New Zealand Issues

20 November, 2023. Some advice to Christopher Luxon on forming a Coalition! It is reprehensible that we do not have a functioning government yet  dealing with the myriad of vital issues affecting New Zealand.

I am probably the only one in New Zealand who remembers that I was leader of The New Zealand Party in the 1987 and 1990 elections as many of us wanted to keep the superb principles and policies of the 1984 New Zealand Party under Bob Jones in play. By 1993 the National Party had virtually destroyed my business (at a time the New Zealand Government took over $1 million dollars off Chinese students under false pretences (never refunded)  then confiscated, totally illegally, around $5 million dollars of Chinese students money which was only partially refunded)  including a $4 million a year contract for trade and  education and I was unable to lead the Party in 1993 however was involved in the formation of THE NEW ZEALAND COALITION including The New Zealand Party, New Zealand United Party, and Social Credit New Zealand. We brought everybody into one room and discussed each issue both from the position of our policies, but more importantly, with a desire to produce the best possible outcome for New Zealand. We quickly came to full agreement in policies and were able to admit that in many cases the outcome was better policy than any of us had produced on our own. That is is how its done Chris - fast, amicably, and effectively!!.

October 2023 - Congratulations to National on being poised to lead a new government. 

Top 10 issues for the new government to fix to 'get back on track'.

1.   The economy

2.   Transport

3.    Health

4.    Honouring the Treaty - race relations

5.    Immigration

6.    Law and Order - Safety in our streets, businesses and homes

7.    Cost of living

8.    Housing

9.     Foreign affairs  

10.   Climate Change

National has yet to prove itself under its new leader. 

New Zealand is in trouble! 

My passion is to see New Zealand develop a passion for excellence and honesty (Truth). When the going gets tough the tough get going to handle it. We need to adjust urgently to the 'new normal', which may change frequently!

Where there is no vision the people perish 

Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a shame to any people      

A nation divided against itself cannot stand. 

Five policies I wanted to introduce in 1987 and 1990 which would have had a huge influence on the nation today.  

** Social. Having the courage to fnd the whole truth of the causes of our social problems and deal to them. I worked in Supportive Accommmodation working with 90 guys for 4 years. The biggest single cause of their problems was dysfunctional or non existent parenting. That is not judgemental, racist, or anything other than the truth. Let's have the courage to accept and promote the fact  that if every person chose their partner carefully, committed to each other for life, and brought up children in that nurturing, caring, and positive role model environment at least 60% of our social problems would be over, We would live in a much happier and safer community, and cost of government would be reduced by at least $10 billion per annum!. 

** Housing. Introduce a voluntary housing saving account and encourage participation from time of starting work with savings level set so that after 10 years 2 people saving would have enough for a 50% deposit on a reasonable standard house. (i.e. 2 people each saving $250 per week for 520 weeks would provide $260.000 plus compound interest at 2%. The balance would be a loan from the government at 3% interest. This would have developed the savings habit from time of commencing work and a huge pool of savings reserves, and enable people to get into houses with much reduced mortgages and interest payments making a huge difference to retirement. 

** Health. I believe there are many more healing properties in nature than we give God credit for.  We would have gathered the best researchers from private enterprise and universities under the leadership of the DSIR (then in existence) for intensive research of all natural plants and remedies with the same intensive testing as normal drugs and patented those that worked with patents held by the government for the benefit of all. We would have drawn from the extensive experience of Maori in natural remedies. We would know by now what worked and what did not and have a wide range of effective natural drugs at minimal costs. This includes whether medicinal cannabis really works!

** Energy. We would have gathered the best technical reasearchers from private enterprise and universities under the leadership of the DSIR to make New Zealand world leaders in the capture and storage of renewable energy. After 2 years of concentrated development every building would have to meet a green standard of building both for insulation and also for gathering power from solar, and maybe wind, and also capturing rainfall for use in the brown water system. By now we would be exporting this technology, our houses would be much warmer, and no further massive power generation units would be needed.         

** Race Relations. The National Governmment accelerated the whole separatist movement of trying to develop a country with separate rights for separate people. They need to listen to the words of Jesus "A house divided against itself cannot stand". The Treaty of Waitangi was an amazing document which met the needs then in existence and still has immense importance. Its abuse over the past few decades is tragic,. There were five realities we wanted understood. 

1. Culture changes from century to century, generation to generation 

2. In any culture at any time there is both good and bad 

3. A smart society/country draws the best from each culture available to it and melds it into a new and better culture.

4.  Everyone must be free to practice their culture and beliefs as they wish provided it does not harm others. 

5.  Everyone must be equal before the law. We do not have this in New Zealand.  

So many of our social and racial problems stem from the deification of indigenous culture (it wasn't all good - or bad), the denigraton of western culture, (It wasn't all bad - or good), and the denial of the Creators culture which transcends all earthly cultures. All the instructions we need for healthy, happy, harmonious, just, societies are in the makers instructions - the bible. When all else fails read and put them into practice. Simple - isn't it? We were created for quality relationships. We can restore them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open letter to the Prime Minister, Members of Cabinet, All Members of Parliament. 30 June, 2020

New Zealand has faced up well to the health crisis of the Coronavirus Pandemic, and the Covid free status in terms of community transmission is something to be highly valued and retained.

We are not facing up to the economic fallout well. Most people recognise that the next 3 months with their normal winter challenges on top of Corona challenges are going to be extremely difficult. I am involved in tourism as well as transport advocacy and social issues and offer the following suggestions in the hope that even in the middle of election campaigning you can put the interests of the nation as a whole first and work together to cope with the realities of the present and and work for a much better future. Business needs certainty and a framework within which to plan, develop, and operate their businesses.

TOURISM

Please just establish the criteria e.g. New Zealand is happy to open a bubble with any state or country which has had no community transmission for at least 6 weeks and has their own borders secure. It is totally reasonable to suggest that the Trans Tasman bubble should be opened with covid free states in Australia from September. Tourist businesses can then plan their staff requirements and when to operate their attractions, albeit at a lower levels than normal. It will always be subject to closure should community transmission start in any country.

There is a small but important market of reasonably wealthy europeans who come to New Zealand for a few months and would be prepared to go into self funded quarantine for 2 weeks on arrival. Just establish the criteria – tested 7-10 days before departure from their home country, tested again the day before departure and not being allowed to board until negative results received, covid free transit routes to New Zealand, and 2 weeks self funded quarantine with tests at 3 and 12 days as at present.

STUDENTS.  

The same criteria for testing should allow long term students to start coming back immediately at manageable levels and with self funded quarantine.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Post Covid recovery offers huge opportunities to 'do things differently, and better' than in the past. We do not have the best possible public transport at the lowest possible cost in any city or town in New Zealand. In 2007 I presented a totally new template for Auckland under the SUPERMAXX brand and also developed SUPERMETLINK and SUPERMETRO templates for Wellington and Christchurch, and regional options for Northland and Otago. SUPERMAXX offers better services at lower cost reducing subsidies needed in Auckland by $100 million per annum and based on a primary fare unit of $75 for 30 days unlimited travel on an integrated network between Wellsford and Waiuku. Auckland Transport and Auckland Council have been unable, or unwilling, to prove my claims wrong but refuse to implement it and refuse to say why. In the current economic climate reducing costs and improving service is critically important. Supermaxx can be rolled out across Auckland within 6 months leaving $100 million in subsidies from NZTA and Auckland Council available for other purposes.

Enclosed herewith is the complete proposal from 2017 along with a Post Covid update. Check out the financials!

Supermetlink and Supermetro can be rolled out within 6 months and one pass can be used in all cities.

Supermaxx will also reduce carbon emissions by at least 27,000 tons per annum helping government to achieve its carbon reduction targets – as well as saving money and providing better services.!

SOCIAL ISSUES

The Government moved quickly to provide support in the wage subsidy and to accommodate the homeless. However the new reality will set in over the next few months with higher unemployment and issues surrounding housing the homeless in motels and hotels without dealing with the underlying problems. We decry deplore the problems of youth suicide, addictions, violence, trolling, bullying, child abuse, homelessness, and all the other social problems besetting society. Until we have the intelligence, integrity, courage, and compassion to deal with these issues in the spiritual dimension of life we will never resolve or reduce them. Money alone will not fix the problems.

I enclose herewith a paper I wrote a few years back on THE SECRET OF A SUCCESSFUL NATION. I invite you to read it and think about it. Two things that should be implemented immediately are:

Community gardens where people who are struggling can do 4 hours work as directed, obtain a credit of 4 hours at the minimum wage, and take the credit in fresh food. The gardens would have to be professionally operated and the benefits received by the participants would not affect any other benefits received from the state. There are huge benefits in people being self sufficient - mentally, financially, and physically.

Whanau Te Mana Whakaora communities where homeless and those struggling with life could be provided with warm. dry, safe accommodation and be introduced to the routines of self sufficient community living. It is much healthier and more successful than just giving people accommodation in motels etc.

Climate Change

New Zealand produces around 0.2% of the world annual greenhouse gases. We could kill all our cows, abolish all our fossil fuelled vehicles, and the Greens could pedal to Parliament each week and James Shaw could have paddled a waka to Glasgow and then again to Cairo. it wouldn't change the fate of the planet one bit. 

The Greens are hypocrites.  When I showed them how Supermaxx would reduce carbon emissions by at least 31,000 tons per annum, and reduce fares and subsidies massively they refused to accept it, albeit reducing carbon emissions, lowering fares and encouraging people to use public transport is part of their policy!! We need a reality check on coping with climate change. Now let's get on with cleaning our waterways, air,  and soil because this is the right thing to do not in pursuit of climate change hysteria. We have been damaging the home that God gave us for too long. The requirement for Kaitiakitanga or stewardship of all natural resources was given to Adam at creation of gthe first humans some 6,000 years ago and came down through the centuries across Asia and the Pacific to New Zealand with Maori as Kaitiakitanga and across Europe to Britain and came to New Zealand with the Missionaries as Stewardship. We have not been particularly good at managing and protecting our world  in the past so lets get on with doing it better. 

We need to re-establish the four 'R's' of a successful community

Responsibility – for ones self and others

Respect – for ones self and others

Resilience – coping with the challenges life throws at us.

Relationships - having good relationships to share the good times with and to help during the bad times.