The current government is moving more public money into private hands, rolling back climate crisis mitigations, bicultural partnership, equality of opportunity et al.
We need opposition pledges to reverse these changes.
If opposition parties jointly announce that they will end these travesties, the private sector's interest in participating will be significantly reduced.
Instead of railing against the government, perhaps I should be petitioning the opposition?
@leighelse
> If opposition parties jointly announce that they will end these travesties
... and civil society groups jointly announce that they will actively disrupt them any way we can.
> Instead of railing against the government, perhaps I should be petitioning the opposition?
This is by far the best time to influence the policy of political parties. They have far more time on their hands, and they're keen to learn what might make them more palatable, come the next election.
@craftygardennz@leighelse
When Rimmer was in opposition he was in the media every single day.
This isn't happening with the Labour, Green or Maori parties.
But if I only have time to draft one email today, perhaps it should go to the local Labour Party branch, or to the Green MP who has a watching brief on my electorate.
@BobLefridge@RedRobyn I assume they're playing the political long game, and not committing themselves to policy too early in the electoral cycle.
Unfortunately that plays into the hands of the current governing troika, as it effectively legitimises their moves. Currently, opposition to this coordinated assault on Aotearoa New Zealand's way of life is only attracting tearful handwringing beside the guillotine.
@leighelse@BobLefridge@RedRobyn I am afraid that I can't bring myself to vote Labour next time. I will be voting Green. Which I haven't done since they were the Values Party
@BobLefridge
Maybe they haven't focus-grouped it yet?
They also seem determined to refute accusations of fiscal irresponsibility by never scaring the (corporate) horses, not that it does any good.
Still not seeing any clear refutation of fourth Labour government's neo-liberalism. Just an effort to veneer it with kindness @leighelse
@RedRobyn
> Still not seeing any clear refutation of fourth Labour government's neo-liberalism
I believe Jacinda did say neoliberalism has failed. But then so did Jim Bolger, but the same interview is full of apologetics for his government's neoliberal policies. Seems neoliberalism is only a failed policy prescription when the other side is doing it.
@BobLefridge@leighelse@RedRobyn Marama Davidson also mentioned specifically that any company that used the Fast Track bill to sidestep environmental protections would be shut down after the government changed. But that was quite a narrow focus on just that bill, not a more general statement about anything that went through the normal channels.
@Salty@BobLefridge@leighelse@RedRobyn Part of the point of the RMA was to ENABLE development by having standard and transparent sets of planning rules and procedures with stakeholder input and court oversight, REDUCING risks to business of arbitrary decision making and public opposition. There's plenty to discuss about how to get the trade-offs and procedures right, but jettisoning those principles is going to cause trouble.
@Salty@BobLefridge@leighelse@RedRobyn I've not looked at it closely, but I'm not entirely convinced the RMA needed more than the political will to implement it better, with things like a clear default national standard for permitted activities (which councils can deviate from in specified areas with sufficient reason).
@scattermutant
> I'm not entirely convinced the RMA needed more than the political will to implement it better
I've got family and friends with small farms/ lifestyle blocks. The amounts they've ended up paying for consents on minor pieces of work (thousands per consent in some cases), under successive governments, is pretty shocking to me. It seems to me like a case of some councils ramping up user pays charges to avoid rates rises.
@Salty
> You'd think this government would be all over user pays
Oh I doubt any NatACT First reform of the RMA will reduce compliance costs at the small end of the scale. Only the biggest projects will get the red carpet rolled out.
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