Crisis or short memories? The ACT List.

I have often wondered out loud about the education one needs to become a journalist. It has become more obvious over the years with the rise of blogging that it can’t actually be that much. Blogs have taken over much of the news reporting in NZ and our so called “journalists” now use blogs and twitter to gather their news as they simply cannot bother to investigate or stand out from the crowd.

The ACT Party “crisis” as we are led to believe is yet another fail from the media fraternity and yet if they bothered to look at what they wrote about ACT merely 3 years ago they would see the absolute stupidity of what they write today.

Three years ago, ACT was a 2 MP party led by Rodney and Heather. They were polling as low as 1% and as high as 4% in opinion polls before the 2008 election, where they eventually got 3.65% at the election, turning the 2 MP party into a 5 MP Party, winning Epsom yet again and defying everybody in media yet again. Why doesn’t the media ever get it that ACT has always polled much higher on election day than they do beforehand? I used to think it was cute – when I campaigned hard for the party, which I did from 1996 – but now I think the media are just straight up stupid.

Today they have a new leader and have a popular ex Mayor of Auckland standing in their key seat. They have key people like Don Nicholson and John Boscawen there as well, not to mention the not so secret 3rd list spot for a notable and distinguished woman as well. It’s a strong top 5. It must be considering all the media and online attention the list received over the weekend.

It also signals a change in brand for ACT. ACT on Campus call it, ACT II – “clear break from the past and represents the future of the ACT Party.” AOC were never really 100% behind Rodney when the polls started to show their usual between election dip which led to the Brash coup. Indeed the AOC executive were openly clapping out loud at the coup and the president gave a “no comment” when asked by the media, while other board members of ACT were behind Rodney. However with AOC 100% behind this leadership team, and with two AOC candidates in the top 10, the party is doing its best to cleanse the party of its past. I am ecstatic that both Heather and Hilary were rejected by the party and the board as well. Heather says she left on her own accord, but as we all know only a few weeks beforehand she was angling to be the new leader of ACT inside Parliament and before that spent all of her last term in parliament trying to usurp Rodney. Hilary on the other hand came in with all guns blazing ready to back Rodney and to bring some of her common sense into Parliament. I know Hilary well, I helped campaign for her in Dunedin many years ago. Her lack of readiness and loyalty was rewarded accordingly.

As for the top 10. We are led to believe that it is still a Liberal party, with the exception of John Banks and Don Nicholson. Ranked 4 and 5. If ACT gets 5 MPs again then almost half of the parliamentary team will be conservative. Indeed there were a few conservatives on the list selection vote who were drawn to the party by the Don. Brash has only started to solidify his liberal tendencies while John seems like he’ll stick to the game plan and the mystery #3 will most certainly be at the liberal forefront of the party.

Is it enough to make ACT hugely different to National?

Will it ever attract the young urban liberals who would never vote National?

I would say probably not. The Association of Consumers and Taxpayers that I joined in 1995 is a far different organisation than it is today. When ACT was elected as the first (and only ever) brand new party in 1996 it was a celebration of youth, freedom, energy and positivity. It drew in people from all over the spectrum who believed in its philosophy and it was a lot of fun being there.

At least I am warmed by the fact that I am not eligible to vote this year as it would be very very hard for me to make my vote this year. But rest assured, it wouldn’t be for National nor would it be for a party that wants to increase taxes or reduce personal responsibility.