Elections

The New Zealand National Elections were held yesterday (voting occurs on a Saturday). At 7pm the poles closed and then the votes were counted, by hand! The returns trickled in and by 10pm or so it was obvious that the New Zealand population had selected a new government - National. National is a little right of centre and Labour is a little left of centre. Labour has been in control for the past 9 years and led by Prime Minister Helen Clark. Helen resigned last night and John Key is the new PM - just like that.

I heard a great deal of New Zealanders say they were ready for change and thus National - and their leader John Key, were voted in. It is not clear to me that many think National will do a better job or that there are any clear differences between the party platforms. In my opinion, which is not based on anything other than my observations, National was helped by the Obama bump. The coverage of the US campaign and Obama's win in the US had an impact here. People are seeing the US differently and I think the passion and excitement over a new era in US politics inspired some Kiwi's to kick out the old and bring in something new - even if nothing was going terribly wrong with the status quo. Thus, the Obama bump.

I must be honest, however, and say that I did not do a lot of research for this election nor was I presented with much to consider regarding the varying platforms of the parties and candidates. I kept my eyes and ears open but one is not bombarded with messages here. Politics in New Zealand is in the news but very low key on a personal level. We never received any calls or people knocking on our door. People don't really put signs in their yards, wear buttons or slap bumper stickers on their car. Elections and who you are voting for are a private and necessary activity - not entertainment. I reckon if a Kiwi had been in the US the last week of October this year they would have run back home totally overwhelmed and shocked by the US system. Nonetheless, I am sorry I missed being present in person in the US for this year's election. I voted though!

So, Vaughan and I voted yesterday. You get one for the representative of your district in Parliament and one party vote. It is an interesting system that has lead to coalitions having to be formed in the past in order for a party to gain a majority to rule. This time, however, National and only one other party, ACT will need to form a coalition to govern.