Twixy

In America, liberals have a lot to fight for in the future. They seem to be winning the war on same-sex marriage. Marijuana is next. Healthcare reform is being implemented but still on rocky roads. The Second Amendment, gun rights, looks to be here to stay. Police discrimination against minorities is a hot subject right now and also looks on the path to reform.

By contrast I do not see anything in New Zealand that is contentious in a political sense. Forgive my lack of cultural perspective if this is offensive. Except marijuana. But all the other stuff I mentioned has already been liberalized.

Can someone tell me what people who fall on the liberal side in New Zealand are aspiring towards in terms of policy changes?

Stormer999

Twixy most of us come to NZ to get away from most of the things that seem to be worrying you I,m off fishing

Charismatic

We don't see our views as "liberal" but progressive. There is often little impediment to progress here, we are very secular in political views and governments tend to be coalitions so there is usually the need for constant negotiation to form a consensus and drive policy. Politics is much more nuanced and collaborative.

By contrast the U.S. has great religious fervour in politics, governments are usually majorities (aided by the electoral system) and often act in an adversarial fashion with irreconcilable diverging views.

Still have problems however from income disparity and environmental degradation come to mind but we will make progress.

LauraNotts

Well, there is the crucial question of whether to H or not in W(h)anganui...

And let's not forget the divisive and cruel campaign carried out by Australia to take over the Pavlova.

Honestly Twixey, just have a read of NZ Herald or Stuff.co.nz to get a feel of where the country is at. New Zealand DOES have its own political debates and discussions as do all nations but the culture wars of the sort seen lately in the US are pretty unique to the US. I'm loathe to use words like Liberal or Conservative to describe any political movement over here because those words mean different things here than they do in the US.

BritInParis

Perhaps changing New Zealand's flag could be seen as a liberal/progressive goal? There's a(nother) referendum on the issue later this year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_flag_debate

Charismatic

Not to mention that under arm bowling incident or Phar Lap.

bourbon-biscuit

Growing income disparity, health/education/wealth inequalities between cultural groups, and environmental concerns.

southerner

Probably says more about America than any other thing I have read recently that ObamaCare (and some reasonable gun control as well) is considered liberal.

Saw in the NZ news recently Greens looking to ban vivisection (which apparently has not been practiced for 30 years but still is technically legal).

Labour leader got misquoted the other day suggesting a bit more self rule for Maori (he later said he really meant just a bit more of a consultative role in local water/environmental/economic matters).

Most NZ politics is pretty middle of the road (IMO) - possibly a bit progressive through history, but recent Governments have been orthodox, preferring a steady hand rather than anything too innovative.

southerner

I agree those are the main battleground issues for the current generation of voters.

Charismatic

Good article in The Guardian the other day about income inequality in New Zealand.

LoCarb

You should watch this documentary to see where it all when wrong:

In a Land of Plenty | Film | NZ On Screen

LittleGreyCat

Didn't mention Jafa, but I think that may be a sign of the inequality.

In the UK most of the money is centred around London, and this drives a lot of the political agenda.

They are building a lot of affordable housing north of Auckland - affordable, that is, by people cashing in properties in Central Auckland and having around $900k or more to spend.

As an outsider this is one of the major problems (recognised by the immigration scoring of extra points if you settle outside Auckland) - there is too much concentration of work and wealth in one area.

Given the lack of major transport routes (in the UK we still move a lot of goods by rail) it seems quite difficult to move new industry away from the main centres.

What would I aspire to in NZ (not sure what political spectrum I fall under) would be to foster "New Towns" in the way that some were created in the UK (for example Milton Keynes) and fund the movement of industry to the area to provide jobs. This would hopefully provide more work outside Auckland, more opportunities for employment and decent housing, and encourage the improvement of public transport.

However this all takes money.

There have been several "dispersal" exercises in the UK over the decades to try and move jobs out of London to areas of cheaper housing and lower wages. These have had some effect, especially in South Wales, but London still seems to be the centre of the universe.

Would NZers welcome the opportunity to work at the same job but out further into the country with cheaper housing and an easier commute?

Bo-Jangles

The shift towards Auckland has happened for decades and mostly from Kiwis shifting northwards from within NZ for work and climate as well as from migration; whilst everyone likes the bag the 'JAFA' most of the Kiwis that we know and work with in Auckland are not originally from here and are usually from someplace else in NZ and very disparaging of the other small place that they come from. Usually only returning home fir the holidays and to visit family. I was talking to a woman the other day who told me she hadn't seen her son for 4 and a half years - there was me thinking they must live overseas but no they live here in the same country.

Broadly speaking there are two types of people here those that think travelling from one town to another is absurd idea and they'd never stretch their wings or leave their place of birth - many never see beyond the particular island or place that they hail from and the others that tire of regional life and flock to the bright lights of Aussie or London on their OE, as soon as they can gather the airfare. Often when they come back they find they have 'outgrown' their hometown and return with savings and substantially more wealthy and broadminded for the experience and therefore seeking the trappings of the larger city life because the alternative of going back to small town life is not very palatable.

Towns and small cities like Hamilton have potential to relieve the pressure but are still not very attractive to Kiwis or migrants alike - often seen as too dull / remote / backwards / feral and have little to offer in terms of full access to transport connections, entertainment and the likes.

I don't think there really is any great desire from the people within the metropolis to leave the metropolis - just people from outside like to mock and don't understand the attraction. I don't see many people who are wanting to avoid the big cities, they are happy to put up with the traffic or congestion for the opportunities that it affords rather than than the alternative of settling into comfortable easy living in small town NZ, unless they are seeking retirement by the sea somewhere, or have particular lifestyle desires to be a hobby farmer the quiet life.

No different to me growing up in small town UK, heading to London in teenage years and never looking back to my boring old Nanna home town; there's nothing other than family there for me any more and anything beyond a few days there starts to see me getting a bit twitchy and desperate to get out.

LittleGreyCat

A bit different for me - after growing up near a small town I started out living and working in London but couldn't wait to get out.

I've moved around the country a bit with various jobs, but I still wouldn't go back to London.

Horses for courses.

jmh

Depends also a bit on age and stage of life. I loved London for a while, but if I went back would probably go for small town life.

Here, I'm in Auckland because this is where my family is - also I work from home so traffic doesn't affect me much. I run a business and if I moved it to a a regional town my income would drop, so I'll stay here for now, especially as I have bought a house. Even when I retire, I would want to be within reasonable distance of an airport/hospital/shopping centre.

Historically speaking, my whole family are from South Canterbury (I was born in Christchurch). Over the years each has moved north chasing jobs and better opportunities. Now all of my generation are either overseas or in Auckland.