New Zealand’s Election Victory

Congratulations to Jacinda Ardern for winning the first clearly decisive election in New Zealand since 1996. Mrs Ardern obviously deserves her conclusive victory and we congratulate her on her performance over the most seriously difficult massacre in Christchurch and her handling of the Covid-19 crisis. New Zealand is not isolated from the rest of the world and Mrs Ardern’s success at the polls will ensure that a strong pair of hands holds the reins for the next three bumpy years.

As a country, New Zealand has the prospect of becoming the most desirable place in the world in which to live. As climate damage increases it will increasingly become one of the few places that remain habitable. The prevalence of earthquakes will make some people frightened of living there. However, it is likely that there will be increasing requests for rights of residence. It is such a beautiful and well endowed country – ‘Britain without the crowds’. The UK should be a warning to New Zealand of what can happen to a country if you allow it to become overcrowded.

The tyranny of distance has been routed by the pandemic. We have all learnt to communicate by WhatsApp and other media where we can make a quick call to make a point or have a good long chat with a grandson or granddaughter. Nowhere is any further than an arm’s length away. We have discovered that we have the most powerful tool-toy in our hands – our mobile phone. It makes New Zealand as close as the next door neighbour.

There can be nobody who doesn’t wish Mrs Ardern good luck in her journey to make such a stunning, comfortable country a model for the new society that is coming everywhere. She has the right approach to opposite parties – engage them, don’t fight them. The world needs examples of good, common sense, cooperation rather than aggressive, rude antagonism. Mrs Ardern’s first reaction to overwhelming victory was to talk of a possible coalition with the main opposition party. Whether it happens or not the fact that the Prime Minister is thinking of it shows the right intention.

I always say that a civilised country is one where the cows have names. I’m sure they don’t any more in the big herds in New Zealand but I know of a few where they do. And the pastures of the country make the perfect setting for a symphony of life and love.

Jacinda Ardern is young and determined. New Zealand is still a relatively young country. The people of New Zealand are for the most part gentle and kind. And (some of) the cows have names.

We wish Jacinda Ardern and her government every good fortune in the years to come and we keep all New Zealanders close in our hearts.

We always have done.

Instead of the usual list of past Daily Paradox articles, I am keeping the end of today’s to allow us to pause for a moment to remember the fifty one people who died and the forty people who were injured in the 15Mar19 massage in Christchurch. And all our NZ friends who have left us.