Rival parties need to show they deserve power

IN politics, power is everything. Ruling governments have the power and do not want to give it away. Promises of hand outs if reelected are common, together with more money for health and education.

Our political parties say they are better at running the economy than the other, and the party in power either has a track record for this or not.

With our general election only a couple of months away, the economy will be to the forefront and nothing else. Labour will claim it has handled the Covid19 pandemic well and has a plan in place for economic recovery. National will claim it has a better plan, and so on.

Why National would want to be the next government is questionable, but the power comes with it.

Virtually every government gets a second term, regardless of economic performance, and this will be the case in September.

Labour has shown that it can handle a crisis. It has had the mosque shootings, the White Island eruption and the ongoing Covid19 pandemic. If it can handle the economic crisis, this will be the ultimate test.

Ross Davidson

Wakari

I LOOK forward to Ms Boag gaining life membership of the Labour Party for singlehandedly gifting it the coming election.

Sadly, though, Michael Woodhouse won’t be part of the fun because he has been elevated to 30th angel dancing on the head of the famous pin.

Anyway, it will be Labour’s cheapest campaign for a long time — it will only have to repeat the radio interviews with Capability Muller and the Angel Michael over the past week.

If delicious irony and humour were perhaps needed, the lofty statements of National Party morality previously on its website could be added, if they are put back for public view.

Nic MacArthur

Halfway Bush ...................................

BIBLE READING: If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. — Proverbs 9:12.