The demise of The Opportunities Party is another example of a rich entrepreneur having a go at politics without any real commitment to a philosophy or core policy.

Gareth Morgan joins a long list of similar people who thought money was going to buy them an easy road into parliament and who gave up when the going got tough. Bob Jones and Colin Craig were others.

They were, as his party name suggested, ‘opportunists', who promised much and didn't deliver.

There was no solid foundation that people could commit to, that would make them contribute time and money at great personal cost over many years.

While Social Credit hasn't had rich donors and corporate backing that would have allowed it to buy media time and tour the country like Mr Morgan, it has survived the test of time.

It has done so because of its commitment to reforming the money system to deliver a better life for people – particularly middle and low income earners – rather than bankers, money manipulators, and corporates.

First formed in 1953 it has proved it has stickability and commitment to principle and that's a rare quality in New Zealand politics. In doing so it has proved Bob Jones wrong. His taunts about 'Skodas and crimplene suits” have come back to haunt him.

Skodas are now a luxury vehicle, and monetary reform is gaining support internationally from economists, professors and commentators.

T Livingston, Whakamarama.