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August 2005
Editorial - It's more than loose change
The election is coming. Again. And at times it can all seem a bit, well, repetitive. There will be lots of politicians promising lots of things. No real change.
Well, this election probably is different.
The present government, and the parties that support it, have made some big changes in the last five years. Changes that have affected most ordinary working people’s lives in one way or another. Schools have changed, healthcare has changed, employment law has changed, the economy has changed, the justice system has changed, and public provision for retirement has changed. And the list goes on.
The opposition parties want to undo most of those changes, which will also affect a lot of people’s lives.
Your life is different because of this current government and it will continue to change. The question we must ask ourselves is: Do we want to move back to the way things were six years ago, or do we want to keep on the path we’re on now?
Finsec has never told you how to vote, and it is not about to start now. But, just as we do when we ask you to vote on a change to your employment agreement, we want to make sure that you have as much of the relevant information as possible, before you cast your vote.
This month’s Flash talks to five Finsec members and puts the big issues they face into a political context. We look at what the election offers them as ordinary finance workers. Their lives have been affected by politics, and now, by voting, they are going to have an effect on politics.
The end result of this election will not be simply that a few people receive a small tax cut, or a wee bit more money is stored away in a super scheme. The results of this election will effect the hospital your auntie is in, the kindergarten your niece goes to, the number of police who patrol your grandmother’s street, or the chance your partner has of finding a job. Important stuff. The kind of stuff that makes it important that you vote.
As I said earlier, we are not telling you how to vote, but we are asking you to talk about the issues that matter. Talk with other Finsec members. Talk with your family and friends. Make sure they are all enrolled. Gather information. Then make your decision.
Sue Boraston
President
