Your letters - Winnie the Kid

 

I have noticed a clip in TV with Winston Peters sitting on a horse dressed in what looks like oil-skin riding gear. First off, I thought he was trying to imitate “Billy the Kid” a well-known mischief-maker from the “Wild West” days. Then I suspected this was pretty apt as Billy lives on as a folk story from days gone by.

 While I am also unsure of the future status of our own “Winny the Kid” I am sure that some of his current statements do not ring true.

He has recently mentioned “Democracy” and a few other political statements which in my opinion don’t measure up to his previous actions.  I take his decision back in 2017 when as a very minor recipient of enough seats in Parliament, but enough to control the outcome of who rules, Winny the Kid, not holding true to the democracy he is now professing, voted to put Labour into power. From my memory, the Nats polled the majority by some distance, and the Labour lot considerably less. Winny the Kid, NOT following the wishes of the majority, therefore the democratically strongest vote, cast his lot with the lesser of the two main parties. By doing this, my belief is Winny looked after himself first and negotiated the baubles of a period of power for himself. 

As a matter of fact, the coalition government of Labour and New Zealand First stopped the “Roads of National Significance” which would have brought the start of Four Lanes to Auckland for Northland. I suspect that the “round-about” south of Whangarei, was a project pushed by NZ 1st   and still not finished, and still does nothing for the residents of Portland. A project in the wrong place where Loop Rd gave a full benefit at the southern end. Some people just won’t listen.

I was also astounded that Gavin Benney has been anointed as the Whangarei candidate by NZ1st or Winny. Gavin who is probably a nice enough guy to have a drink with at his old Pub, but, as a District Councillor he voted down the referendum on democratically changing the race composition of electing our council. That was carried by a vote of councillors only, Gavin being one.

 Gavin has supported large increases in rates when most of our people are having tough times in the morning putting milk and “Weetbix” on the table for their kids. So does Gavin now believe Winny, as he says he does, and change his spots. Does he think he could vote with Winny in Parliament without feeling like a total hypocrite?

John Bain

Whangarei