Not two weeks ago, Labour was touting the fact National was copying its policies, re: student loans, yadda yadda yadda. Today we have Labour copying National with tax policy.

The oil shocks of the 70’s and the crashes and turmoil of the late 80’s early 90’s lead most of the world to believe that the only way to manage national economies was to let the market regulate. There seemed to be a consensus of parties on the left and right of the spectrum that free market reform would ensure economic and therefore political stability. Another side effect of this was to promote political/economic hegemony, with no major parties willing to change the orthodoxy of the prevailing mindset.

In NZ the catch-all parties of Labour and National have become so similar that we are left wondering what we are voting for. As a student I am left to ponder whose box I will put my tick in at the end of this year. Sure National offers me lower tax, but so does Labour. Labour offers me interest free student loans, but so does National. And we all know that both parties pillage and loot policy from the smaller parties willy nilly.

Heading into an uncertain era of history, where the world is poised on the brink of more shortages of oil, rising sea levels, warmer temperatures, higher prices on resources, we need to stop on the edge of this precipice and ask our selves: Do we really want to vote for conformity and conservatism in the face of such large obstacles for such a small country.

New Zealand needs ingenuity, and most of all it needs the status quo to be challenged. Arguments lead to synthesis and antithesis, and then something better. Your vote is a precious thing. Use it wisely.