It's not about going back. It's about going forward - why NZ Greens irrelevent

The New Zealand Green Party seem ever so irrelevant these days. Their truth is that sustainability has gone beyond a lifestyle issue to one of global socio-political importance. It's not about going back - it's about going forward. No party, with the possible exception of the U.S. 'Clean Coal' Republicans, can ignore the need for pragmatic polices to address the issue. If not only because it is objectively necessary but that the weight of media - equivalent to billions of dollars globally to promote the issue shouldn't go to waste. And then there is the issue of nullifying the 'green' political agenda. It is one of the threads in my satirical novel Vanishing Act, the other is dolphins…awwww.

The other uncomfortable truth for the Greens is that we not only vote for ideas, we vote for people to represent them. Sue Bradford was a tireless campaigner for union members and people on low incomes. I have no doubt about her care and concern for folk. Not for a second. I utterly believe she believes. But, then again, I doubt there is anyone in parliament in New Zealand who doesn't feel the same way but might also have a different ideology. I'm not a big Gerry Brownlee fan but I'd bet on marginal odds that he loves his kids and doesn't want them or their children (etc) to come to harm. Sue Bradford introduced the Anti-Smacking Bill, in my mind wielding the club of Hercules to crush a gnat, it passed in a flurry of political correctness and the unintended consequence will be undisciplined teenagers/young adults who would never have been beaten by their parents but who quickly passed the meme through Bebo, facebook, Myspace and word of mouth that they could behave as they please without consequence. Bottom line - it was the same as taking away the fear of 'God' - wait till your father comes home. "Whatever".

So, in the interests of truth in advertising:

You can't discipline your kids, but you can encourage them to lack self discipline:



And, while the Green campaign says this:


This is who you are really voting for.