Since the eighties a succession of governments, Tory and Labour, have shown contempt for the electorate along with a total lack of knowledge of economics.
Everything either party has tried has failed.
We live in and have lived in a morass of poverty for many years since the David Lange-led Government and calamitous economics of Roger the Dodger (Douglas) and his chum Richard Prebble. Selling state-owned assets has never worked and never will work apart from a few weeks' period after the sale and then money has run out.
Both parties have had garage sales that have amassed billions of dollars lasting a few months and now we are deeper debt than we have ever been.
Now Labour is demonstrating further total lack of economic sense by forcing a pointless referendum on the taxpayers of New Zealand.
The Goverment also shows contempt for the electorate, along with lack of economic sense, by boldly telling us the referendum will be ignored which we knew anyway.
The taking of this poll will cost New Zealand taxpayers dearly, when the Government is virtually broke. Is at all possible there is someone in the Labour Party that could have pointed out that the referendum will be ignored? Obviously not.
Most of us knew what the situation would be and would have counselled Labour not to call for such a time and money wasting exercise. Are we to take either party seriously as seekers of the treasury benches next year?
I think not. Neither party seems to have any understanding of economics whatsoever. Looks more like the party we need is 1law4all.

Alastair Bourne, Bethlehem.