ACT is not the enemy

The ACT Party is not an inherently conservative organisation. It has adopted populist rhetoric in the past, particularly on crime. However, it has never been an organisation powered by the defence of tradition.

But it does not follow that we should cast aside ACT as anathema to conservative values entirely.

The Ideological Jigsaw Puzzle

A political parity no more a natural enemy to an ideology than a hammer is to a nail. It's a tool. A piece in a political jigsaw puzzle.

The objections to ACT from social conservatives are not without merit, but it would be a mistake

The Euthanasia Question

David Seymour's crusade to legalise euthanasia was not a blind attack on conservative morality. The subject is messy, complex, and not exactly dinner-table conversation. However, there is also no question of the fact that it had broad support across most of the country, as reflected in the referendum outcome.

The overwhelming support for euthanasia in the referendum is not just a fleeting sentiment but represents a considered judgment by the people. To dismiss this is simply not consistent with the principle of decision-making that is at the heart conservative government. Conservatives, even if they oppose the reform for personal reasons, should appreciate that Seymour's initiative was not a rash endeavour but a calibrated response to a deeply deliberated societal stance.

Economic Policies: The Bedrock of Conservatism

At the heart of conservatism lies the deep appreciation and reverence for private property. While there have been some exceptions, ACT have proven steadfast in safeguarding economic freedom. And that can’t be dismissed.

Property is an essential element of individual autonomy. It is no exaggeration to say that it is the very bedrock of civilisation. It helps people to find their moral compass, providing individuals with a sense of responsibility, driving them towards integrity, and giving them hope of something more than mere subsistence.

Individual Freedom: More than just a platitude

While libertarians sometimes overdo it, it would be a mistake conservatives to downplay the ethos of individual rights and privacy. If nothing else, ACT do stand for local and voluntary decision-making over a looming, distant government in Wellington.

True community, robust in its fibre, thrives when decision occur with the benefit local insight and voluntary consensus. It does not need the force of law to sustain itself. And the moment these decisions are yanked from the voluntary realm and thrust into the arms of distant administration is the moment conservatives put everything they care about at risk,

ACT and National: An Unlikely Duet?

An alliance between conservatives and libertarians does not represent a fatal compromise of principles. It's an acknowledgement that politics isn't binary. There are social liberals within National, just as there are fiscal conservatives within ACT. But we are not looking for a love match here.

Just a partnership of mutual interest.