Saturday 23 April 2005

Libz Conference, 2: Leader Bernard Darnton says it's a fight worth fighting

Leader Bernard Darnton said the campaign has already begun. It is a fight worth fighting. Libz is the only party principled and committed to freedom.

Most party conferences at theis point would see the leader stand up and explain the party’s policies. Not us. No need. That’s why we’re special. Our policies haven’t changed since 1996. They don’t need to: they are all based on principles.

Policies are not chosen by focus groups, but because they are RIGHT! And we MEAN THEM!

Went to a ‘public meeting’ about GE last election at which all parties’ candidates appeared – questions had been mailed out to candidates, the National Party candidate had an e-mail from Head Office telling him the answers to all the questions on the party line. He leaned over to congratulate Bernard on his answers “I couldn’t say that.” Who is the wasted vote.

Principles are not important to such parties – getting into power is.

There are 19 parties seeking power, but they are al saying the same thing. We want to run your life, and we want you to pay fro the privilege.

They each have a plan fro how you should run your life.

They want to have their cake, and eat yours too.

Libz the only party consistently in favour of personal liberty and economic freedom. The only one advocating freedom across the board.

Remember what inspired you to join Libz in the first place. It’s not what tax rate we should have or how much money to give to artists …. It was a desire to run your own life.

Only important question when judging a policy is: does this make me more free? Or does it make me less free?

We know running a party is difficult – a few new parties with ‘freedom’ in their name. We are painfully aware of the difficulty of running a party, and we all know the infamous electoral cock-up of 2002. When Bernard heard, he was gutted, as we all were. Felt his soul had been torn out.

A good show in 2005 will kill of that memory. We’ve fixed the mistakes, we have talented driven people that make huge contributions to the party, many never seen. We really have top-shelf officers.

The best thing about activism is that IT IS FUN. Arguments aren’t bad manners, THEY”RE FUN. Election time is perfect time to GET STUCK INTO THE BASTARDS! Even when there is no libertarian in the room, you never know who is listening when you debate.

During recent campaigning around Helengrad…in a Karaoke bar … at empty space at end of table, they said ‘you can’t sit here unless you sign here.’ We signed up a dozen members, and had a great chat with all of them. That’s how easy it is. You never know where your next supporter will come from. (Party Sec Robert Palmer later pointed out that he originally joined the party through one such conversation!)

If you’re not campaigning for fun or profit then you’re not doing it right. When Density Church stomped down Lambton Quay last year, Bernard rang his friends and ran downstairs with a ‘legalise gay marriage’ picket and quickly copied a few hundred ‘Legalise Gay Marriage’ flyers, and started talking to passers-by and the Density nutters and passers-by were queuing up to get them! Strike when the activism is hot! The Iranian Ambassador was visiting at the time, so Iranian flag was run up the flagpole – so Brian Tamaki was ranting against gay marriage while the Iranian flag flew proudly behind him! Some of us caught the irony. Hilariously, Brian didn’t.

When I see Libz news clippings and photos I always wish: I Wish I could have been there! The events are so much fun! The people you meet always hold plenty of interest. And you’re trying to effect the future you believe in.

We’ve got people no our list who have been Libz since 1996; we’ve got new people who only recently joined and are full of enthusiasm. We have a chance to make some noise. Ten years ago this party did not exist. In that time some hundred or so parties have come and gone. We Haven’t. We’ve staked our claim. This year we seek to expand that. This is a fight worth fighting, and one you will enjoy.

We know we’ve always had the right policies. We know we’ve got the right people. Let’s let everyone else know.

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