The 1LAW4ALL Party is now a reality. Although I am not keen on the numberplate styling, I must say I do like the logo and the clever way the 1 doubles as the hole in the ONE.
There are some good people involved in the party — John Harrison and Tom Johnson in Hawkes Bay, Larry Wood and Candy Ostman in Nelson and Peter Cresswell in Auckland being the only ones to have so far identified themselves.
I hope the others will soon demonstrate the courage of their convictions.
I wish them well in attracting a suitable leader, deputy and candidates. The “build it and they will come” approach is bold and risky, and therefore deserves to succeed.
Their success at the ballot box will depend entirely on their finding a front person who can fire up the masses. Without that person, they’re a ghost party.
An inspirational, forward-focused Maori would, of course, be perfect.
The leader must crystallise the views of 80% of New Zealanders plainly and fearlessly, in the most challenging of forums. He or she must front foot every issue, never take a backward step, electrify the public, and terrify the Nats.
It must be a retail campaign that grabs the millions, not a wholesale campaign that impresses the thousands.
The party should bring good Kiwis together, and persuade good Maori to stand up to the Grievers.
For some time, as you know, I’ve been proposing a single-issue party called Together New Zealand. I thought the inclusive model was the way to go.
But in the end the organisational expertise and funds have gone with the 1LAW4ALL concept.
While I’m disappointed not to be in the loop, I did the best I could with what I had. I hope these 158 posts and dozens of media and live appearances have made a bit of a difference.
Over the last eighteen months, I’ve surprised myself by how little I mind fighting our opponents.
Fronting up to Hone Harawira on Close Up, Chris Finlayson at Orewa, Metiria Turei and Joris de Bres on Maori TV, Willie and JT on Radio Live and in Truth, the security guards at Te Papa and John Key and the iwi thug at Waitangi have been easier than I expected.
(Mainly because they have no answers to plainly-stated truths.)
But squabbling with friends I find deeply depressing. (And I have more than enough in common with John Kirwan and Stephen Fry in that regard already.)
So it’s time for me to step away from this issue, at least for a while, and see if I can make a difference in another important area — that of language.
To the many readers who’ve helped me in so many ways, a sincere thank you.
If you continue to see posts on this site that you find useful, feel free to keep supporting it. I have dozens of unfinished posts, which I hope to finish as the inspiration returns. At the moment there’s not much gas in the tank, but that may well change.
Otherwise, I suggest you get behind the 1LAW4ALL guys and help them deliver on their potential.
Some time ago, I said I’d be speaking tonight in Hastings, and next Tuesday at Otago University. Those appearances have been cancelled.
treatygate.wordpress.com 