By ACT’s candidate for Mt Roskill, Chris Johnston, who has outlined below, what principles and policies ACT stands for. Chris is a Project Manager who was born in Whanganui and has lived around Mt Roskill and Dominion Road for eight years with his wife and children.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Values we hold dear – they are the rock upon which we build our lives. Kate Sheppard is on the New Zealand $10 note because she appealed to values of fairness – convincing New Zealanders that this country should be the first country to give women the vote. This took years of failed attempts. At the time it was not a popular mission she undertook – the majority initially disagreed with her. She used her words of aspiration, not fear, to convince others that it was the right thing to do.
A fair go
Kate’s values drove her on, with the optimism that she was in a frontier country where anything is possible. We can change the rules in New Zealand because Kiwis generally listen. It is not in our nature to shut down debate – we provide a fair go. This culture means we are a wealthier, safer country compared with many places in the world.
Study, work hard, inspire, and do not bully
This is the mantra we teach our kids. Be successful at what you enjoy. In this country anyone can arrive and be successful. Many people have proven this via diligence and passion – including Kate.
It is odd that this Government of kindness has picked on minorities throughout its three years – with bad results every time.
Bullying produces bad results
Bullying owners of rental properties – has led to fewer rentals. Rentals are also expensive because houses are expensive , and the Government has piled on new regulations. Bullying smokers has made small corner shops magnets for crime as cigarettes are almost as valuable as gold bars.
Labour and Greens now propose to pick on people who work hard with additional income and wealth taxes. This approach reverses our message to children to work hard and succeed.
Let’s not bully our food producers
Number eight on ACT’s List is Mark Cameron. One of his reasons for entering politics is because he buried four of his friends who took their own lives. Farmers are doing it tough with demonisation and over-regulation by this Government. However farmers look after their land better than many urban people. The value of their farm to the next buyer depends upon its soil health and its productivity. Farmers are good long-term custodians, and often plant native trees and conserve waterways themselves.
New Zealand is already one of the most efficient food producers in the world and is a world leader in sustainability. ACT will reform the heavy-handed, arbitrary regulation in the farming sector – for the environment, our economy, as well as farmers’ mental health.
No-one has the technology to change the weather, so let’s not bully farmers
By increasing the cost of methane from $5/tonne to $30+/tonne many food farms become uneconomic. Subsidised foreign investors planting trees to offset emissions in their own country (and the one billion trees initiative), are now moving from marginal land planting to … fertile food producing land. Madness.
Food production is the basis of Kiwi living standards, and the world’s geopolitical stability is decreasing. Pine forests smell nice, but the soil is ruined compared with the fertile rich mulch on the floor of our native rain forests. No-one lives around commercial forests – schools and shops close.
ACT will set our carbon price as the average of our five largest trading partners – preserving our safety, security and environmental reputation with a balanced approach. Subsidising commercial forests will end.
Let’s use our words and values to reunite our country
Effective progress is made by recognising the different values and insights of our diverse communities. Kiwis give each other a fair go, listen and have an honest conversation– even if, like Kate’s message, it is uncomfortable for some to hear.
ACT has listened carefully. It is time to Change our Future for the better. Our thoughtful rural policy can be found at www.act.org.nz/primary-industry-policy
