The Truth and nothing but the truth

I'm one of those people who thinks that if democracy is to work, people - voters - have to be informed before they cast their votes. To be informed, you need to know the truth about what each party proposes to do if they are in a position to govern or be part of a government. The entire process become a farce if voters are mislead or misinformed or not told the whole story by some, any or all parties before they go to vote.

The problem for any political party is the tension between holding fast to their values, beliefs and consequent policies when doing so may make them less attractive to voters. Do they change their policies to win wider support? Do they keep the same policies few or none want and go nowhere? Do they try to hide their policies and pretend to be something else?

These are all options open to any party.

Whatever choice they make, voters need - and want - to know what the truth is.

With that in mind, we have witnessed this week Bill English and Lockwood Smith - both very senior members of the National Party caucus - caught out misleading the public. The agenda presented in public isn't the agenda they discuss in private. In private, they say they can't pursue policies they want to pursue because the public doesn't want them.....but that once in power they will see what happens further down the track. That sounds almost reasonable. Except it isn't what they have said in public. The preferred agenda is hidden. They have chosen the third option. No stands on principle here.


When caught, did they own up? No way. Instead, there is "outrage" someone would record them speaking the (previously hidden) truth.

Frankly, I don't give a damn. If there was no gap between what they said privately and publicly these recordings would be of no interest. The truth is what matters and I don't care who reveals it or how. Good on them. Maybe one day the National Party will stop misleading people.....but that day isn't today and doesn't appear to be any day soon.