Move On Orders for the Coalition of Cruelty: Time to get organised

I vividly remember the shock I felt when the first election results came in in 2023. I wasn't naive, I knew it was going to be close. But I wasn't prepared for how it would actually feel to see the results on the screen. I'd just driven a couple of young people to a polling station who weren't enrolled. They were at mahi, and I had to negotiate with their boss to let them off for 30 mins so I could run them down the road to cast special votes. When we arrived at the local school, the queue was snaking out the door and the boys began to back away. Ffs, I thought. Why do we all leave it to the last minute?

I managed to convince them to stay, and 45 minutes later I dropped them back off at mahi promising it'd all be worth it. 'Your vote is gonna make the difference!' I shouted. The worst part is I really believed it.

I think even more than shock, I felt guilty. I'd ranted about the size of the youth bloc, how deadly they were, how only the wealthy benefited when they believed otherwise. I felt like a drop kick. I'd dragged them out there for nothing.

This year, there's not gonna be any negotiating with bosses on the 7th of November. Haphazard strategies like mine aint gonna cut it (oh yeah, did I mention one of those boys was mine?). In practice, the electoral changes mean that those who might not have engaged once, will now will have to engage twice - on separate occasions.

If ever we needed reminding how deadly we drop kicks truly are, this is it. But a stunt like this is risky. It's loaded with the potential to backfire. It's going to force us to be better and more creatively and strategically organised than ever before. And unfortunately for Seymour, we are absolutely up for it.

So what can we do between now and election day? Get your notebooks out...

Action Station's Haumi E hui last weekend was designed with the express purpose of helping us get our strategies on lock. The programme was packed with experienced and inspiring organisers. I've never paid closer attention in a lecture hall in all my life. Together with my reading of The Far Right Playbook (which I insist you read this weekend) I'm more motivated than ever to avoid the guilt and stinkness I felt three years ago. I wanted to share a few of my key takeaways, which I hope you can put to good use as well:

• Relationships are the thing that will get people out to vote. Writing blogs is good. Posting on social media is fine. But connecting with people we actually know and have a relationship with in real life is better. For a lot of us, this isn't always easy. Some of our own whānau are our staunchest adversaries. They can roll out reasons not to vote that are hard to argue with. Logic such as: every government is shit. Others might not care, or just don't feel like they understand the issues enough. The message I heard over and over again at the Haumi e hui is that relationships are our strongest asset. We need to connect personally, directly and most importantly - EARLY. We cannot leave this til the last minute. Who wants a t.shirt that says: "Another drop kick just enrolled"?
• Listen, don't lecture (#notetoself). Weird, but apparently lecturing isn't very effective? I asked the amazingly talented young advocate Nele Kalolo what kinds of arguments she's found useful in convincing Pacific communities to vote, and what she said instantly humbled me. 'It's not really arguments', she said, kneeling beside me and speaking softly like she sharing was a secret. 'It's conversations around the table'. Starting with a simple question like: 'what is important to you?' 'We need to listen first,' Nele said. 'That's how we build trust and find common ground. People don't necessarily always connect the things closest to their hearts with the political issues swirling around us. But we can only make those connects if we listen more and argue less.' I wrote that down. You might need to, too.

• Focus on topics that unite us. The Far Right Playbook provides an awesome, if chilling, reminder of the historical context for the political moment we're in right now. There's a reason it's called a playbook: the tactics are well-known and well-used. Division, conflict and disunity are the objective. As long as those with the least power are fighting each other (e.g. on issues of identity, race, gender), then corporations, wealth and capital is safe from scrutiny and taxation. As workers, we have always been far greater in numbers and much more aligned in economic reality than those who own property and control the wealth. That's why we need to focus on things we're equally invested in and affected by: cost of living, corruption, Te Tiriti, love for our communities and the arts. .
• Protect your attention and energy. There's a great chapter by journalist Māni Dunlop in The Far Right Playbook in which she likens democracy to a drive-thru where everything is upsized with urgency. This is a deliberate strategy to heighten cynicism and a sense of overwhelm. "When people cannot keep up, they disengage. They assume decisions are inevitable. They stop paying attention. Politics becomes something that happens to them not something they participate in." So what can we do? "The most effective response is not to try and consume everything. It is to protect your attention, choose where to focus, and stay engaged without burning out." I've also written down: "Be aware of misinformation. Cross-check sources before sharing."

• Follow up, follow up, follow up. The suggestion we were given at Huami e (which I'm now passing on to you) is to write down 15 people who you are going to reach out to. We can't leave this til the last week of October. We need to do it now. And then we need to follow up - again and again if necessary. There may even be an advantage to this two-stage process because we no longer need to convince people to enrol and vote. We're simply saying: give yourself the option to vote. You don't need to decide til later. But at least you're ruling yourself in. As my son Cormac says: "Not voting is like not fighting at all. It's like giving up without trying. And that's what politicians want, because then they get to keep their power. You don't fold without playing your hand. No matter how slim the chance, you've got to take it. My vote is my last fuck you to the whole thing."
• Relationships (again). What Haumi e really hit home for me is that no-one can have the impact that you can. Those of us who hold direct and personal relationships are key. Bobbie's going to have more success convincing her flatmates to vote than I will. Cormac will have more luck talking to his mates than me. So what can we do to support and encourage them? For example, asking your kids if they're talking to their mates, making sure they follow up. It doesn't mean they need to start making reels or organising rallies. There's a quote in the slide above that reminds us that most of us already have enough relationships to influence dozens, if not hundreds of voters, just by being in direct communication. And it IS the youth vote that we need to focus on; not just because they are the most significantly underrepresented at the polls (check the youth voter rate in your electorate), but because it's right. This is their future these fuckers are fucking with.

I came home from the Haumi e with some amazing quotes that could not wait to be put on postcards. I sat down with my gelli prints thinking I'd make a couple, but ended up making enough for us to post to all our 15 contacts. At least.

The link to download is below (massive thanks for Sash for the digital magic that makes this super easy on your side). There are four postcards on each A4 page, and a total of 5 pages. Print double-sided on card for best results. Share, post, drop around the town, put on t.shirts, whatever! I might be able to make sets available if anyone's interested, just covering the cost postage and something towards the printing (let me know if keen).

Anyways... may the inspiration to organise artistically not haphazardly unite us all.

Arohanui,

Nadine-dropkick-no-more Hura x

>>>with massive aroha & appreciation to my paid-subs who help fund the time to write these posts and do this mahi<<<<<<

>>>Also! I'm doing a zine-workshop in Carterton tomorrow at Wairarapa Word, it's free to attend and would love to see you there. I'll be speaking alongside Cameron McCausland Taylor, who writes the awesome blog Whale Whare, if you don't already follow her, you should!<<<<<<

Key date Reminders:

6 August - Last date for Māori to change roll type
4th October - Printed roll closes
25th October - Last day to enrol to vote
26th October - Voting starts
7th November - Election day

Enrol to Vote Now - Download the set as postcards here