVING & ENHANCING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT- See our ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

* ALL NEW ZEALANDERS ARE IMMIGRANTS OR DESCENDANTS OF IMMIGRANTS– we welcome those who would like to make New Zealand their home- See our IMMIGRATION POLICY

* EDUCATION IS A KEY TO REDUCING CRIME – we want to inspire young people, strengthen relationships and avoid poverty- see our EDUCATION POLICY

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Three Reasons the Housing Shortage Won’t get Sorted Soon

Builder, Construction Company CEO and Conservative Party Leader, says, “There are three reasons why the housing shortage won’t get settled any time soon.

1.       It’s a numbers game. We are only building enough houses for the people that are arriving annually, and the more that arrive, the more houses are required. To catch up on the housing shortfall we need population stability for 7.5 months and house building to continue at the current rate. Bringing more people in to build houses just adds to demand and does not address supply line issues.
2.       Cost barriers. We are still building houses too big. It’s unrealistic for first home buyers to be able to afford a house with ensuites, tiled showers and butlers pantries. We need to build more compact and better quality houses. Expecting first home buyers to be able to save 20% deposit while still paying rent is also dreaming.
3.       Quality. The issue is not just with quantity, but quality. Yes we can insulate houses better, but unless we ventilate them properly we are only shifting the mould problems from inside the room, to inside the wall.

The solutions?

1. Stable population for 7.5 months.
2. Nationwide pre-approved house designs and standards.
3. Compulsory 10 year build guarantees ( let insurers vet builders)
4. Mechanical heat recovery ventilation systems.
5. Government funded rent-to-buy options.
6. Get more tradespeople in government to make practical decisions.

“Vote Conservative Party if you really want progress on basic issues,” he concludes.

Ending Poverty Not an Option

As we head into the last day of the election, it is important that we season some of the rhetoric with a little reality, rather than blanket, great sounding statements that have no substance, we need to put some practical solutions in place that will make a difference.

Socialism has tried to make everyone the same to eliminate poverty and it has never worked. Pol Pot tried it in Cambodia, Stalin in Russia, Chairman Mao in China and Ceausescu in Romania, all with disastrous results like mass deaths and abject poverty.

Reality teaches us that as long as people have choice, we will have the poor. Some people will choose alcohol and drugs over food and exercise, gambling over investment and apathy over industry. Government’s role is to provide an environment where there is opportunity for all to succeed and there are some safety nets for those that don’t.

So what are some practical steps that the next government can take to reduce poverty?

Making education attractive and relevant to all. Early trades streaming for hands on learners will keep them engaged in education and provide them with the skills that they will need to succeed, while keeping them out of crime. Introducing budgeting advice would also help, as does supporting Charter schools which continue phenomenal success with young people whom the Ministry of Education refer to as, ‘priority learners’.

Limiting interest charged in relation to the OCR. Loan sharks target the poor and keep them trapped in the prison of poverty with crippling interest rates. Government can help here with some protection for the vulnerable.

Relationship training in schools. Children brought up in homes with a mum and dad in a loving relationship are far less likely to end up in poverty, so let’s give our young people the tools to build, develop and maintain healthy relationships.

Stable housing and employment allow families to put down roots and plan for the future. Rent to own state housing would give struggling families hope and a future, and hope is a key ingredient in avoiding poverty.

The Conservative Party recognises that New Zealand is a great place to live, with plenty of natural resources and opportunities, by working together we may not eliminate poverty, but we can certainly make success available to everyone.

Conservative Party NZ Election Gratitude

The Conservative Party wants to thank everyone who voted for the Party in the election for their unwavering support in the face of huge pressure to vote for a winner rather than for a Party that best represents their values.

MMP is supposed to provide proportional representation in parliament for all sectors of society, but when an election is turned into a two horse race, albeit with one of the horses being a conjoined twin, fear mongering and manipulation can rob us of the benefits intended with such a system.

If the Report of the Royal Commission on the Electoral System 1986, which recommended the implementation of the MMP system, was implemented in its fullness, the Maori Party would still be represented in Parliament, as the Report recommended there should be a 4% threshold in general, but that there should be no threshold for a Maori Party. It also recommended the abolishing of the Maori seats under this system, as Maori would be represented in proportion to the number of votes given a Party such as the Maori Party.

The Report also suggested that there may come a time when there is a case for the 4% threshold be waived for parties representing other minority ethnic groups. The makeup of NZ society has changed dramatically since 1986, and perhaps it is time to look at this system again. Neither Maori representation nor the wasted vote issue were considered in the review of 2011.

If a threshold is to be maintained, then to overcome the fear of the “wasted vote” a single transferrable vote could be provided for the Party vote only. If a Party failed to reach the threshold based on voters’ first choice, then the voter’s second choice would prevail, rather than it being “wasted” and effectively distributed in proportion to the results of those Parties who exceeded the threshold. In that case it would never be wasted.

This election saw every minor Party decrease its share of the vote significantly from the previous election. The rejection of minor Parties in this way was never the intention when MMP was introduced. Indeed, exactly the opposite was intended. Clearly the system in its current form is failing us. The Report also stated that “Democracy demands that interests be given their due weight…. and that they be adequately and fairly represented.” Some change is needed to see this happen.

Again, thank you for standing with us in a system that has been abused and used against minor Parties seeking to gain recognition and representation of a smaller but significant proportion of concerned New Zealanders. We seek to learn from this and move forward with greater wisdom.

Time to Make History

This new government must be given time to find its footing, and prioritise areas of agreement. However, part of that process must be the corporate understanding and recognition of the drivers of New Zealand’s negative statistics, so that these can be addressed at their cause rather than at their result.

The Conservative Party‘s policies on a comprehensive justice solution, nationwide relationship training, and early trade streaming, could all be key ingredients in helping New Zealand move forward. We hope our new Government will take the best of all Party’s policies for the good of our nation.

“Having differing parties working together could be a great thing for New Zealand if ideologies are put aside for effective policies,” says Leighton Baker, Conservative Party Leader.

“I enjoyed listening to policies from all parties during the recent campaign and recognise that no one Party has all the answers, and many candidates from different parties were willing to acknowledge good ideas from across the political spectrum,” adds Mr Baker.

“For the sake of our nation, we hope that this new coalition will have the humility and courage to utilise the collective wisdom put forward in the recent election.

Failure to do so will be costly for us all.

What do the Greens Really Want?

Legalising Cannabis will make some people’s escapism legal, but at a price that is way too high according to those who work with at risk youth. On the flip side, securing the Kermadec deal would have been a great legacy and moral victory for a Party supposedly focussed on saving the endangered.

If that’s not enough to make one question the actual beliefs of the Greens, then comes their call for a referendum! This from a party who wanted no part in the previous CIRs calling for fewer MPs and rejecting the Bradford bill.

For the sake of consistency and fairness, the Conservative Party calls on the Greens to first make Citizens’ Initiated Referenda binding, and then go out and collect the 300,000 plus signatures required to see a referendum go to the ballot.

Unfortunately this is unlikely to happen as history has shown that the Greens only want to hear the people’s voice if it agrees with their own philosophies. Not a great form of democracy really.

Democracy? Yeah Right!

Leighton Baker, Conservative Party NZ Leader. In another blow to democracy, Trevor Mallard has taken it upon himself to change parliament’s opening prayer.

While there may be some who would welcome the change, surely even they must realise that allowing MPs to change things without, or before, consultation, is opening the way for power abuse. Removal, or for that matter any changes made to Parliament’s opening prayer should be put to the people for consultation.

It has been nine long, cold years for Labour in opposition.  Their promotion to Government is not a license to do what they will, but a trust given them, by the people, to govern with honesty, diligence, and in respect of the wishes of the people.

“With no upper house, or any way of holding Government to account between elections, the Conservative Party calls on the Honorable Winston Peters to keep his word and make Referenda binding, ensuring such matters are put to referenda so the people are heard,” says Leighton Baker, Party Leader.