Is John Banks causing ACT's demise?

17/10/2012 12:01:05 p.m.

Greg wrote:

I thought ACT was suppose to be a party to curb government spending, and cut our taxes, instead they introduce a policy that will bankrupt the country under a poorly guised privatisation school agenda. We need a snap election.

16/10/2012 8:47:44 p.m.

Ruz wrote:

ACT has always struggled to gain a political foothold. I think Banks is the last straw. The irony is that Banks had virtually no history as a member of ACT and was only brought in to try and boost the party's chances in Epsom. National will probably try and win Epsom at the 2014 election and look for support from Colin Craig's Connservative Party and if needed Winston.

5/10/2012 8:19:17 p.m.

Richard McGrath wrote:

Tacitus, you're a victim of your own stereotypes. Despite the pollution caused by industrialisation, children going up chimneys, etc., you fail to mention that almost without exception, the living standards and life expectancy of people in the lowest socio economic groups was increased as a result of the Industrial Revolution, despite the nature of the work they found. It was still better than starving to death as serfs out in the countryside.

As a follower of politics, you will also know (although you also failed to mention it) that libertarians support redress through the common law for damage caused by such things as pollution. To use your words: "that's what Libertarianism will get you."

2/10/2012 8:04:19 p.m.

tacitus wrote:

I literally laughed out loud at the images they put up while the leader of the Libertarianz party was talking about Victorian England as his model: Pollution, factory workers, and hungry children. While it was a little disingenuous in the sense that he was really only talking about the "friendly societies" that sprang up at that time, nonetheless the images hit the nail right on the head. Without the power of representative government to offset it, the corporations would become a law unto themselves, and they would be able to pollute, discriminate, and exploit as much as they like without anyone being there to stop them. The Libertarians would truly turn the clock back 120 years to the Victorian Era before progressive government reforms put a stop to the horrific excesses of the Gilded Age where millions died young from overwork, lack of food, and squalid conditions. Are you going to care whether you can smoke a joint without fear of arrest when the local factory is poisoning the air you breath with impunity? That's what Libertarianism will get you.

1/10/2012 9:41:42 p.m.

Wills wrote:

What does the Act Party and the Spice Girls have in common? Both belong in the 90's and neither have relevance today.

1/10/2012 7:14:43 p.m.

Adrian wrote:

@chris you really have no idea politically how imbalanced NZ's no so democratic playing field is. To argue that NZ needs an Act Party or equivalent reinforces a level of colonial supremacy needs to remain embedded in our political structure. Again it's draconian and very much racist to want that! To employ a democratic political structure that embodies two nations would make the Mana Party closer to the true political center than any other party at present exposing what appears to be a huge void of left leaning parties in this model though not to be. Accordingly Iwi and Hapuu cater for what non Maaori are politically familiar with the balance of left leaning parties. Only then will we as a country of two nation shift toward an egalitarian state where democracy governs every day life in stolen Aotearoa. Apartheid, hegemony, economic segregation, racism, discrimination, big or small is New Zealand's ultimate down fall. And if The Act Party remains in the political motions of power they will surely be leading NZ's self destruction campaign toward demise as demonstrated by their membership supported leadership in recent times. Its just a matter of time until justice is served and Maaori are restored to a position of prior state. Ethically that's the right approach but Act supporters will have you believe something completely different even if it means being dishonest and untruthful directly to your face. I agree with your statement Chris John Banks is a self serving politician at all cost even if it means denying Maaori the right to serve their people as they so wish to.

1/10/2012 3:07:57 p.m.

Chris wrote:

John Banks is a self serving politician along with Winston Peters, in my view. Has he damaged the ACT party? - absolutely. As far as Act is concerned I will be sad if they cannot recover. Contrary to earlier suggestions they are far from racist. Act in my view stands for freedom of the individual and small government. I think the conservative label is incorrect and I would be disheartened if conservative, bible thumping, 'family first' types gained influence. New Zealand democracy needs an ACT or similar party if only as a counter to Mana... which is equally important on the otherside for the same reasons.

1/10/2012 11:27:45 a.m.

dennis wrote:

@fmacskasy.wordpress.com. Power (philosophy), the ability to control people or events. Power (politics), administration of public resources. No, not glib. There is a deliberate intention by administrators to obfuscate

1/10/2012 10:23:54 a.m.

Adrian wrote:

It really doesn't matter who is leading the Act Party, simply it is its draconian apartheid skewed policies that let them down. Of course the ideal is to be one nation however having a treaty automatically politically acknowledges nationally and internationally that there are two nations of which one is guilty of enforcing hegemonic practices over the other citing treaty settlements in favour of the oppressed nation. Economic segregation generated off land and resources ilegitimately, illegally obtained and the denial of absolute authority over ones territory restricting its communities of traditional dignity distanty supports the view that it's not a very good look for the selfappointed domineering nation. We can not carry on like this any more. We need to give back what our forefathers stole for us to survive and enjoy wholesome lives at the expense of another race. In recent years Don Brash ramped up his racism campaign polirising the two treaty nations effectively pushing them further apart away from achieving the one nation policy that the Act Party proudly campaigns on. Racism is industry driven and it wouldn't surprise me if the Act Party membership are share holders in those industries that capitalise off what maybe viewed as an extremist anti-society commodity. Sadistic? Sinister? Do we really need to treat people inferior to us? Is this the demise of the Act Party? It seems inevitable! John Banks current debacles of denials and lies exposes once again the Act Party's inhuman stance on those who oppose the party's philosophies better describes it's membership as an occult who deserve every bit of anti Act Party sentiment that's directed their way. For a leader who is highly religious yet denies any involvement or wrong doing to the public says his religious doctrine too is not to be trusted. Does he not have any shame? The Act Party should rebrand itself and change the title to Comedy Act and then they wouldn't be taken so seriously.

1/10/2012 12:20:42 a.m.

MK wrote:

ACT should just die already. Stop delaying the inevitable.