As the 2017 New Zealand central government general election draws nearer, I’ve been allowing myself “fleeting thoughts” in relation to the current extent to which central government invades the lives of Kiwis. Like many Kiwis, I’m not happy about the way that mountains of legislation continues to be stockpiled in the basement of parliament…for the so-called betterment of N.Z. of course. Nonsense.

As I asked a retiring Member of Parliament in the past year or so, “how much more legislation is in the pipeline” – to which this person answered “that’s a good question”. I know it’s a good question, that’s why I raised it ! The answer that I received in return however was less enthralling or revealing.

I do not see myself as either a “rebel” or an “antagonist”. Rather, I see myself as one of a reducing number of practical New Zealanders who are prepared to challenge the sensibility of unjustified legislation/ regulation that is continuing to add layers of weight on the shoulders of “good law abiding Kiwis” (i.e. the vast majority of New Zealanders), simply because a small segment of the population shows signs of (apparently) “deviant” or “undesirable” behaviour.

My view is simply this, New Zealand Parliament must resist the urge to continue to legislate in respect of all and sundry. New Zealand is already one of the most over-legislated countries in the world…this is nothing to be proud of. Why ? Such a plethora of legislation suggests a few key things to Kiwis and the rest of the world:

i) Kiwis are somehow incapable of thinking for themselves in a commonsense way, understanding what actions are “right” versus “wrong”.

ii) Kiwis are happy for central government to have such an invasive influence on our lives – essentially classifying for us what is right/ permissible and what is wrong/ prohibited.

iii) New Zealand society is full of people who are orientated towards deviously manipulating their fellow countrymen in order to feather their own nest.

iii) Kiwis cannot be trusted to make their own judgement as to what is fair and reasonable, versus what isn’t.

This suffocating blanket of legislation is actually disabling Kiwis; at a time when Kiwis need to be given space and opportunity to uncover and apply as much of that renown “Kiwi ingenuity” (innovation) as possible in order to be/ remain competitive and have a sustainable business in the global marketplace that we now operate.

My message/ plea to central government – and other regulatory authorities around New Zealand – is PUT DOWN YOUR LEGISLATIVE PEN AND INSTEAD START EMPOWERING AND ENABLING THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ELECTED YOU TO YOUR GOVERNANCE POSITION. You will achieve far more positive outcomes by educating/ training/ guiding Kiwis than further restricting their ability to make their own “right” choices through creating still more legislation/ regulations. “Empowerment” is a far more positive road for New Zealand to go down than instilling fear of punishment for breaching some piece of legislation/ regulation.