First Impressions By Brendan Horan

One year ago voters sent New Zealand First back into Parliament to hold the government to account and to try to steer the good ship Aotearoa on a true course.

It was a big call but, led from the front by Rt Hon Winston Peters, the man who owns the cross benches, we have put some bite into the opposition. We don't oppose everything and anything for the sake of it; we simply act in the best interests of the people, especially those who don't get a fair go.

In the House, National is no longer trampling over the parties on the other side. Sure, Winston might get sent off now again but when he forces John Key or one of his ministers to answer tough questions, it's well worth it.

Take for example the China Southern Airline visa scandal. Not only is this government lax on biosecurity, it also lets people into New Zealand without adequate checks. Despite repeated warnings from senior officials, the government has agreed to rubber-stamp the visas of wealthy Chinese so they can come to Sky City casino. The official papers for this idea state quite clearly these people did not want to disclose their employment or financial status. Wonder why?

Our biggest concern for Kiwis is that too many people are living at the bottom of the heap while those at the top are doing very nicely. At the same time we are losing thousands of our best people across the ditch to Oz or further afield.

It is a tragedy that so many are going to make a better life elsewhere.

It's hard to understand why a government sticks to policies that cost us jobs and a future. We will keep giving them a hard time for the next two years – if they last that long!