Labour and its friends can win this election!

The election campaign is hotting up, hopefully re the real reason for us voting---the policies that are going to lead to a 'fairer' and more equal New Zealand. I am so sick of reading about the increasing gaps between the rich and poor; it's totally time to address that vexing issue. I am not talking about 'driving the Capitalists' offshore, nor am I talking about 'killing off the cow,' to the point that she 'don't wanna give us no more milk,' as some on the hard left tend to wish for. No---I am talking about a New Zealand where there is a 'living wage,' and that may vary region by region, because if you live in some of NZ's expensive parts, simply because you have no real choice (being on the benefit in a region with no jobs is not an answer!)then the figures touted about just what that living wage should be---don't meet the need. Please put the 'Dirty Politics' saga behind us, even though it will be remembered as the 'plinth' that shoved some politicians towards oblivion. For that, maybe that phase was necessary, in exposing something extremely worrying about how far some politicians and their allies are prepared to go in order to keep that balance in their favour. Now is the time to hear about a real vision for this better New Zealand. We must hear about how we are going to tackle child poverty, how we are going to improve the health of a huge sector of NZ society, where 'third world' diseases abound, where we have streets where most of the inhabitants are on some sort of benefit. We must seek to 'clean up NZ, and really live up to that 100% pure label, because right now it is a lie. We need to look at new ways to teach our kids, so that they are prepared for the 21st century and steer away from failed policies; ones that have been proven to be failures overseas. We need a government that sees beyond the three year election cycle, merely holding the 'Treasury Benches,' for their own needs. Listen to the policies of the parties in this final three weeks of the campaign and ask yourself---will that party bring about a New Zealand whereby selfishness is not the byword for behaviours that only serve the select few? Let's turn our backs on the 'Dirty Politics of the recent past and move on--to a better and fairer New Zealand! I believe that David Cunliffe along with the Greens represent the best choice, along with the support of Mana (minus KDC) and perhaps the New Zealand First Party, if only they could stop their fence -sitting King-making tendencies. There may even be National Party MPs who deep down, know that things need to change! Start that process by tipping out some of those who lead you! www.authorneilcoleman.com