Roman Travers: How significant is the Hamilton West byelection result?

So, over the weekend, The National Party completely flipped the seat for Hamilton West, which probably means that the Labour Party have flipped the desk with their visceral reaction to losing it; although Jacinda Ardern did appear most magnanimous.

With 100 percent of the vote counted, Potaka won with 6629 votes, with Labour's Georgie Dansey trailing by 2285 with 4344 votes.

The Labour candidate says it was a tough battle, but she’s still keen to represent Labour at next year's general election.

A big surprise for me was the Act Party candidate James McDowall -  well behind with 1462 votes, while former Labour MP Gaurav Sharma, whose resignation triggered the by-election, had 1156 votes.

Mr Sharma says that he expected more votes, but the most important thing for him was to stand up and not be silenced. So what now for Mr Sharma? Back to medicine or perhaps to university for a night course in diplomacy?

There might be a variety of reasons to want to celebrate the Hamilton West by-election result or to commiserate, depending on your political point of view, but should that be seen as a litmus test for next year's general election? The real concern for me is the deplorable turnout. 

Once again, we’ve seen a general attitude of apathy from the voters in that electorate. Is this also to be a litmus test of what’s to come next year? 

Sure it’s only a by-election and without question, people have bigger concerns with the end of the year looming and Christmas on the radar. But with the prospect of three waters and other force fed polices being rammed home against the greater will of the majority, what better reason to get into the voting booth and have your say?

Is it fair to say that generations have gone before us in order to secure the right to be able to exercise our democratic right to vote? Or is it also fair to say that if there’s a general fug of apathy and a feeling that there’s nothing worth voting for?

Are people simply disillusioned with the ongoing disinformation and deception?

Regardless of the answers - which will be shrouded in conjecture and dissemination throughout this week; the government has much work to do, and a very long way to go to turn the cascade of capitulating confidence seen this year. 

National will be pleased to have another seat in The Beehive. But how do they go about eating the big red elephant in the room? One bite at a time it would seem. 

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