We've seen recently that when the people speak up and say ‘No' to their leaders, things can change.

And sometimes those changes aren't necessarily what you would expect. Hence the panic in the United Kingdom as we speak.

In the West, we are going through a lot of leadership issues, on all levels, as we exit the ‘peace and prosperity forever' chapter. This will fundamentally challenge us.

As we see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, we know we cannot do nothing forever.

It is a powerful and foundational shift, both in and of, the post-war democracies we created after the chaos of World War 2.

We know they were good, because everyone wanted to come and live in our countries, and still do.

And now, today, with that huge wave of global immigration, comes massive changes to our sweet little societies, many took for granted. As many good changes are there as bad ones unfortunately.

So! What to do? Where to from here?

Picking tomorrows winners has always been a much-discussed and vigorously debated topic. No more so than right now.

We know there is still 100 million Asians that want to leave Asia. Especially North Asia. You can only be told what to do and how to do it so often.

In New Zealand, we still have the right to vote our leaderships in or out, as we have this year at the local governance level. It is important we do not waste these precious opportunities.

Voting is at the heart of our ‘choice based democracies' however, unfortunately, many of us to not appreciate how important it is.

Brexit has shown us what can happen when the leaders lose touch with their people. The people will vote. Out in this case.

Back to New Zealand, for those who do not vote, you cannot complain about the leadership.

If you do not vote you have given up your right to complain about the leadership.

I will write more on leadership and the people as the local body elections get closer.

Less than 90 sleeps to go.

G Martin, Otumoetai.