Leader's Letter
September 2006
Leader’s Message
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Our Place in the
Political System
When New Zealand First signed its Confidence and Supply Agreement with the government, it was new, innovative and a necessary response to the political circumstances we found ourselves in.
Faced with a political gridlock and the threat of instability New Zealand First embarked on a responsible path of providing stable government, while ensuring that our policy priorities were achieved.
This is not the first time that New Zealand First has been a trailblazer. Indeed, since the advent of MMP, we have stood out among other political parties because of our preparedness to front-foot issues others lacked the courage to address and to take principled stands in the best interests of New Zealand and New Zealanders.
We have been the anchor that those serious about protecting our traditional values have been able to rely on to stand up in parliament and be counted. We are not cowered by the PC brigade, but nor are we heartless or callous. We know that at heart New Zealanders are pragmatic people who know from their own life’s experience that solutions are often found in mutually agreed compromises. They also know that some values simply cannot be compromised, and even in the face of unpopularity are worth fighting for.
We are a unique party in that sense. We are not beholden to outside interests or fanatical lobby groups. We alone in New Zealand politics rely on the people of New Zealand for our support, not business interests, nor unions or religious or environmental sects. We respect the rights of these groups to
Let us consider a further issue. The ‘Buy New Zealand-Made’ campaign, which had been our policy long before the Greens ever came to parliament, but which, like a lot of our policy, had been taken by another party. This was a policy at risk of going adrift. The Greens had lost their way and needed some backbone from a party that understood what it meant to stand by it principles. For us there was no muddled confusion - New Zealand Made meant just that. Had we not intervened and stiffened their resolve, who knows where this might have gone to - but that is our role, the party of principle which puts
New Zealand first.
From free health care for under sixes, through to increasing the base rate of superannuation, from lifting wages through a higher minimum wage, through to tax cuts for businesses to help them grow, from 1000 extra frontline police through to greater vigilance in protecting our borders, and the list goes on, we are the only party which considers this great nation's interests in its totality.
Some parties want to only support business while ignoring the workers and other take the opposite stance. Some want to consider the fate of our children while neglecting the plight of our seniors. Some want to promote gender or ethnic interests above all others while
ignoring some groups.
Only New Zealand First says we are all New Zealanders, young and old, male and female, Maori and non-Maori, rich and poor and we must find solutions which lift our whole nation - not just
selected parts of it.
That is our place in the political system - the party which has to consider our nation’s interests as a whole. As a party we must always remember this - our place is to consider the nation’s interests and to put New Zealand First.
Rt Hon Winston Peters
LEADER NEW ZEALAND FIRST
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