Yesterday morning I went and voted. There was a steady stream of people through the booth at Whangaparaoa Mall.
Here is how I voted and an explanation of why I voted that way.
On the Cannabis legalisation and control referendum, I voted in favour. I voted in favour for a number of reasons. Clearly, prohibition of cannabis has been an abject failure. It is easily available and if you want it you can obtain it without too much trouble.
From a fiscal point of view it makes no sense to let a substantial black market exist in the economy without taxing the proceeds of it like any other enterprise. Legalisation would lead to similar controls as we have over alcohol and tobacco, both of which do substantially more harm than cannabis does.
Evidence from overseas shows that there would be no increase in those using cannabis; if you use it now then you will continue to use it, though you will now be under the legal regulatory framework. If you don’t use it then you won’t all of a sudden go out and start using it because it is now legal.
Furthermore the arguments against, like drugged driving etc, don’t hold water. The people who would do that are already doing it. It is my belief that any proceeds from cannabis taxes should be applied to alleviating any health effects that may occur from the use of cannabis. Sadly, Governments tend to chuck the excise into the pot with every other revenue from taxes.
On the End of Life Choice referendum I also voted in favour. This is a sensible extension of what happens already in our hospices. Anyone who has watched a loved one die a prolonged and agonising death from awful illnesses like cancer, or watched loved ones slip away cognitively from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, and the resulting loss of dignity that comes with that, should at least wish that there was an option to end the suffering.
I watched my mother stoically and slowly die from cancer. I know she would never have made the choice to end her life prematurely, but I wish that she could have had that choice.
As someone whose brain is an asset, I can think of nothing worse than succumbing to dementia. It is unbecoming and humiliating. I would want the choice to not suffer that indignity.
Party Vote
This election for me was easy now that National has a leader I can respect. Judith Collins should have been leader after Bill English failed for the second time. Sadly, for the National party, the caucus selected a person who can only dream of the levels of support in the preferred Prime Minister stakes that Judith Collins now has. The woke experiment of Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye wrecked a substantial amount of goodwill in National, and as a result, Judith Collins is having an awfully difficult time overcoming the damage that ill-fated coup caused. The fact that some in National’s caucus seem hell-bent on ankle tapping any progress says to me that we need Judith Collins to stay and to expunge the traitors from the caucus post the election.
I have never really been able to bring myself to vote for Act, despite being a natural supporter. David Seymour has done well this term and deserves to be rewarded with increased support, but that won’t be from me.
I have previously supported NZ First. I did so at the last election because I couldn’t in all conscience vote for a party led by Bill English. It might seem petty and churlish to hold a grudge, but not any more petty and churlish than the grudges held against me and my family by Bill English. I wanted him gone, and his associates and those connected with Michelle Boag. This election might just see that happen. NZ First lost me completely when they betrayed gun owners. They had some very simple things to do to shore up that support, but they failed spectacularly to do it. Worse still they think and claim they did well. This is the sort of arrogant cognitive dissonace that will see them bundled out of parliament and unlikely to ever return.
I could never vote Labour, especially with a Prime Minister who has spectacularly failed to deliver on every single key election promise at the last election. Jacinda Ardern has literally done nothing other than lie, and flap her arms about. That is not a reason to support the Labour party.
Ditto the Greens, who I consider to be the most dangerous political party currently in the parliament. Their particular brand of hard socialism, coupled with the dunces in Labour, is going to see massive hardship as a result.
On the plus side a Labour/Green government will ensure a landslide for National and Act at the next election, especially if National stays the course and retains Judith Collins as leader.
My party vote went to National.
Electorate Vote
I am in Whagaparaoa electorate, which encompasses most of the old Rodney electorate. The incumbent MP is Mark Mitchell.
I could not in all conscience vote for the man again. He is lazy, a flake and has spent his parliamentary career thus far doing three fifths of five eighths of stuff all. His blind allegiance to Paula Bennett is a black mark against his name.
I consider electorate votes to be almost like a pledge of allegiance…that is you show faith in people who show faith in your community. Mark Mitchell is almost an absentee MP. I’ve certainly never seen him anywhere near Whangaparaoa. Mostly he kicks around Orewa.
You’d also think, on a personal level that he would show some support towards me. After all, it was due in a large part to me that he ever got through selection in the first place. The last time I spoke to Mark Mitchell was three years ago, on the beach in Orewa, where he professed his undying loyalty to Paula Bennett as the reason why he wasn’t interested in the leadership.
Since I’ve had a stroke, I have withdrawn somewhat from what I do but out of all the MPs in National’s caucus, I would have thought my local MP and someone who was helped into his seat by me would have at least reached out even once. When I was in the hospital I was visited by two MPs, one from National and one other. Since my stroke, a few MPs reached out including several in Labour. But not once has Mark Mitchell.
Oh sure, he claimed to others that he would reach out, most notably to my father. He said three times in front of others that he’d catch up with me, yet never did.
So, this election I am showing him as much loyalty as he has shown me which is none.
The other candidates are also as obscure to me as Mark Mitchell, so, for my electorate vote, I left the voting paper blank.
None were deserving of my vote.
My reasons for voting the way I have are personal to me. I hope Judith Collins can get there, for the country. Another three years of gloating and useless socialists might be good for the website but it is bad for the country.
Next year should see me returning to more active work, but for now, voting National is the extent of my contribution.
If you enjoyed this BFD article please share it.
