Independent views By Brendan Horan

It's hardly surprising our county's media have become captivated by Kim Dotcom. For many, success today is no longer measured by one's altruistic works nor community spirit and values, but rather by a celebrity-like image and personal wealth.

It is considered by many the wealthy are those successful with money; and if successful with money, they must be a good businessman and consequently a good politician.

You cannot run a country like a business. The factors that need to be taken into account are more than just numbers on a balance sheet. When you've wrung out every last drop of profit, you can sell off your business and move onto the next one. This is not the case with a country. Unless you make all of the money and move offshore, leaving the mess behind you.

Increasingly, whether government or corporate, money is king; and it is all about the size of the dividend. What happened to providing jobs, happy customers and stable communities where we all earn a fair living? Workers come second and one needs look no further than the forestry industry or Kiwi Rail's bumbling ‘turnaround' plan for evidence.

The only thing we are told about Kim Dotcom is he's wealthy, never mind how the wealth may have been acquired. But does business success make a good, understanding, people-focused politician? Doesn't the whole saga make New Zealand look more and more like a banana republic?

Politics today is all about party agendas and sadly people often come last. In order for party politics to succeed they need money. And much of New Zealand's wealth is in the hands of a few. There is no altruism in business, they expect a return on their investment, so parties sell out their impartiality to those with money.

The NZ Independent Coalition is offering something different. Putting the wishes and wellbeing of the New Zealand people first.

We support: a fair living wage policy, a fair justice system serving all New Zealanders equally, education for all focusing on emerging market-relevant skills and digital age competencies and government policies that reduce child poverty and the ever-widening social and economic gaps between rich and poor New Zealanders. For more information, go to www.nzindependent.org.nz
Facebook.com/Brendan.horan.336 twitter.com/brendanhoran or Phone Brendan on 5740253.