Jun 23, 2008

Why Won't This Government Listen?

Readers may recall how many bloggers and media commentators were advising Labour not to proceed with passing the Electoral Finance Act, that it was rushed and unworkable. The proposed Emissions Trading Scheme legislation is in exactly the same condition. It has been rushed, and in its current form is going to come back to haunt future Governments.

Labour must secretly wish it had listened to advice on the EFA and rethought strategy before it was too late. In the case of the EFA it is too late. But with the ETS there is still time to do the right thing.

Reverting to the EFA there is an interesting article in the NZ Herald by Dr Claire Robinson on Party logos and the EFA. She suggests "What is inconvenient is the ramification. Once it is acknowledged that party logos are election advertisements, the Electoral Finance Act will be rendered absolutely, unequivocally dead in the water."