My Right

Having a look at Mallard's "Get over it" speech

A little vitriol over Goff's "I'd do it all again" statement

A few highlights (and low lights) from the week in the house

If I have a few drinks - I may even try to figure out what Winston is thinking

Miss Clark said she did not know how fast her ministerial car had travelled on the drive to Christchurch. She had been engrossed in conversation in the back seat with Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton, but had not felt unsafe at any point of the journey.

In her most extensive comments to date on the dash, she said people needed to understand "it wasn't Helen Clark, private citizen, rushing to a rugby match. It was Helen Clark as prime minister with a set of public engagements for the day."

If Lange's Labour Government will always be remembered for its drastic economic reforms, I wonder if Clark's will have the same legacy in the social sphere. Prostitution, civil unions, matrimonial property reforms, lesbians can be fathers too, no smoking in bars, (possibly) smacking – will history join the dots? Will Clark & Maharey be the Lange and Douglas of the 21st century?

If it's less obvious, perhaps it's because of the method by which some of the legislation is passed. In this regard, conscience votes has always seemed a bit odd to me. Why should economic issues be any less subject to ethical concerns than social ones? Taxation to a libertarian is as much a moral issue as GE is to a greenie, or gay marriage to a conservative.

So while Labour is responsible for the current wave of social reforms, the fact that even its own MPs are (in theory, at least) allowed to vote according to their consciences allows a degree of separation from the party proper. Labour didn't pass the bill, Parliament did. Douglas never had that luxury when it came to his reforms.

Anderton's response on behalf of the Government was to tell businessmen that they don't know how lucky they are. After 16 quarters of consecutive growth, business has never had it so good, he declared. New Zealanders, he believes, have got themselves into a culture of failure and negativism. Anderton has a point, or half of one. The economy is undeniably flourishing. There is a shortage of skilled and semi-skilled labour. The unfortunate Electrolux workers are going on to a market as much in their favour as it has been for 25 years and they should be able to get new jobs quite quickly.

But for all the success of the economy, there remains a nagging feeling that an opportunity to do much better while conditions are so favourable is being lost. Business complaints that development is being handicapped by environmental regulation, employment laws, taxes and so on may be familiar, but that does not necessarily make them invalid.

Anderton's impatient comments reflect a worrying attitude at the heart of the Government. The Minister would be better advised if he listened to what he is being told rather than reacting irritably. He might like to consider, for instance, why the buoyancy in the economy has been predominantly in farming (where good export prices are a large factor) and consumer spending, and little in the kind of development that will produce high sustainable growth in the future.

Electrolux will not have decided to transfer its manufacturing to Australia on a whim. If political attitudes to business have played a role, Anderton should be trying to do something about it, rather than indulging himself in tetchy petulance.

"I want the word to go out on Sunday to every thief, thug, rapist and robber, that a new sheriff’s coming to town. He’ll have a new posse. They’re not suckers. They don’t accept excuses. There’ll be a price to be paid for every crime to make sure that crime no longer pays." (The page then outlines in detail the Act policy position.)

Afterwards

What will a successful criminal justice reformation look like?

We won’t need a checklist to measure success.

Yes the statistics will fall but more importantly we will go back to having the security and safety New Zealanders once took for granted.

As well as falling crime statistics we’ll know it’s working

* When security guards are going broke instead of prospering.
* When once again it’s normal for cars to be unlocked and for people to sleep in mid-summer with their ranch sliders open.
* When no part of any New Zealand city is out of bounds for women at night.
* When our personal effects insurance premiums drop.
* When Auckland is no longer clogged with cars carrying children who could be walking or biking to school.
* When young people act more from concern about their reputations than fear of the police and the courts.
* When there are aren’t enough community work offenders to tidy up the parks.

ACT’s done the thinking. ACT has voted consistently to bring justice back to the criminal legal system.

I’m looking forward to seeing our hard work become reality in an ACT/National government

Fingers crossed for Sunday’s announcement.

"Having regard, firstly, to the nature of your offending, secondly, concerns about undue risk to the community when you are in a position to influence the minds and actions of others while you stand by your earlier comment to the effect you would do the same again or help others do the same in the current legal environment and, thirdly, in those circumstances, the unrealistic prospect of rehabilitation, the Board is not presently satisfied you are suitable for home detention.

Your application is declined."