The Palestine State issue announcement

Since Saturday’s announcement, Free Press has been inundated with messages of thanks. They’re coming from all corners, more widely than we ever imagined.

People quietly assumed something dismal about modern New Zealand. The shouty mob would win, the Government would buckle and recognise Palestine. No matter how illogical the position may be, our Government would fall like many others. At least that’s what people thought because they’ve got used to it.

But the Government didn’t buckle. Reason and logic triumphed over emotion and the mob. We’ve been amazed at how powerful and widespread the relief has been. We think the people’s supportive response to the Palestine decision shows the Government should have the courage of its convictions more often.

What happens in the Middle East has little effect on most New Zealanders’ lives most of the time. Our isolation is a blessing and a curse. Safety from the world’s worst horrors is one of our blessings.

Red Tape Shakeout Proves ACT Right

What matters to most New Zealanders is much closer to home. Earthquake regulations don’t get the kind of attention the Middle East does, but reason and logic have prevailed on them, too.

ACT has stood alone many times. Being on the side of reason and logic matters to the Party’s supporters. They opposed the Oil and Gas exploration ban, the Zero Carbon Act, the Medium Density Residential Standard (three three story houses), the Arms Amendment Act, and the Earthquake laws to name but a few. Every other Party supported all these (except for National opposing the oil and gas ban, good on them).

The Government’s overhaul of the Earthquake-prone Buildings legislation vindicates ACT, and its principled approach to legislation. The Party opposed the law from the day it was first mooted in 2016. In fact, ACT proudly voted 1-120, as the only opposition.

GNS Science estimated at the time that Earthquake laws in Auckland would save three lives every 10,000 years, at a cost of billions. We wish we were making this up. Now, Auckland and Northland, which have next-to-no earthquake risk, are being exempted.

Where the law still applies is being focused on the greatest danger to human life. The entire New Building Standard regime, that could knock out an entire building for one weakness, is being dumped.

ACT promoted amendments in 2016 that would have exempted low risk areas and focused the law on risks to human safety. These were voted down, just like the overall law was voted up – ACT against the rest. It was ACT on one side versus National, New Zealand First, Labour, the Greens and the Māori Party. This happens a lot.

But ACT isn’t just a party that’s brittle and principled. It’s a Party that’s practical enough to stay in Parliament, get into Government, and fix what matters. That’s why the Earthquake laws are going, even though National and New Zealand First voted for them in the first place.

The change will mean an end to more abandoned derelict buildings in provincial streets. Enormous costs on building owners will be gone or greatly reduced. Buildings that were left to rot so the owners could have them condemned may be used again. Savings are estimated to be $8 billion.

The Earthquake laws are a good reason why New Zealand needs the Regulatory Standards Bill. Analysis at the time proved the law didn’t stack up, but the Regulatory Impact Analysis was ignored by everyone except the ACT Party.

The Regulatory Standards Bill will ensure the costs and benefits of new laws affecting private property are properly examined. Not only must the analysis be done, it will be put up in lights by the Regulatory Standards Board. Politicians putting costs on the public will face much tougher scrutiny, which is why the left oppose it so bitterly.

In the meantime, the changes to the Earthquake laws give hope for our country. Sometimes a tireless minority standing on principle really can fix a country. If you’re a Free Press reader and an ACT supporter, you are doing exactly that.