National's destiny is in Labour's hands...

Contary to opinions being expressed by editorials and other so-called political experts, National shows all the signs of a one term government - it hasn't really introduced any real rightwing philosophically influenced legislation, apart from the '90 Day hire and Fire Act'.

It is not National that is in control of its destiny, it is actually Labour! The power, the brains and the intestinal fortitude of Labour left parliament when Helen Clark and Michael Cullen decided to retire from politics and resign from the parliamentary Labour Party. It is shades of 1975, and 1990 all over again - a Labour Party without a real leader, not a disembelled Labour caucus though.

This Labour caucus will be back to business as usual with a longterm leader, which is not "Phil-in" Phil Goff!

Will there be another Helen Clark? Not during the remainder of my lifetime. Such people come along every couple of generations. The good people die in office; and the real leaders come along every fifty years or so. I don't include David Lange in that capacity - he comes under the capacity of orators. He had no intestinal fortitude to stand up to Roger Douglas; he could have promoted Helen clark as his deputy and taken on the Act Party's ancestors, Douglas and Prebble and Company!

A fanatic National landslide or a left of centre coalition...

There will be a maniacal National landslide that would prove New Zealanders don't deserve the vote, or a left of centre coalition.

It is too difficult to predict what people will do inside their voting booth.

Lets face it Nationaal has a head, but no body; it represents nobody at present just political expediency. Who is John Key and who does he represent? Who are those shadowy figures behind him?

What does a multi-millionaire former money making financial speculator want in politics? Are the rumours correct about Key? He is in it to achieve power for powers sake! And he accuses Helen Clark and Micheal Cullen of never having a "real" job; financial speculation is a real job? Yeah right!

Is he the deceitful stooge front man who is attempting to assist National into power, because Bill English can't and Don Brash couldn't? Rumour has it if he is successful he will resign as prime minister a year or so before the next election, and as a consequence all bets will be off because any election agreement made by John Key will not bind his successor, Bill English. Remember you were told here, readers!

Government is to be lauded for its proposal to ban unhealthy food in school tuck shops

The Government is to be lauded for its proposal to ban unhealthy food in school tuck shops - a joint initiative from Health and Education ministries.

New Zealand like most other western countries is facing an obesity epidemic in the future. Initiatives are needed for all New Zealanders' health, adult as well as children. Education of the nation's eating habits is a vital necessity - take away food has become part of regular diets instead of being considered as just a quick meal for families at certain times. Parents have become ignorant or just downright lazy!

Some children are so used to KFC or Mcdonalds they don't even know what real food tastes like. Controls on school tuck shops is a good beginning. Compulsory physical education that used to be part of the school curriculum should be reintroduced. School sports is another area which should be encouraged. A couple of generations ago all New Zealand children were involved in some sporting activity at some level or another. Perhaps teachers can be encouraged back to coaching sports teams outside of school hours by paying them well.

There is no doubt that the shameful profit orientated attitude of the National Government in the 1990's affected what schools sold in their tuck shops. They didn't really care what the standard of food was being sold, fatty meat pies and sugary cream buns etc. The kids liked them but it didn't do much for their health, considering the lack of exercise older school children have had in recent decades. Even younger children who once were on the go all the time are now getting obese and preferring to sit behind computers and TV's playing computer games.

There is now a chance, as long as parents and the rest of society support the Government's health and education initiatives; but I suspect that the rampant right wing obsession during the last year or so of inanely attacking every government policy and initiative regardless will make it difficult to succeed. Our kids could die under a National Party administration which is still obsessed with profits and the accumalation of wealth. We can avoid that by re-electing a Labour Government next year. Lets start by supporting the government now!