Few doubt that the prime minister who has done more damage to New Zealand than would have been thought possible is on the way out. However, the gradual ratcheting up of anti-conservative, anti-democratic policies by a hard-left government – underpinned by neo-Marxist control – typically fails to be reversed by an incoming opposition. And although policy reforms are touted, there is little sign that a National government, under Christopher Luxon, is intellectually equipped to tackle Ardern’s destructive elevation of tribalism and identity politics.

One of the biggest lessons for the West to take on board is that a country’s leaders, with powerful politicians controlling important portfolios, can actually be subversive in intent – as arguably is happening in New Zealand. In the US, a president of obviously declining mental capacity apparently has his puppet strings pulled by those whose agenda is not pro-American. Canadian Justin Trudeau raises similar questions, one the Romans, with their mistrust of power, constantly asked: Cui bono? For whose benefit do these leaders have the bit between their teeth?

This Labour coalition’s tenure shows a dismal record of broken promises and incompetence. Mismanagement of Covid-19 poorly protected frontline workers. Over three hundred overseas entertainers were allocated quarantine places ahead of New Zealanders desperate to come home. Delays occurred in ordering needed vaccines, and there was the disgraceful theft – described as the ‘requisitioning’ or ‘commandeering’ of rapid antigen testing packs (RATs) secured by the private sector.

While employers had ordered these as a measure of protection for their workforce, the government failed to do so, questioning their usefulness. Belatedly rethinking, it then helped itself to those already ordered by the private sector, and appropriated some already in the country.

The inability of Ardern’s government to keep election promises such as tackling mental health and suicide rates; stopping selling off state housing; investing in much-needed infrastructure; eliminating child poverty – the reason our Prime Minister said she got into politics – represents a spectacular failure to deliver – as with home ownership, a lost dream for so many. However, the apparent reluctance of MPs to see a fall in the sky-high price of housing may be related to the fact that many themselves own multiple properties. National leader Christopher Luxon alone, lamenting the lack of affordable housing, owns seven properties. Yet the more the housing market is dominated by those investing in multiple properties, the fewer houses are available for New Zealanders to buy.

Moreover, the Labour coalition’s undertaking to wage war on CO2 – the reason for the alarmist global warming panic – to aim for an unrealistic zero carbon future – is costing New Zealanders dearly in increased taxation. The National party shows no sign of critiquing this scenario. Yet there has never been any evidence that CO2 contributes to global warming, as many scientists and previous supporters of this failed theory consistently state.

Former Greenpeace president Patrick Moore, on board the iconic Rainbow Warrior when it was blown up by French spies in Auckland harbour, describes global warming as a swindle, criticising scare tactics and disinformation employed within the environmental movement, saying it has ‘abandoned science and logic in favour of emotion and sensationalism’.

Others making this point are denied access to our media, while Michael Shellenberger, a former climate activist says, ‘On behalf of environmentalists I would like to formally apologise for the climate scare we created over the last 30 years… for how badly we environmentalists have misled the public’. Did they mislead our politicians, too? Or has the opportunity to widely tax the public on the pretext of the danger CO2 presents to the planet been so very useful?

With rents and costs of living rising, Ardern’s recent decision to lower the tax on fuel, predicted to reach $4 a litre, and to subsidise transport costs, is too little, too late. However, the enthusiasm accompanying National party leader Christopher Luxon’s overtaking Labour in the polls may need to be tempered. Although a political novice, Luxon is displaying a degree of authoritarianism not dissimilar to that of Ardern. He has already stated how he expects National MPs to present themselves. Formerly CEO of Air New Zealand, his presiding over this corporation (criticised for its high pricing and lack of concessions for families travelling) may account for his propensity to dominate. Not allowing MPs to exercise a conscience vote on the infamous Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Bill, resulted in some unhappy at having to toe the party line supporting the attack on the truth of issues, the reality of being born male or female now able to be denied by delusionary or activist individuals.

Although the National party has more understanding of the economy, with Luxon pledged to review taxation issues, a massive challenge lies ahead to tackle the economic conditions created by Ardern’s and her Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s fiscal recklessness, with its brutal economic consequences. That National plans to rescind the Ardern government’s extraordinary ban on oil and gas exploration is excellent news.

What is not is that Luxon has apparently bought into the global warming scam, given his statement that ‘weaning the economy off fossil fuels is necessary to reduce emissions, while aiming for a proper transition’. Ignorant politicians are no asset, and while National is viewed as more fiscally competent, it is defined by its consistent failure to more widely appreciate other than economic realities. Yet what of the sheer ignorance and lack of a moral compass in so much political decision-making? Politicians cost us a great deal.

For all his talk about a divided society, Luxon shows no understanding of Ardern’s determined promotion of racist separatism, essentially aiming for tribal control of New Zealand. To this end, the new, New Zealand (whoops, Aotearoa) history curriculum centre-stages – within Marxist concepts of power struggle – a grandiose, highly politicised, whitewashed history of a noble Maori people – containing factually wrong claims.  Little wonder Ardern describes its launch as one of her proudest moments.