by Alia Bland

You might want to grab a cuppa and find yourself a comfy spot. I've got a few things on my mind, and this could take a minute!

I've been sharing quite a few thoughts on my personal social media pages lately, usually alongside RCR stories or whatever happens to be making the news.

And goodness me, some of the conversations in the comments have been interesting!

With the election approaching, there are some very strong feelings out there. People who are terrified of Labour getting back in. Others who are furious with National. People who have decided they won't vote at all, and those who are fiercely loyal to smaller parties they believe deserve a chance.

A few of the exchanges have been rather unpleasant, actually. But I understand where much of the frustration comes from. I share plenty of it.

The fact that those responsible for the horrible decisions made during Covid have shirked responsibility for what happened has created something of a monster in me.

The more they deny, dismiss and attempt to rewrite history, the more determined I become to pursue accountability.

I haven't forgotten what happened to families who were torn apart. The people who lost their jobs and livelihoods. The businesses that went under. The injured and bereaved who are still waiting for answers.

For many of us, those wounds are still incredibly raw.

And after all these years, where is the meaningful acknowledgement? Where are the apologies?

I have a very long memory when it comes to what happened to our country. I also have extraordinary patience when it comes to ensuring a reckoning.

But I also have to live in the shorter-term real world.

And the reality is that we are heading into another election with a political landscape that is far from ideal.

I don't particularly like National. Claire and I have spent years challenging them, and we'll continue to do so. Some of the ideas coming out of that party are appalling.

The Gene Technology Bill, digital ID, the under-16 social media ban, and the creeping influence of international organisations over decisions that should be made here in New Zealand.

We've been pushing back on these things publicly AND behind the scenes.

And we've had more wins than I think many people realise. The trouble is, we're often so focused on the next battle that we barely stop to acknowledge the last victory, let alone remember it six months later!

Claire mentioned Winston Peters' recent decision on the UN pandemic declaration in her email last week.

That decision didn't happen in a vacuum. It followed years of ordinary New Zealanders speaking up, asking questions, challenging decisions and refusing to let these issues quietly disappear.

And Winston deserves credit for listening and acting on those concerns.

But I also want you to recognise the part you've played. This is what sustained public pressure can achieve. It takes persistence from people like us, and politicians who are prepared to listen and do something about it.

That's why I believe we need to keep engaging, even with politicians we don't agree with on everything.

Over the past six years, I've learnt an enormous amount about how things actually work in this country. And much of it has been a rather rude awakening!

We've built an incredible network of people across New Zealand, established our own independent media, challenged legislation, worked with communities and spent countless hours making ourselves impossible to ignore.

Some battles we've won. Others are still ongoing. And we've certainly had our fair share of disappointments.

I've also learnt that we have limits. There are only so many hours in the day, so many people available to help, and so much energy to go around. We have to choose our battles carefully.

And goodness knows, if the past six years have taught us anything, it's that the next battle is never very far away!

Which brings me to some of the conversations I've been having about this election.

I know there are people who feel that voting means endorsing a corrupt system. Others believe we should be supporting the smaller parties that most closely reflect our values, regardless of their chances of entering Parliament.

I understand both positions.

I've voted for minor parties myself over the years. Up until the 2020 election, I voted Green all the way (forgive me!). I care deeply about the environment, and I still do, although my understanding of many of these issues has changed considerably since then. As has the nature of the Greens!

I also understand the desire to see genuinely principled people in Parliament.

But I've become increasingly interested in the practical side of how our electoral system works.

And I've come to appreciate just how much difference it makes when there are people in Parliament who are prepared to listen to us. We might disagree with them on plenty of things, but at least we can have the conversation. And often, we actually get somewhere.

MMP can produce some rather surprising outcomes. Your party vote and electorate vote serve different purposes; the 5% threshold matters enormously, and electorate wins can change the picture again.

Coalition arrangements add another layer of complexity.

It's worth understanding all of this before deciding what to do with your votes.

Claire and I have spent months working through the numbers and developing our Vote Smart 2026 resources to help explain the mechanics.

There is something else I want to say.

I think we need to be careful about the expectations we place on politicians, and on one another.

I've seen people declare that a party or politician is completely useless because they haven't delivered everything they hoped for. I've also seen people defend politicians against perfectly reasonable criticism simply because they're on their preferred side of the political fence.

Neither approach sits particularly well with me.

We should be able to recognise progress where it happens, call out bad decisions when they happen, and change our minds when the evidence warrants it.

And we should be able to disagree without turning on people who have stood alongside us through some of the hardest years of our lives.

I worry about the amount of energy being spent fighting amongst ourselves when there is so much important work still to do.

The homeschooling issue is a good example. We've pushed back hard on that, and the immediate threat may have eased, but the wider questions about government control haven't disappeared.

The same applies to digital surveillance, freedom of expression, medical choice and the growing reach of government into our everyday lives.

These issues will still be there after election day.

And so will we.

Whoever ends up in Parliament, they should expect to hear from us.

I know many of you are exhausted. I am too, some days. Most days, if I'm honest.

Right now, I'm blimin tired. I'm sure plenty of you can relate. But don't mistake that for me having lost my appetite for a fight. I've still got plenty of that!

And when I look at what we've built together, I feel enormously proud of this community.

So, as we head towards the election, I hope we'll give one another a bit of grace, take the time to understand the choices in front of us, and remember how much we still have in common.

And I'd really love to hear what you're thinking.

Hit reply and tell me what's on your mind. Whether you agree with me, disagree completely, or are still trying to work out where you stand, I'm interested.

Your thoughts, experiences and feedback genuinely help us shape our thinking, the positions we take and where we focus our efforts. We don't always get everything right, and sometimes hearing a different perspective is exactly what we need.

I promise I'll read every reply, although it may be one of our lovely inbox ladies who gets back to you. They're much better at keeping on top of the emails than I am.

So please, don't be shy. I'm all ears! (Although perhaps go easy on me if you disagree. I've had quite enough social media abuse for one week! 😂)

There are plenty of things we can't control.

But there is a heck of a lot we can still do.