From Chaos to Creativity?

As new stars develop so might new coalitions 

All quiet, it seems, on the political front! Until the special votes are counted who know what might happen?

Let’s hope all involved have time to focus on what kind of society we need to become. With all the problems we face as a country you would think it would be a priority? A growing number of alienated people just can’t be left to spread discontent in an anarchic way like dropping rocks off motorways! All New Zealand towns have within them seeds of similar senseless acts but, all too often, they are swept under our collective carpets, or lost in the mad rush of ‘what’s in it for me’ represented by the present elections!

Labour suffers from an excess of preachy humorless political correctness while National promised individual self determination and ‘a winner takes all philosophy’; the ‘Welfare' or 'Market' State. Both are really about outside forces managing our lives.

It has been a divisive and destructive election – pushing an ‘either or’ or a 'black/white' mentality of a past age and not, ‘a better than both’ solutions for more ambiguous and unpredictable future. The main parties need to look beyond themselves – their ideas are tied to a past that is no longer with us.

The minor parties may offer solutions?

The Maori Party understands marginalization and alienation better than any other party and expresses a desire to regain sense of autonomy and self reliance for their people. They want to be able to tap into their aspirations and to help them develop the confidence to help themselves; they want to act as advocates for their people. They are sick of technocrats defining their problems and then contracting people to deliver answers; they want their ‘voices’ to be heard.

Those who work in schools will appreciate the concerns expressed above!

The Green Party, with its emphasis on environmental sustainability and community self sufficiency and regeneration, points the way to an appreciation of a post modern society. They, unlike the much vaunted capitalists with their immoral emphasis on short term gain no matter the consequences, have a long term vision. They are too easily written off as anti progress, modern day Luddites, or ‘dangerous'?

Labour, with its traditional concern for the wellbeing of all citizens, could learn from both.

Out of the confusion of this political limbo could evolve some new ideas for a creative New Zealand. Labour might even be able to take the best from National as well. But first the special votes have to be counted!

If a Labour coalition is established they would need to show some intellectual courage and inspirational leadership - as there is little chance of a fourth term what have they to lose?

We haven’t seen much courage or inspiration the last two terms but perhaps, as Bob Dylan sang, ‘things are a changing.’