During the Labour Party’s Covid 19 era, Nicola Willis’s portfolios included housing and finance spokesperson. It was alarming she did not appear to give any thought to those who could no longer live in their homes as they faced financial ruin. At this time, hundreds of New Zealanders were cruelly mandated out of their jobs and careers and others lost businesses. To survive this sudden upheaval of suffering with no income to support their family, they had to move elsewhere. There were tears, anger and desperation as they endeavoured to start all over again in a different place, trying to find work that was scarce and affordable housing to rent. Willis, as the National Party’s deputy leader sitting on the opposition front bench, hard-heartedly and callously choose to ignore these despairing kiwis.
The National Party left me that horrible day when Nicola Willis refused to ‘associate’ with Kiwis who were ‘forced into poverty’ in my beautiful New Zealand.
My family were Waikato dairy farmers. All my voting life, I followed their political pattern and voted for the National Party. The National Party stood for conservative values: rewarding hard-working country folk and Kiwi businesses. Dairy and rural farmers in New Zealand have long been the biggest part of the National Party’s traditional support base. New Zealand farmers had strongly backed the National Party since its formation in 1936 from the merger of the Reform Party and the United Party, as it always positioned itself as a party for farmers, business and rural interests. They wanted Kiwis to do well.
The party flourished over the decades and held a disproportionate political influence with its shared interests and values that included export produce, property rights, free enterprise, self-reliance and deep scepticism of the Labour Party, because of its huge government intervention and urban focused regulation. That was my family and me. So, I voted for the party my family liked.
The farmers had some tough times when Labour in the mid-1980s removed nearly all the agricultural and import protections. Initially farmers protested but soon they accepted the more competitive market and the initial shock of subsidy removal. Even New Zealand’s adoption of MMP in 1996, loyalty and affinity with their policy, continued to connect farmers to the National Party. I continued to vote for the National Party
Then the 2019–20 Covid19 pandemic panic swept the world.
On Sunday 6 February 22, a huge convoy formed: a convoy of cars, motor bikes, motor homes and trucks began at the top and the bottom of NZ and thousands made their way to parliament grounds, passing hundreds of thousands in support lining the streets, roads and bridges. They were saying to Ardern: please stop the mandates and lockdowns. We are in a dark place.
I emailed Willis, presuming she and others in the National Party would support the wellbeing of the peaceful protestors, knowing what they had been through. I thought she would speak for the people and stand up against Ardern’s draconian rules.
First email:
Good morning, Nicola.
I am asking that you and Chris Bishop consider meeting with the CONVOY protestors who will be at parliament today. I am not speaking as part of the convoy, but I am speaking as a long-term supporter and member of the National Party, who is watching on. This country is suffering under this Government. I was disappointed, in terms of the CONVOY, to hear this morning you say the National Party support vaccines. The Convoy is not simply a group of antivaxxers.
The Convoy and their supporters along the route want a change of Government, Jacinda and the Labour Party gone and are against vaccine mandates and ongoing lockdowns.
Surely, you can agree, National want Labour out of power? Surely, you also agree National don’t want New Zealanders losing their jobs and forced into poverty, because they have not agreed to this vaccine or businesses who cannot trade under harsh lockdowns?
Please consider this huge section of society. Stand with them on what you can agree on, so they know what side of the political spectrum you are on.
Warm regards, xxxxxxxx”
I was shaken out of my naiviety with a jolt by her reply.
Nicola’s reply:
From: Nicola Willis
Sent: Tuesday, 8 February 2022 3:25 PM
To: xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Please meet with the convoy today
“Hi xxxxxxx
Thanks for your message.
I respect the right to protest. That people can do so is an important exercise of democratic freedom.
I continue to believe vaccination is our best defence against COVID-19 and I feel a responsibility to encourage New Zealanders to take up the opportunity to be vaccinated. For that reason, I do not want to associate myself with anti-vaccination rhetoric and messaging that is highly likely to be conveyed at today’s protest.
National has consistently held the Government to account for its approach to COVID management, highlighting areas where they have got it wrong and proposing improvements. We will continue to do so.
Thanks again for sharing your views.
Best wishes, Nicola”. (Emphasis added.)
Willis prejudged and dismissed any concerns of the people.
Second email, from me:
Thank you replying. I have to disagree with you and your reasoning though. I am still hoping you and Chris will go out there, with careful planning of course, and speak to the people.
They will not go away as they have had enough of the injustices of mandates and the lack of freedom. More people will come. They will not all simply be anti vaxxers.
The people want leadership with a vision to get them out of this situation, because there is no end in sight from Jacinda. We all know other countries are dropping the mandates.
Please reconsider.
There was no further reply from Nicola.
Nicola Willis made it clear she did not want to ‘associate’ herself with Kiwis mandated out of their jobs and/or suffering financial hardship and loss after months of punishing lockdowns. By refusing to engage with the protestors, she instead sided fully with Ardern and her punishment of hurting Kiwis. Over the following six years, National have done nothing to entice me back.
Then she expects me to vote for her... The National Party left me Tuesday 8 February 2022.
