Perspective with Ryan Bridge: Do we need to give our politicians four-year terms?

So we're all going to have our say on giving our politicians a four year term - or are we?

The announcement from Goldsmith today was all over the place - David Seymour is largely to blame for that. He'll be on the show soon, so we'll ask him to explain then.

But in principle, do I support a four-year term? Yes.

Why? Because politics is too short-sighted. They spend one year getting in. One year doing work. Then another year getting elected again.

The bigger problem, though, is strategy and pay-off. Strategizing with a 3-year window means short-sighted ambitions. It means we don't invest in as many big roading and rail projects as they should. It means we don't bother with fixing productivity. Stuff gets put in the too-hard basket because there's no pay off before the next election.

And that's the prize these guys are working towards.

Part of the reason China is a superpower today - only 50 odd years after opening up to the world - is because it has centralised power. It's a dictatorship. It has a very clear direction and very clear strategy. And no pesky elections to worry about.

Now obviously we don't want to go full autocracy here - but a little more time for a party in power would, I think, do more good than harm.

I also reckon we should give local Government four years too. For much the same reasons.

But I also think we should combine voting in local and national politics, so you vote for your mayor and your Government on the same day, in the same polling booth.

Two fifths of bugger all people actually bother voting in local elections - which is part of the reason local councils are run by such weirdos who can't seem to balance budgets.

So, one polling day for everything, once every four years. Tick, tick, tick, tick. Done, easy.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So we're all going to have our say on giving
our politicians a four year term, or are we? The
announcement from Goldsmith today was all over the place. David
Seymour is largely to blame for that. He's on the
show after five, so we'll ask him to explain himself then.
But in principle do I support a four year term? Yes? Why?

(00:21):
Because politics is far too short sighted at the moment.
They spend one year bidding, in one year doing work,
and then the other year getting elected again. The bigger problem, though,
is strategy and payoff. Strategizing with a three year window
means short sighted ambitions. It means we don't invest in
as many big roading or rail projects as we should.

(00:42):
We don't bother fixing productivity. Stuff gets put in the
too hard basket too often because there's no payoff in
time for the next election. And that's the prize that
these guys are working towards, right, is the next election.
Part of the reason China is a superpower to day

(01:02):
only what fifty odd years after opening up to the builders,
because it has centralized power. I'm sure it's got a
massive population, but it has centralized power. It's a dictatorship.
It has a very clear direction, a very clear strategy,
and no Peski elections to worry about. Now, obviously we
don't want to go full autocracy here, but a little

(01:23):
more time for a party in power would I think
do more good than harm. And I also reckon we
should give local government four years two for much the
same reasons. But I also think we should combine the two.
Combine voting in local and national politics, so you vote
for your mayor and you vote for your government, all

(01:44):
on the same day, all in the same polling booth.
Two fifths of buggeral people actually bother voting in local elections,
which is part of the reason that local councils are
run by such weirdos who don't seem able to balance budgets.
So one polling day for everything, please once every four years.
Tick tick tick tick tick tick. Done for more from

(02:05):
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