Our Editorial in Indian Newslink Digital Edition October 15, 2023
Venkat Raman
Auckland, October 16, 2023
General elections are usually such an enigma to contestants, party workers and the voting public alike, that they offer both solace and chagrin to political parties.
The election held in New Zealand on October 14, 2023 was different. It showed that people were in a mood for change, and voted the National Party into power, although without an absolute majority to rule on its own.
It also humbled the Labour Party and its leader Chris Hipkins. The Prime Minister’s day grew worse when some of his cabinet colleagues and sitting members of Parliament were defeated in their home constituencies.
A quick analysis of the polling pattern and the results would indicate that even in areas of its presumed and erstwhile stronghold, Labour failed to woo voters to its camp, a clear signal that voters were put off by the party’s recent approaches to politics.
Long before Election Day, it was widely expected that the incumbent Labour Party would face the worst defeat in its history. And so it did- with 34 seats in the forthcoming 54th Parliament, its performance was as bad as it was in the general election held in 2011.
Rising public anger
Public anger against the Labour government was palpable and its management of almost every aspect of the economy – the cost of living, law and order, education and health – came under fire. People were becoming increasingly impatient and opinion polls have been indicating that the Party would be voted out of the Treasury benches.
New Zealanders are among the most responsible and tolerant people in the world- they vote justly and accept the results of their collective choice with grace and sometimes, resignation. Violent protests and lawlessness are uncommon in a small country where every leader is accessible with ease and is available for a decent conversation.
But the Jacinda Ardern government, having won an unheard-of absolute majority in the general election held on October 17, 2020, became too drenched in disconnected and divisive politics to notice the growing dissent. Signals of discontent over prolonged lockdowns, the vaccination policy, growing retail crime, long wait for medical treatment and the large dropout from the school system were all beginning to spell the doomsday.
However, with opinion polls predicting a debacle at the ballot box, Labour saw its defeat coming but like the tsunami, could not stop it.
A divided nation
As we have seen here and elsewhere, politics does strange things to people and pinnacles of power worsen relationships and responsiveness.
This was demonstrated during the waning years of Ms Ardern’s regime and Chris Hipkins, who was Prime Minister for about nine months, is now bearing the brunt of public fury. He could not hold back tears as he faced the public following the humiliating defeat on October 14.
Labour must now pause and reflect on its policies, programmes and performance and reinvent itself over the next three years before facing the people.
Commentators have said that the Nation stands divided and that the average New Zealander is concerned over the freedom of speech, and rising inequality. There were open challenges to the government on its Co-Governance proposal whether too much was being handed out to too few and whether New Zealand was slipping towards anarchy. The latter saw the small voice of protest in the precincts of Parliament breaking into a major standoff with violence and threats. The fact that it was contained was no credit to the government but to the New Zealand Police.
There are then other dividing factors: The left-wing hinges on taxing the rich and benefiting the poor, the more common philosophies of state-owned capitalism and stakeholder capitalism and a host of policies and approaches.
The law and order issue
The increasing menace of gangs with their inter-rivalry affecting the peace and tranquillity of neighbourhoods and sometimes an entire city and the insecure feeling of the small retailers including owners of dairies, liquor shops and gas stations (mostly owned by people of Indian origin) are cited as mounting law and order issues that the current government has failed to address. Compounding these are the rising cost of living, a slow public health system, and a failing education sector that has risen as major challenges to the government.
Serious questions now arise over the direction that the Labour Party needs to take to assume political relevance again. Critics argue that it is only catering to certain people, and not the populace at large. What cannot be doubted is that Mr Hipkins tried to give a spirited performance throughout the campaign. He tried to match up to Mr Luxon and grow in confidence and stature as the elections drew closer but could not succeed.
