The events of recent days have proven beyond doubt that the Green MPs are a bunch of weirdos. They talk a lot about the planet but are so far off it that their presence in parliament serves no useful purpose. Examples of their perverse behaviour are becoming ever more frequent and should be of concern to any normal thinking voter. It seems they exist purely to lurch from one crisis to the next, most, if not all, of their own making.
The Māori MPs are a bunch of self-serving elitists who pretend they have the best interests of their people at heart. Their actions though, blow that pretence out the window: they are in parliament to cause discord and division. It appears they have a problem with truth and reality and behave accordingly.
Parliament is a place where decisions are made on the responsible running of the country and hopefully in the best interests of the population. It is not a place to air grievances and show support for ideas and opinions that are not the business of the House.
MPs are expected to behave in a manner that shows respect for the institution and the wishes of the majority of the electorate. To go to parliament to represent purely minority groups and waste time on issues that are not relevant to the business of the House is not only a dereliction of duty but should be an immediate disqualifier for being a member of parliament.
The House is not a place for making stupid comments about the police or performing war dances: it is a place for serious debate on issues that affect the lives of our citizens and which should be discussed in an atmosphere of reason and sensibility. It is not somewhere prats can go to peddle their mischief or highlight unconventional beliefs. It demands the presence of level heads with the necessary ability to cope with the responsibilities that come with being an MP. The Greens and Māori Party fail this test.
The Green and Māori party MPs are increasingly showing by their actions that they are not in parliament to represent the good of the country but rather to promote their own self interests. If every party in parliament behaved similarly, the country would be down the gurgler in a heartbeat. It is no way to govern a nation.
These types of people have no place in parliament and certainly should have no say in how the country is run. Their agendas are in direct contrast to what is required to get this country back to where it ought to be. The current Government has an agenda that, while not perfect, is at least pointing in the right direction.
The coalition Government, for all its faults, is a far better and safer proposition than what the Greens, the Māori Party and, to a lesser extent, Labour are offering. I sometimes wonder when we criticise it, often not without justification, whether we do so cognisant of what the alternative is.
I am not suggesting the coalition should not be held to account: every government should, but the thought of Labour, the Greens and the Māori Party holding power is a truly terrifying one.
There is a place in parliament for a truly sincere Green Party, one whose focus is on environmental issues and is prepared to work to a sensible timeframe for the transition to renewable energy. While the need for a separate party for Māori is questionable, if we are to have one we need people in it who can work with the mainstream parties for the benefit of their people.
The country deserves better than what the current Green and Māori parties are offering. Taxpayers should not be forced to pay high salaries to people who are completely undeserving of their remuneration.
It is unfortunate that there is no answer to this dilemma short of these parties being voted out and new members electing more responsible people to serve as their representatives in parliament. For now, we are left in the situation of having people in parliament who clearly should not be there.
