Those shocked by Act’s strong showing in the weekend’s election and its likely influence in any National-Act-United Future government should look off the beaten path for the policies Act is likely to push for.

The first assumption after any such result is that Act would want to restart privatisations, slash government spending, drastically reform health and education delivery, and generally turn back the clock on Labour’s policies through 1999 to 2008.

I think that’s unlikely. Firstly, John Key really is a centrist and also wants to be re-elected. Secondly, Act are a bit more subtle these days and like doing things that are likely to stick (i.e. past the next election).

One of these more subtle and more sustainable policies is a Taxpayers’ Rights Bill. Act leader Rodney Hide pushed this quite hard during the election campaign, not that many people noticed. Most voters didn’t get beyond the yellow jacket and flat taxes.

The

Here’s a picture of a crucial period in our history.  

The nation is at an unfortunate but not completely unusual political and economic crossroads. New Zealand is having a financial crisis at the same time as an election campaign. Big decisions that affect all New Zealanders for a long time will have to be made in the heat and smoke of an election campaign while it is unclear exactly who is in charge.

The protagonists are a Prime Minister who has ruled the machinery of government with a velvet gloved fist for nine years and a popular newcomer who is widely expected to win. The Prime Minister’s attacks on the newcomer have become vituperative and personal. The Prime Minister has successfully bullied and corralled the ruling party and the mandarins in the bureaucracy into accepting the Prime Minister’s views. The Prime Minister appears to be personally driving economic and financial policy.