Frequently here at Planet-b we get asked, how do we stop these clowns? Or something similar but usually considerably less printable (and sometimes down right illegal).

Short of outright rebellion or a coup this is very much a problem (read Smith’s Dream or watch Sleeping Dogs and see how Sam Neill got on doing that, even with the help of Ian Mune.)

What is interesting is, it is the very manner that Labour is behaving is the very reason we went to MMP in the first place, to stop the tit-for-tat process were a government passes a law and the first thing a new government does is spend months repealing it.

So with a clear majority, and in their minds a mandate to act as they see fit, how does New Zealand relieve itself of a democratically elected majority government. Well it is a very simple 3 step process. Simple you say, weeeeeelllll not exactly. There are three steps but a whole lot of ducks need to decide to step into a row to make it happen

Firstly the three steps

1. Create a confidence and supply event

2. Consolidate all opposition parties against to government

3. Have the necessary number of sitting MP’s cross the house

As I say simple really. Except……

Creating a confidence and supply issue

Going back to the bad old days of First Past the Post (FPP) forcing a government into ceding a confidence and supply issue was extremely difficult and tended to focus on the locus of supply (put simply, supply being the ability of a government to fund a political event or agenda).  

Right now Supply is clearly not a problem, Robertson has been able to borrow as much as he cared too, so it falls to the battleground of Confidence.  This is a bit more esoteric but based on the lack of favour for the 3 Waters, with councils pushing back, numerous petitions to stop it and a Minister becoming increasingly obdurate and threatening to ‘force’ it through, is becomes the perfect issue to battle the government on confidence.

Consolidating the Opposition

To me this is both the easiest and hardest to effect, easy as Act and National will vote against a confidence proposal.  The green however have a C & S agreement they need to collectively agree to tear up and even then they need to want to join with Act and National, and why would they.

Well with Collins in the Chair they wouldn’t, plain and simple.  A leadership change to someone like Erica Stanford a stout supporter of better environmental policy and on improving the Climate they might consider it.  A little public pressure on Golriz for allowing Labour to fund the Taliban and a couple, throw in a couple of sticks and carrots for the rank and file like, not removing the Green car subsidy, or giving them the Kermadec’s as a marine reserve and maybe some glass recycling and they would be the best Green Party in history.   

Why this is the hardest is to quote a long standing Green party member who is a good friend of mine, she off record stated, “…yep all sounds good but remember we have a lot of whack-a-doodles in our party who simply will never vote with Act or national on anything, and I mean anything even of it good for the environment.”

But let’s say we can consolidate the opposition and Captured/Enlightened the Greens that is a total of 55 vote but to bring down the government you would need at least 4 but preferably 5 Labour MP’s to cross the house (we are assuming that as 3 Waters gives all power to the Maori minority they Maori party would vote with Labour.  

Have the necessary MP’s cross the house

So we need 5 MP’s to cross the house.  How does that happen when historically the maximum number of MP’s in NZ to cross the house on any one occasion is two.

Well here’s where the readers and the public and social media come into play.  The trick is to engage in behaviours in your area.

1. Inundate your local (or nearest) Labour constituent MP with questions around 3 waters, express your concerns and then basically threaten that they have no moral fibre and are not truly a New Zealander (or Aotearoan) if they vote for 3 waters.

Undertake the same behaviour with every single Labourlist MP (remember they are the ones who go first).  But especially every Cabinet Ministers’ office too.

When I say inundate I mean every day send them a message and really express your disgust that they have the gall to be in such a party and be such a sell out to the Majority of Kiwis.

2. Use your social media account to tell everyone what you have done and why and if they agree do the same. You will get push back from people who actually believe Labour are doing a good job, but push back at them, they will be in the minority soon enough. And hey, your Facebook friend list could do with some trimming in any case.

3. Attend any meeting and protest you can. MP’s are simple people that’s why they don’t have real jobs, the really only understand visual cues (this is why Ghandi was so successful.)

The basis tenant is to harass, embarrass and basically bully some-one (s) – (we need 5), to cross the house and vote against 3 Waters, thereby bringing down the Government and with luck restoring Democracy