OK, WE KNOW WE'RE IN A HOLE - NOW IT'S TIME TO STOP DIGGING

New Zealand is facing an extraordinary situation.

We are in the middle of an economic recession caused by poor management. It's a financial tsunami!

The world economy has also hit the wall - so that's a double-whammy for us. As an export-led economy we would normally be confident that with our lowering dollar we could export ourselves out of this mess. That may no longer be the case.

And all this time we are marching steadily towards an election with these architects of our current misfortune trying to convince us to give them another chance. And we have a voting public that has been conditioned by a cynical Labour Government to accept election bribes paid for with their own money.

I am astounded at the responses of both National and the Peters/Clark Labour government to this crisis Are our current political leaders they blind to reality? Or are they blinded by their ideology? We need a lot more than hope, pray, spend and spin. As a nation and as a people, we deserve more.

I've got the message. How can we get out of this?

These are not times for faint-hearted politicians, worried more about their share of vote than the future of our country.

These are not the times for ideology and point-scoring; for the usual New Zealand political leadership response of spin, half-truths, dissembling, deceit and reckless spending of tax money.

This crisis needs tougher hands than those currently available - hands that have in fact been responsible to a great degree for putting us in this position in the first place.

Here is a seven step plan to get New Zealand out of the mire the current Labour government has placed us in and that National refuses to acknowledge.

1. Expenditure
   Future increases in government expenditure MUST be held to a figure below the rate of inflation. A few days ago I would have said to the level of inflation but it's gone too far now. In time this will:
   • reduce government expenditure as a percent of GDP.
   • enable government to dramatically lower taxes below 20c in the dollar by 2018.
   • encourage greater productivity.
2. Get competitive
   The incentive structure for government agencies and enterprises such as health, education, welfare is not conducive to efficient operation.
3. Dump central planning
   Government central planning in the areas of roading, water and electricity are the main cause of uncertainty, bottlenecks and shortages.
4. End special interest privileges
   The various forms of voter influence and bribes we have seen from the Labour Government have cost New Zealand dearly, an average of about $1000 a month! The country must put an end to this waste and special privilege seeking.
5. Dump the man-made obstacles to economic growth; the cost of doing business in New Zealand is beyond belief
   1. Resource Management Act.
   2. Nutty regulations.
   3. The Emissions Trading Scheme.
6. Introduce constitutional rules that balance economic policy and politics
   
   1. Taxpayer Bill of Rights (limit growth in government expenditure).
   2. Regulatory Responsibility Act (checklist to good lawmaking).
   3. No government to take private property by regulation. Full market value compensation to be paid as a result of negotiations.
   4. Use common law wherever possible instead of bureaucratic mechanisms like the RMA
7. Protect the rights of people
   Government needs to provide protection for people's lives and property. Zero tolerance for crime, three strikes and you're out.

But let's face it. We've seen a lot of scary stuff from our government and its hangers-on in the past few years. Yes there's a financial crises. But isn't there a basic weakness in our system.

A weakness that has opened in the past few years as more and more instances of political expediency, double standards, deceit and outright dishonesty have been exposed. We know what's happened to our economy and who's responsible. So how come we're seeing this drop in values?

ACT's philosophies cover more than economics and crime, education and the environment. ACT believes in basic tenets that seem to have been cynically pushed aside. What's happened to respect for truth, honesty, personal and political integrity, independence of thought and deed, personal freedom and responsibility.

Where have these gone in today's world?

ACT says, let's have them back. A Party Vote for ACT will of course help sort out our economy as we bring pressure to bear on a new National Government.

But it will also mean a return to some good old fashioned values. And that, in the long term, may be what this country REALLY needs.

Thanks for reading this far. If, like me, you are concerned as to where our country is heading, and want to see ACT stand by the new National Government and help it stay on track, then please give your Party Vote to ACT on November 8.

Rodney Hide
Leader, ACT New Zealand