New Zealand votes 2008

Yes folks it’s hard to believe, but there are other international elections this year apart from what is shown on CNN.

To kick things off, here’s a story:[quote]

The Ant and the Grasshopper

OLD VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his
house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays

the summer away. **

**Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.

The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: **

**Be responsible for yourself!


MODERN VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his
house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays

the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and
demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed
while others are cold and starving.

TV1, TV3 and Maori TV show up to provide pictures of the shivering
grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a
table filled with food. New Zealand is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper

is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Good Morning with the grasshopper, and
everybody cries when they sing, ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green.’

Sue Bradford stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where
the news stations film the group singing, ‘We shall overcome.’ **
**Gordon Copeland then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the
grasshopper’s sake.

Michael Cullen exclaims in an interview with John Campbell that the ant
has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an
immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share as the ant
is too much of a “Rich Prick.”

Finally, the Labour Party drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper
Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green
bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is
confiscated by the government.

Winston gets his old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a
defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of

judges that Helen appointed from a list of single-parent welfare
recipients.

The ant loses the case.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of
the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which just happens
to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around him because he doesn’t
maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house,
now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once
peaceful neighbourhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY: **

**Be VERY careful how you vote in 2008!!*[/quote]

I wish more political commentary was as entertaining.

and in related news: NZ Foregin Minister Winston Peters stands aside over claims he failed to disclose political donations to his NZ First party. (minor coalition member)

now, there is no way that could ever happen here, eh?

what a third world island.

[quote=“urodacus”]and in related news: NZ Foregin Minister Winston Peters stands aside over claims he failed to disclose political donations to his NZ First party. (minor coalition member)

now, there is no way that could ever happen here, eh?

what a third world island.[/quote]

…good riddance to that wanker…

Hi,

NZ citizens resident overseas are eligible to vote if they have returned to NZ at any time in the last three years.
So those of you still think you may return to NZ permanently, here is your chance to influence how the country will be like when you return :ponder:
Unlike previous elections when I actually had to go into the NZCIO in Taipei to cast my vote, this time you can post your vote back to NZ.

here are more details:
everyvotecounts.co.nz.

Just to motivate you some more: (whether for or against ):
In the 1999 election I had the exquisite pleasure (since overseas ballots are counted last) of seeing my vote being one of those that got the Green Party over the 5% threshold and into Parliament (they didn’t meet the 5% in the election night counting itself) :beatnik:

It’s been a month since anyone posted about the NZ election. Can you imagine the peace and tranquility if the same could be said about the US election? Ahhhhh…It’s GREAT to be laid back. :slight_smile:

Roll on Nov 8.

I liked the analogy of the ant and grasshopper piece, but I’m a little concerned it didn’t mention "skipping off to the “mainland” to get a decent dole. Was that an intentional oversight?

I like that horsey looking one that’s sort of a bloke, but isn’t.

HG

[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]I liked the analogy of the ant and grasshopper piece, but I’m a little concerned it didn’t mention "skipping off to the “mainland” to get a decent dole. Was that an intentional oversight?

I like that horsey looking one that’s sort of a bloke, but isn’t.

HG[/quote]
The reason that wasn’t mentioned, is most of them are going there for the lower taxes and better pay. Apparently Kiwis are quite hard workers. Not sure about that.

Alan Clark has had her run. Time for Key to have a crack.