Based on current polling, ACT will have significantly more MPs in the next Parliament, and that means we’ll have more influence on the next government – ensuring they’re held to account, whether they’re on the left or right. Culture and values A historically significant Indian concept is “Satyagraha” – the power of truth and the demand to search for truth. It suggests that if the cause is true, if the struggle is against injustice, then physical force is not necessary.

ACT’s growth in popularity has been built on six years of hard work by Leader David Seymour, and a reputation of pointing out ‘the obvious solution that never gets mentioned’ (common sense). We provide a constructive approach to designing solutions to problems. One of ACT’s key messages this election is ‘holding them all accountable’ both the red and the blue teams.

I have lost count of the number of messages we receive that start “I am not an ACT voter but …”. The person goes on to say “I agree with you” or “thank you”. The fascinating question is: ‘why are you not an ACT voter?’. “I thought the quiz was wrong” Many people are perplexed when the election political attitude surveys suggest that they closely align with ACT’s philosophy of personal responsibility and a practical common sense approach to life.

Many people who are happy and self-sufficient within their family and community have a distrust of big corporations and government. They value an honest conversation about real issues that make a difference. We are not necessarily rich but are optimistic for ourselves and our children’s future. Our optimism fades when the government becomes unpredictable and gets in the way of progress. In short, we think that government needs to be small, efficient, effective and transparent.

ACT’s commitment to holding them all accountable

National is ACT’s preferred partner to form a government with. The red team makes bad rules, cannot operate large multi-billion dollar organisations, is not transparent, and destroys business confidence by interfering in unpredictable and heavy handed ways. National needs a short leash because it also tends to promise things in Opposition that it does not deliver in government. ACT will steer the next Parliament for results – if you Party Vote for it.

Principles make government predictable

ACT’s principles are written in our constitution, and are on our website. All our actions and policies are predictable. Predictability provides you with confidence to plan your life.

We all prepare for opportunity, are optimistic when seizing opportunity, and make scarce resources go the furthest. New Zealand understand this need for ownership and responsibility. ACT believes that government needs to empower responsibility, not smother it.

At the core of ACT’s approach is this statement by David Seymour: “The only way that you get prosperous is that if people actually work, save and invest, and create products and services that people want to buy at prices they can afford. If we don’t do that, then there’s no path to prosperity.”

Choices provide control.

All ACT’s policies provide families and businesses with choice – not unpredictable rules that chase myopic objectives, and sweep all honest questions and bystanders aside. To recover from the Covid crisis we need to jump start the New Zealand economy with less tax and restrictive regulation, control the debt by stopping the out of control spending on ineffective pet projects, and invest in our mental health like never before.

– by ACT’s candidate for Mt Roskill, Chris Johnston, who has outlined above, what principles and policies ACT stands for. Chris is a Project Manager who was born in Whanganui and has lived around Mt Roskill and Dominion Road for eight years with his wife and children.