The Letter Monday 3 May 2004
Time For A Change
ACT, as the party of fresh ideas, needs a fresh face. Don Brash has raised issues that ACT has solutions for. The only
question is which of ACT's MPs should be the new leader?
The Primary
A primary is an opportunity to find out who has the ability to campaign. In the US Democratic primary all commentators
said that Governor Dean was a certainty. Under the pressure of a primary he was found out. The primary that ACT is
planning will replicate a general election. Candidates will speak in leaders’ debates at least six times throughout the
country. Members will have the chance to not only hear the contenders but also to ask questions. The "Town Hall"
meetings will be open to the media. There will be straw votes so that the candidates’ progress can be followed.
The Candidates
Ken Shirley: ACT’s deputy leader. ACT’s scientist. One of the "Rogernomics" ministers in the fourth Labour government
and a founder of ACT. He has built a strong organisation in the Tamaki electorate and may have the best chance of
winning a seat.
Muriel Newman: ACT’s whip. PhD. Former national sales manager for Michael Hill Jeweller. Founder member. Tireless
advocate of real social welfare reform.
Rodney Hide: Perk-buster. ACT’s first chairman. Undoubted media skills. Finance spokesman. Where Rodney would take ACT
is a question he must address in the primary.
Stephen Franks: Parliament’s best lawyer. A strong advocate for the rule of law and for "colour-blind" government. The
challenge for Stephen, like Rodney, is to set out his vision.
How To Vote
As Richard Prebble said to NZ Herald's Audrey Young, "if you pay your $10 for a party membership too, you can have your
vote to decide ACT's leadership". The easiest way to register is online at http://www.act.org.nz/join News on the primary is being posted at http://www.act.org.nz/leadership
Richard Prebble
Richard remains leader until caucus formally votes for the new leader. He has indicated he will discuss any future role
with the leader but he does not expect to stay on. It is not easy to be an ex-leader in parliament. He is considering
returning to law.
He will continue to be a staunch supporter for the ideals of the ACT party and believes it is vital that ACT remains in
parliament to be an advocate of sound economics. "If I had known how nice everyone was to be I would have retired more
often,” he said. "It has been an honour to lead the ACT party and I am particularly grateful to the warm and generous
support I have always received from ACT voters."
Tariana
Governments that lose by-elections, lose general elections. It is a very significant defeat for Labour that one of its
ministers is saying the foreshore legislation is so unprincipled that she must resign, and then Labour having to admit
it cannot find a candidate to stand against her. Tariana believes the Prime Minister set out to humiliate her. Two
ministerial cars left premier house last Tuesday, the first was empty and went one way and the second carried Tariana
lying down on the back seat at Helen Clark's suggestion. There is one thing angrier than a woman scorned and that is an
MP humiliated. Thought: If Tariana wants the foreshore back do we get our blanket back?
Interest Rates
The market expects that the US Fed will raise interest rates this week. Even if the Fed does not, interest rates are on
their way up.
The Letter, we remind readers, was the first to predict the Kiwi’s fall, that the US recovery was not jobless, and US
interest rates would increase this year despite it being an election year.
The Budget
The Sunday Star Times featured the economic blight of a single income family on $55,000. Rapidly escalating tax rates
and targeted income support mean that a family in a state house can have an effective income higher than a family
earning twice the wage but having to repay a mortgage and a student loan. Increasing targeted assistance will increase
the unfairness of the tax/benefit system.
Auckland
A report by the Auckland Regional Council and the Auckland City Council shows Auckland to be 12th out of New Zealand's
14 regions in growth last year. The fall in immigration and the drop in language student numbers are starting to bite.
The apartment market has already fallen and the housing market is only held up by the artificial shortage of land
created by the same planners who gave us traffic gridlock. It is clear that Labour has no answers to the problems facing
the Queen city. Copies of the report can be seen http://www.act.org.nz/auckland
The US Election
The US economic recovery is already affecting Senator Kerry's campaign. Recent polling indicates Bush is recovering.
Republican-attack ads that point out that Kerry has the most liberal Senate voting record are starting to hit home.
While events in Iraq have electoral significance, it is domestic issues that decide elections.
This Week's Poll
12% of letter readers had watched Maori TV in the previous week. We now live in two nations. The growing size of the
Hikoi (The Letter picked it first) is a sign of the power of Maori media.
This week's poll: Who do you want to lead ACT? Nominations close on Wednesday. So far four MPs have announced they are
running for leadership in the primary. We will publish the poll results on the ACT website next week. To vote http://www.act.org.nz/poll
ENDS