"Not too bad for an old man."

Who is that old grey haired man looking into the distance?
(At Oban Scotland) 

Coming toward the end of the pathway of life. (At Oban)

When people ask me the question, "How are you?" one of my stock phrases which I use too often is, "Not too bad for an old man!" I want to share two interesting aspects about getting old. 
You have to stop living life in the future.
I am reading a novel, a bit of a contrived novel because it is written by the New Testament scholar, Marcus Borg. It really is a theology book in novel form.... quite a good effort. One of the characters is talking about his life. "Turning fifty was no big deal - I was becoming established... writing books...being noticed.... But the approach of sixty is different. When I was growing up sixty was old - it really was. ..... I think I have lived my life in the future - that goes with ambition, you know. Fulfillment is in the future - life will be good when I've made a name for myself .... But what's the future when you're getting close to sixty? It seems to me that sixty and older is about decline." (Putting Away Childish Things - Marcus Borg.) At sixty six I can identify with that. I can no longer run as I used to. When I do I am slow and ungainly.. I will never have that feeling of floating over the surface, the exhilaration of it all again. I still enjoy a sex life but my orgasm is a whimper compared to what used to happen and it takes me all night to do what I used to do all night.... I will never regain that sexual power and passion I once had... the best of my sex life is over. I ran a Church and there was always the possibility of new people, new programs, a great sermon ... always a future dream... now I sit in the back pew listening to lousy preaching. I had new jobs and new dreams but what is there to look forward to at sixty six?  When I lay my head down on the pillow to go to sleep I will often purposely think of something positive in the future as my last thought before I drift off. I am used to thinking of such things as the creative opportunities in a service I am planning; a half marathon I am working towards; a special night off with my wife; a project at Church I can look forward to with its possibilities or some other positive future possibility.  Lately with my wheezy chest, the natural decline and uncertainty of health and the ongoing, seemingly endless challenges of night shelter "stuff", I find it more difficult to find positive thoughts to go to sleep with. "The future" seems cloudy, short and uncertain.  The character in the book says he was learning to live in the present and to enjoy the present. I am not sure that it's the total answer, I still think it is good to dream and plan, but it is an issue. As you age your future dreams are limited by decline and limited time. You have to change your "reason for being" somewhat. I have a new admiration for people I know or have known who face adversity and the decline of abilities with fortitude and cheerfulness. I often think to myself, "What on earth can they look forward to? Yet they remain positive." Please God let me learn that skill.
Accumulated grief...
One other thing about getting older is that you have accumulated grief. Lots of people you have known have died. Lots of people who have been in your life have moved on, physically to other places or for a number of reasons, friendships or closeness you once had have ceased or changed.  I was in the brewery where I am chaplain the other day and walked passed the door I used to turn into to see a friend. He died just a little over a year ago. This day, as I often do, I felt a tinge of sadness at the remembrance of him. "I would no longer have those conversations" hit me with a new sadness. Down the street I bumped into a man who is a church elder in the church I recently retired from. We had shared a lot together over the years I was there. He was the one I had worked most closely with. I love him.  I talked with him in the street and he told of working hard in the Church that still has not really replaced me.  The Church and its work was top most in his thoughts, but it was the last thing I wanted to talk about. Our friendship has changed! We are drifting apart. We are not part of each others' lives any more... and that is sad. It is a bereavement.  I drive around areas of town and I see the houses of people who were dear to me in my life. They have died and others live there now. I feel sad, they were part of my life but are no longer there. The older you get the more sadness, the more "goodbyes" you have said, the more changes you have been through, the more often you have experienced grief. Somehow we carry a certain load of accumulated grief. It is not life destroying, but it is something I never realised when I was a young person wondering why older people often stayed silent and looked into the distance.

Godless Morality

I have been reading Richard Holloway. He was Bishop of Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church, but he resigned that position in 2000. He now calls himself an "after-religionist".  A friend of mine is quite a fan of his and I was to have coffee with him, so I "Googled" Richard Holloway and found lectures, interviews and talks he had done.  I am now reading and enjoying a book of his. After a 1998 Lambeth Conference where the issue of gay priests/marriage etc. was debated, he wrote a book entitled "Godless Morality". I have not read the book but have listened to him talking about it. He had been shocked and shaken by the hatred generated in the Church debates and decided that various people trumping arguments by saying, "God says..." and giving their interpretation of the scriptures was problematic. He proposed that we can discuss morality in a human way without using "God".  This book caused shock waves in his Church and the reaction was such that he decided to resign. He is an entertaining and thought provoking speaker, thinker and writer. 
As I sat in Church a couple of Sundays ago listening to, in my arrogant opinion, a poorly presented and prepared sermon, the preacher quoted a text that got me thinking about Richard Holloway's position. It was Mark 2: 27. There is a debate and criticism of Jesus because he and his disciples had not kept some rules about what is permissible on the sabbath. ("God says!") The conclusion of Jesus' answer goes like this, "The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath." As I sat in Church reflecting on that, distracted from the sermon, I thought, "That is essentially what Richard Holloway is saying!"  He is saying in a sense "If it expresses mercy (compassion) and is something good for humans it is OK and 'of God', whatever the religious rules and institutions say." We are freed from hide bound, and sometimes time bound religious "rights and wrongs" to do our own thinking, guided by compassion - that which is good for humankind, for fulfillment and fulness of life. In the same debate reported in Matthew's Gospel part of Jesus' answer is "I desire mercy and not sacrifice". It confirmed to me that the spirit of Holloway's thinking is in line with the spirit of Jesus' teaching. Both are religious rebels in their time. 
The Dave Andrews quote that I have on my blog page is relevant...

"The essence of being a devotee of Jesus is to live in sympathy with God as Jesus did; feeling the throb of God's heartbeat, and teaching our hearts to learn to beat in sync with the love that sustains the universe.
It means developing our capacity to sense intuitively what causes love pleasure, and what causes love pain, and doing everything we can to enhance the pleasure, and diminish the pain."
A good sermon.. good people who "own" their Church.
Yesterday the visiting preacher at our little local Church was a retired pacific island minister, for whom English was not his first language. He read his sermon, but it was well thought out and delivered with passion. He talked about "the priesthood of all believers" as being central to the reformation of the Church. Us being servants of one another in our Churches and communities. I have been critical of the preachers visiting us, but yesterday I enjoyed his presentation and passion. After Church they have a cup of tea and most often some home baking. The person appointed for that day works shift work so couldn't attend, but she had forgotten to arrange a stand in. There was no milk and nothing to eat. Within a flash three older women, without consulting, had dashed home, procured milk and raided their baking and biscuits and with much laughter and good humour, we were generously catered for. I thought that was great, not that it would have hurt us to go without. It showed their sense of responsibility toward each other. There is a good "feel" of down to earth friendship amongst the small group. They are small in number, mostly elderly but they are "alive". I keep thinking, Jesus changed history with just twelve people.

Still journeying...

My companions on the journey.

It has been a while...
There has been quite a gap between posts. I perhaps post too often but that is not the reason I have not posted. I have been distracted. I have come back and found that being chairman of the Night Shelter has got busy.  I came back hoping to have time to walk, to garden and to do things I have not been able to do when I was not retired. But I am finding that between the chaplaincies I do and Night Shelter events my dreams to do all these things  have gone by the board. I find too that the night shelter work is stress producing. Amongst the staff and the members of the board there are a variety of view points on various subjects. I find too that people often do not share their view points in a way that is open to discussion. They often share their perspective like it is the truth, the final truth and there is no room for discussion on it. I hear these view points and have at times been lying in bed in the early hours of the morning wondering how we are going to tie it all together. The other thing I have found is that many little things get tossed my way...in the early hours of the morning I suddenly think of an email I haven't sent, or a phone call I need to make and stew on how to get it all done. I keep saying "it will ease off", and I certainly hope it does. I decided that I will let everyone know that Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are my time, off limits, except in real emergencies. I need to admit too, that just recently the busyness and the endless number of issues has been getting me down a bit... I am susceptible to depression, and I have been feeling down about it, even though there are positives. I will cope though, generally at such times I just dig in and work my way through it. (often eating too much as one of my stress relief outlets.)  
Church...
We have been attending the local Presbyterian Church. I enjoy going to the local church and being involved with local people. They have accepted us and now we joke, have meaningful conversations and feel part of the group. Visiting clergy lead the services but I have to say the standard is very low! If most of these had trained at the college I attended they would have been guided toward a different vocation.... at least as far as preaching/worship leadership is concerned... they may be wonderful pastors. I was asked to read scripture in the service yesterday and I did so, making sure I gave a couple of sentences of introduction. It was the first up front thing I had done and even though it is little enough, I was pleased I did it well.  But yesterday's sermon I disliked. It was something a poorly presenting layman might preach in the 1950s. From my point of view it was blasphemous, an insult to God and scripture. The guy promised we would be barred from heaven if we didn't believe as he described. At that point the nasty streak in my mind said, "That's OK if you and the God you depict are there I'm not sure I want to go there!" (Christianity is NOT about getting to heaven anyway!) Of course I did not say it out loud. I felt like standing up and saying, "This is poorly presented bullshit!" and walking out... but I didn't. One of the women who complimented me on my part asked if I was on the list of preachers, and why not? I am left asking myself, "Do I want to preach? Do I want to be tied down to responsibility?" But then again how long can I sit and listen to "poorly presented bullshit"?
Having said that during the week before my negative reaction to a couple of things in the service sparked me into thinking, "What do I now think about that?" I am doing some scribbling and may blog soon about these two topics. 
Books mark a journey....
At a certain stage on Saturday it rained and it looked like it was going to set in. I decided to do an inside job. I decided to throw out books. Some time ago I went through my books and threw some out, donating them to a local 24 hour book sale. It was time to do it again, so I attacked the bookshelves in my study and in another store room. I threw out some books I did not need because I am no longer in Church ministry... books about Church growth, Church organisation and theology of the Church. I threw out Bible Studies for groups and some books about worship. I threw out books that I no longer thought were relevant. You get to look back on some themes that you once got interested in, and now you decide "I don't think that's important any more!" There are dated books relating to certain historical situations say in the 1970's, but the world has moved on. I threw out a lot of books that contained stuff I no longer believe in. (a bit like Sunday's sermon) But in the process I discovered books that had been so meaningful to me, had inspired me, changed me or brought a great leap in my growth as a person. These I lovingly replaced in the shelves closest to my desk. They, or at least their authors, are my precious companions. It was an interesting exercise. It marked a stage in my life - retirement. It showed how I had changed and grown gradually over the years. And it made me appreciate again the writers who share their journey with us. 

Coming back...High Expectations...

The wee local Church we attend. 

We have been back home in Dunedin for two and half weeks after four months and eleven days away from home. It is nice to be home again, but an interesting experience coming back.  
Retirement?

This afternoon I was a retired man. I constructed raised garden edges outside our sleepouts. 

My Saturday wedding. The bride is a paramedic I have known for about 15 years.

It does not feel like I have retired. I am kept very busy most days. We live about 20 minutes drive out of the centre of the city. We have an acre of ground, which is badly over grown. I have dreams for making our place very productive and a lot tidier than it has been, after all - I am retired now. I have four hours a week (in two, two hour slots - which often extend to three hours) as Fire Service chaplain. I have one hour a week as Workplace Support Chaplain to a brewery. For these two I get paid. I am also voluntary Dunedin Area Chaplain to St John Ambulance which generally takes up at least 3 hours a week. I am chairman of the Dunedin Night Shelter Trust. We are trying to raise $650,000 to purchase our buildings and just keeping the shelter running takes a lot of work. Before I returned from my holiday I had determined to make sure I stayed at home all day on Mondays, Wednesdays and on Thursday afternoons. So far I have been a failure. Last week I had three nights out, and meetings, chaplaincies or other work in town on every day of the week. I conducted a wedding on Saturday. (Possibly my last one) On Tuesday last week as I was driving home I counted up that I had "worked" nine hours that day. (and still had phone calls and emails to do that night) I was paid for just two hours of that work. I will get to saying "no" to some meetings, and try to arrange others on days that fit my schedule. I read the local community paper which had a two page spread about an agency which provides activities for retired people - games, crafts and classes on various topics. I don't think I need their services... boredom, at the moment, is not one of my problems.
High expectations.. how come?
I went to my fire service chaplaincy and various important people said, "It is good to see you back. You have been missed. We need you around here!" I was stunned by the welcome. I asked myself, "What do I do?" I don't have a heap of people flocking to receive counselling?  On Saturday evening at the wedding reception, a woman from my Ambulance chaplaincy came away from the table where her workmates were gathered and talked with me, catching up on various things. Then she said, "Everyone is so pleased to see you back." Again, I ask, why?  I think in Chaplaincy work there is a deep value just in "presence". I don't do a heap of in-depth "counselling", just catch up, chat and listen. Some how that must be of value. It is nice to be valued. We attend the little local Presbyterian Church which has visiting clergy every Sunday. I came out of the service on our second Sunday back and shook hands with the minister for the day, who I had not met before. He shook my hand and said, "You're Mr Brown aren't you? You're the one who does a lot of good?" "Not for the last four months." I replied, then said, "Oh I just do a bit." Then I thought "What a heck of a reputation, but what high expectations!" I just muddle along - really! Another man gave a generous donation to the Night Shelter. "We give to the Night Shelter because you are involved. You have a great track record." Really? I have been fishing to see if we should get somebody else as chair of the Night Shelter Trust, with me carrying on just as a trustee. The job has got big and involves a lot of things outside my area of expertise and most often outside my comfort zone. But everybody I have talked to rebuffs me saying that I am "the right man for the job." All these expressions of appreciation or confidence are fine, but to a certain extent I feel a weight of high expectations. I am an average guy, muddling along. I am essentially shy. I am not particularly gifted. I often procrastinate because I am fearful of mucking things up. These high expectations baffle me and even cause me loss of sleep at nights. "When will they all discover how weak and useless I am?" I wonder. When will my bluff be called? 

I have since seen this which seemed relevant. :-)

Mad media pressure... Labour Party please dream again.

Readers will be pleased to know that the NZ elections are over and my political diatribes will cease. I am deeply disappointed with the result, the Labour party were soundly defeated by their worst defeat since 1922... although that is unfair because we have a different system now.  I semi expected a defeat of the left (the polls predicted it - though not the size of the defeat) but I was surprised at the impact it had on me. Depression hit for a few days. Three more political things I want to say.

A million Non-voters

Apparently something like one million eligible people did not vote on the day. That is one million out of 3,140,417 eligible voters. Virtually a third of New Zealanders were not motivated enough to vote! That is pathetic! Having wandered around parts of the UK enjoying the history lessons, I know that the right to vote, our democracy, was not something easily won. People gave their lives, argued and faced all sorts of opposition over the centuries to enable us to vote. What is wrong that we don't vote? Is it understandable cynicism about the whole process and system? Didn't the Parties engender enough interest? Is life too easy? Are the issues not understood? Are we too individualistic to feel any responsibility to the whole?  It is a sad reflection on our understanding of citizenship. 

Please dream again Labour party...

The Labour party needs to look again at its reason for existing. In my career as a minister I have often been frustrated by Churches who feel they have a right to exist, even though they have no real purpose. Organisations can just drift on without knowing who they are. Labour needs to regroup and think about who they want to be and what they want to offer to New Zealand. It is not just a matter of trying to think of how to survive, but asking what right do we have in surviving? What purpose is there for our existence? I think the National Party has more purpose about it, though I disagree with its purpose and direction. I share a quote - "Thomas Jefferson once hoped aloud that America would have a revolution every twenty years. Jefferson wasn't advocating overthrow of the government. He envisioned no battles, no new flags, or any prisoners of war. Jefferson wanted a redefining of America for every new generation. No church (or organisation) is healthy without a defined ... dream. Congregations (organisations) either redefine their basic purpose every generation or they die. The road to health is to dream again." ("To Dream Again" Robert Dale) Please Labour Party, take the next month or so, or even longer, to dream again. Otherwise you deserve to die.

Media pressure..

I have become increasingly annoyed with the media. They blatantly put their slant on things. They put words into peoples' mouths - somebody hesitates in an answer, because (duh) they are thinking carefully, and the media reads all sorts of things into that hesitation. They also put pressure to make things happen.  I am annoyed that the media are forcing the Labour party into a hasty leadership battle. Back off! The Party needs to do solid thinking, and then choose a leader to suit their purpose. Let them think! Leave them alone. The media has too much power amongst us! Treat them with caution and a good deal of cynicism. Do not let them set the agenda! (Mind you, I was disappointed that David Cunliffe, the party leader seemed to want to pressure the Party into a quick leadership battle. I suppose in an attempt to save his skin... that, in my view, showed bad leadership.) 

I promise my next post will not be political! 

Ever Vigilant

The story of the rise of the Third Reich... "Lest we forget"

Four years ago I visited a very informative display in Berlin. It was a new installation and showed the rise of the Third Reich in Germany prior to and during World War II. It has been set up specifically to help people to know and remember so that the same sort of thing would not be repeated. As I travelled through the timeline of the rise of the Third Reich and the terrible things that happened, I noticed that it all began with small limitations and changes to the freedoms of the German people. The Unions were impacted and workers' rights slowly taken away - bit by bit. Teachers and academics were little bit by little bit told what they could and could not teach. Media were controlled, again in increments. There was a gradual increase in name calling, until certain people like Jews, gay people, and people with mental health difficulties were ostracized. All this was done in little increments until the tragedy of war and the atrocities that were committed just happened without too much resistance from the bulk of the German people.  It is a reminder to be ever vigilant about our democracy, our freedoms and who we allow to have power in our communities.
The Nicky Hagar revelations and subsequent questions about GCSB (Government Communications Security Bureau) have raised the intensity of my concern about the Key National Government. I am not a fan of Kim Dotcom. (I was angry when it was revealed he was allowed residency, just because he was rich. At the time I was busy trying to get residency for a lovely responsible and contributing young mother.) But some of the issues raised by recent revelations add to my already growing concern about Mr Key and his colleagues. There have been slow but sure limitations on the rights of workers. The creative thinking teachers seem to be clashing with the education policies of the Government, and are called names. Social work agencies who raise questions are sometimes also subjected to being labelled with their credibility questioned and ridiculed.   In response to questions and differences there have been regular bouts of name calling, which seems to be increasing. Somebody as rational and as balanced as Russel Norman is saying National seem to have control of the Media. I know a man who was a successful property developer and well known financial whiz kid who has changed sides completely and is sure of nasty financial scheming within Government circles. Then I came across the story of a another property developer, who was an ardent National supporter who has now changed his mind, because of an event which happened to him last election time. He is Russell Malcolm and this is the shortest version of his story.  If this is in any way true, it is scary indeed.  Even in his strong denial of mass surveillance, Mr Key is not giving straight answers and the evidence he gives is a red herring and does not relate to the program being talked about.  The GCSB bill that was pushed through parliament with undue haste gives considerable and potentially unchecked power to that body. (Russel Norman has a better solution making a distinction between internet protection and surveillance. ) 

All I am saying is I have growing concerns about John Key's hunger for power, about his style and the methods he uses. There is a increasing list of evidence suggesting questionable activity. We must be ever vigilant or history can be repeated. 

Lets get political II

Dirty Politics is an issue.
Nicky Hagar wrote the book "Dirty Politics" in which he exposed some of the nasty wheeling and dealing that has gone on in the political scene. I have read the two chapters of the book which you can find on line, and followed the various debates about the goings on related to the National Party. There is, to my mind, some pretty shady dealing. Now I am sure other parties may have imbibed in similar antics. Recently the call has been that in this election, "Let's talk about the issues, and not this sideshow!" Politicians have said it. The media (which I trust less and less) have inferred it, asking politicians if all this Nicky Hagar stuff has prevented them from talking about "the issues". Let me say, this is an issue. The book has exposed some dirty politics! The book shows the political system using underhand methods for manipulating the press, the public and the parties. There are lies, half truths and dirty scheming slants put on things. THE ISSUE is that I do not think the leaders of a country should be doing those sorts of things or condone, use or be implicated in those sorts of methods to retain power! They are unprincipled. They are deceitful and it is an issue if our political leaders are that way inclined. We need to vote in people with integrity, honesty and with principles! We need to express our disgust, our distress and our opposition to such wheeling and dealing. It is an issue! It smells of a deep rottenness in the halls of power of our country, and somehow it ought to be cleaned out!
Who to vote for????
I am still debating with myself about who to vote for. I know who I will not be voting for. I will not be voting for the National party. I see our prime minister and his colleagues as an evil destructive force in our country.  He is a very cunning operator who does his best to pass on any conflict to his underlings and is always there for the good photo opportunities. He plays the media very well, but I do not trust him. These Nicky Hagar revelations do not surprise me and I am sure they are the tip of the iceberg of the sort of wheeling and dealing that goes on. I see John Key (and his government) as a party supported in power by lobby groups and rich capitalist people who want to have "the system" operating to their advantage. Under his leadership little bit by little bit, workers' rights have been eroded to the advantage of profiteering employers. There is much more casual work now which gives the employer an advantage, with no security and poorer conditions for the employee.  The rich are in a favoured position tax wise. The tax rate for high income earners is one of the lowest in the OECD nations. The OECD average is 42% - in NZ it is 33%. There is no capital gains tax, no tax on capital transactions, no tax on deceased estates and no tax on gifts. We are almost alone in OECD countries with this situation. All these things favour the high income earners, while GST (Good and Services Tax) proportionately hits low income earners harder. Another example of disparity is the comparison between "tax evasion" and "Benefit fraud".  Tax evasion costs the country many times more dollars than benefit fraud. It is quite rampant. The noises from government would have you think otherwise. You are much more likely to be prosecuted for benefit fraud than for tax evasion. You are much more likely to have your debt to society forgiven if you are involved in tax evasion. Somehow that's "OK" but benefit fraud is seen as criminal. This favours the rich. This government is making cuts in the health and education areas and the people on the bottom are suffering the consequence. Funding for emergency departments, mental health and other areas of health mean that people in our communities suffer. For example Police, Psych services and mental health teams unload people into the night shelter who really should not be there.  - we have a frequent user of the Night Shelter who soils and/or wets the bed and refuses to shower. Shouldn't he be in care? There are not the services available to him so he is left on the streets. Mr Key brandishes positive figures around, but ironically many of those are the result of rebuilding after the tragic earthquake in Christchurch. The National Party pays lip service to environmental issues. While it makes nice noises, in economic development areas, it's regard for the environment seems lacking and short sighted.  I do not like Mr Key's arrogance. If teachers disagree with his changes, he and his ministers discount their opinion and wipe them off as being "political" without tackling the genuine issues they may have. I do not like some of his colleagues, they are abrasive, disrespectful and arrogant. I have seen Judith Collins, Gerry Brownlee and Bill English be completely down putting, nasty and disrespectful in interactions about those who may disagree. I just think their style is divisive, unhelpful and is a way of avoiding rational discussion of the issues. I do not think Mr Key can be trusted. How many times has he conveniently "forgotten" some incident. "Can't recall" are typical words you use when you know you are lying through your teeth! I am so suspicious of the man that I hate seeing his face on billboards and can understand the anger of some people wanting to deface them. (I dislike political billboards anyway, they are a blot on the landscape!)  I see Mr Key as a greedy man being supported by people motivated by greed.  At best they may still be adherents of the "Trickle down" theory i.e. "If the rich get richer the poor's circumstances will eventually improve." Since Old Testament times this has been shown to be false. There needs to be structures within society to allow for fairer distribution of resources.   Such structures have been increasingly discarded within our New Zealand community. We are becoming much more of a dog eat dog society. 
Who will I vote for then? I am unsure of Mr David Cunliffe, leader of the opposition. I actually respected the man he replaced, David Shearer who I saw as a man of intellect, compassion and discernment. I know and like some Labour politicians - David Clark and Phil Twyford seem to have people's welfare at the heart of their motivation for their involvement. But I also have enormous respect for the Green Party leaders, Russel Norman and Metiria Turei. I admire Russel Norman's intellect, rational approach and his compassion for people and the environment. He deserves greater exposure.  
The Issues..
For me the important issues are...

1. The increasing gap between the rich and the poor. The increased gap causes all sorts of bad side effects for our society.
2. Unemployment - the lack of jobs. I think there needs to be more thought given to adding value to our exports. For example, we export tons of logs and woodchips overseas. Why cant we explore making paper, milling the timber or somehow working with it to add value, so that we create jobs. Our industries seem to be getting fewer and fewer.
3. Giving dignity and hope - I think with technology and economic forces, we have a society where it is highly unlikely that a sizable proportion of people will ever get a job. There is no place for them in the scheme of things. Thought needs to be given into how we can make them feel more a useful part of the community. How do we include them and give them a meaningful part to play in our society? We pay dearly for them hanging around the streets, in terms of crime, health and general community cohesion.  
4. The impact of burning fossil fuels, and of other activities on global warming and the destruction of our environment cannot be denied. (98% of scientists agree that humankind's impact on global warming is enormous) We need a party in power who will have the insight and courage to take these long term issues seriously.
5. Fairer access to health and education resources. More and more we see resources in these areas, available to the rich but not so easily accessed by the poor. If we are to interrupt the poverty cycle we need to make it easier for people to take steps toward a better lifestyle.
6. Affordable housing. Home ownership is becoming much more difficult for people in NZ. I still believe that for health, happiness and a sense of security home ownership is much better than renting. Surveys by Habitat for Humanity showed much improved situations for families moving into home ownership. I know "middle NZ" couples struggling to get into home ownership. Whatever can be done to assist people to take this step would be beneficial for the whole community. 

If you are a New Zealander - good luck with your voting. 

P.S. A man who has been a minister, academic, author and deep thinker just shared this on facebook.... It expresses my gut feelings...

"I've been around too long. I knew in my gut Nixon was lying. I understood that Muldoon was manipulating NZ for his own purposes in 1981. I watched Bush and then Obama use 9/11 to wage terror on the world. And I know John Key is donkey deep in corruption. I think I need more meds, so that I could just not care any more, like the rest of my country's people."