A Government of callous, greedy, power-mad women
Recently one of our Alliance members in Oamaru, a retired lady, received a letter from the Labour Party seeking her vote.

The Otago electorate where our Alliance member lives does not have an Alliance candidate this election – although of course all voters have the opportunity to vote for the Alliance party list, and voters in Dunedin (and many other areas) can vote for Alliance electorate candidates.

I thought her letter in reply to the Labour Party summed up things very well and I have reproduced a slightly shortened version of it here, with her permission:

"Thank you for your letter. Yes, I intend to vote for David Parker in the forthcoming elections, only because I don't want the strong local candidate for National, Jacqui Dean, to represent this constituency.

I respect Mr Parker as a person, but I see the present "Labour" Government as the direct successor to the monetarist policies of Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble etc.

Since Helen Clark, who was a member of that team, came to power, the social fabric of New Zealand has deteriorated and continues to do so.

1. There is a widening gap between rich and poor
2. Health, education, aged care, policing have all worsened in quality, thanks to Government penny pinching
3. In spite of high levels of employment, there is a desperate shortage of skilled tradesmen
4. Young people who should be setting up home and raising families are debt slaves to the Government, which charges them interest on the cost of their training
5. Employment conditions for uneducated people on low wages are often harsh and stressful, obliging them to do shift work, long hours, no weekends or public holidays to be with friends and families (viz the Australian owned goldmine at McRaes Flat)
6. Cheap foreign goods are allowed to flood into New Zealand, wrecking local industries eg clothing, shoes, houseware, ceramics, whiteware, car assembly etc.
7. The rail transport system run down and inadequate
8. Foreign competition undermining fishing and coastal shipping
9. Fresh food taxed at 12.5%, milk dearer than harmful coloured and sugared bottled drinks, no provision for school milk or healthy lunches
10. A ruthless disregard for human rights when it suits them (eg the Sri Lankan teenager forcibly deported February 2004, and Ahmed Zaoui.)

All in all a Government of callous, greedy, power-mad women.

Which is why I am a member of the Alliance Party.

Yours truly
Jenefer Haig"

Well done, Jenefer, I think you have summed up why we need the Alliance!
- posted by Victor @ 7:55 PM