POLITICS: 

As Parliament wraps up ahead of this year’s election, our focus remains firmly on COVID-19. While I’m excited to be returning home to campaign in Kaipara ki Mahurangi, I know we cannot afford to be complacent.

The opposition National Party has announced its 2020 Party List early this month, with sitting Kiwi-Indian MPs and aspiring Kiwi-Indian candidates finding the following placings.

In an announcement early this month, the Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters party, New Zealand First, has selected Fiji-Indian Anne Degia-Pala as its candidate from the West Auckland electorate of Kelston once again.

Most Kiwis stake their lives on the operational safety of airlines. They squeeze us into metal tubes where our very lives are dependant upon the care and attention to detail of the maintenance engineers, pilots and many ground staff. We expect thorough operational processes to ensure that “the mistake” that causes a lot of damage is minimised.

In the past few days we have seen an extraordinary increase in testing for Covid-19. Over 100,000 people have been tested since the new outbreak began. As we work to control the current outbreak, this level of testing gives us some assurance that collectively, we will again track and contain the virus. As unlucky as we are to be experiencing this outbreak, locking down hard and early is again our best chance of emerging safely.

“Operating the election at Alert Level 2 in Auckland raises concerns about the effect on turnout. The psychology of Auckland voters, as well as the wider voting community, is highly likely to lead to a reduced turnout given legitimately held health fears; by how much is the real concern. Voters need to be able to hear from all political parties about their Covid response and other policies. That is fair. But until Auckland’s alert level comes down the playing field is hopelessly compromised,” said Peters.

In a panel discussion organised by the Khadija Leadership Network (KLN) and Pearl of the Islands Foundation in Auckland on Tuesday, three women MPs – Golriz Ghahraman of the Green Party, Parmjeet Parmar of the opposition National Party, and Priyanca Radhakrishnan of the ruling Labour Party, participated.

National Party leader Judith Collins has called on the Prime Minister to delay the election, saying it is not possible to have a free and fair vote in the circumstances.

ACT empowers families with choices so they can Change their Future. New Zealand needs to be wealthy to operate safely on a pandemic planet. ACT will cut taxes and red tape to jump start our economic recovery. What about our kids? The first generation in generations that may be poorer than their parents. This week, the things we can do, to overcome our fears, and fight for our children’s future.

We all recognise the damage crime can do in our communities. It is not just the victim that suffers but their entire neighbourhoods are shaken by burglaries or assaults, let alone more serious crimes.

With the June 2020 quarter showing underemployment increasing, the Green Party is calling for a Guaranteed Minimum Income and an increase to the abatement threshold to ensure everyone has a dignified income.

ACT empowers families with choices they can use to Change their Future. ACT will cut taxes and red tape to jump start our economic recovery. This article is about operating safely on a pandemic planet, with next week focussed on how we do our best today for our children’s tomorrow.