Sir Fresh3001 holds a Reddit AMA on /r/newzealand.

imnocat: “Why are you so deep in the pockets of foreign multinationals and big business? Stand up for Kiwi workers and do the right thing, you neoliberal dog!”

Sir Fresh: “Well, I refute the allegation that I’m in the pocket of anybody, but that’s besides the point. You and I clearly have very different views on certain topics, and that’s fine. While it might be futile, I guess I’ll try and articulate my viewpoint to you. I don’t think unions are bad - throughout history they’ve been a great way for individuals to come together and use their collective influence to improve their standard of living. What I have an issue with are militant unions that are driven by ideology rather than reason, and that’d drag the country down with them if only to get their own way. I believe that workers should have the right to work, and oftentimes unions stand in the way of that fine principle. It’s our way or the highway - join us and endorse all that we stand for, or don’t work at all. It’s a position that’s very well demonstrated by the Green Party. An individual worker or business owner could do nothing wrong, yet is punished by militant unions. Barred from working on public holidays under the Green supported Restricted Trading Days. Solidarity strikes punish business owners who have done nothing wrong themselves, and can ruin the livelihoods of entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses. Forcing employers to pay the wages of striking employees can do serious harm to a business. None of this is fair, yet the Greens support it because of their ideology. Well, my ideology is what’s best for every day New Zealanders - and it’s not this.”

NatNation3001: “Hey Sir Fresh! What can you say about National’s chance of forming a government post-election? Who’d it be with and what type of deal would you seek? Also, and particular portfolios you’d like to hold?”

Sir Fresh: “Haha, nice username! Well, I think at current we’ve got a very good chance of forming a centre coalition while bringing along ACT and avoiding dealing with New Zealand First whatsoever. Last election I (unlike the Greens) made a pledge to avoid dealing with New Zealand First and I stood by that. This election we’ve seen New Zealand First endorse a range of different parties, including National, and I don’t think I have to state that we don’t endorse them in return. All things remaining the same, National forming a government will come down to whether the centre prefers us or the Greens - and the Green Party’s radical swing to the left will really push away the centrist parties, I reckon. As for portfolios, there’s always a range that MPs have an interest in. I’ve been a Minister for all sorts of things during my time in Parliament, but Health and Justice are probably my most memorable. If National formed a government, though, I think I would push for Justice in order to shepherd through my Judicial Commission Bill & work to implement our law and order agenda. Constitutional issues are really what interest me the most and Justice gives me an opportunity to deal with them. Aside from that, I’d like to be the Associate Business Minister for Regulatory Reform. We’ve got a great red tape cutting omnibus bill planned and I’d like to be the person to push that through.”

PrinceEthan16: “What are National’s plans in regards to primary industries and the regions?”

Sir Fresh: “National’s got a very wide range of policies which cater towards our primary sector and our regions. I’ve been very proud of the work done by FinePorpoise in regards to holding the government account on our primary industries. It’s more than clear that a Green government would be a total disaster for our agricultural, mineral and energy industries. Whether it’s banning any and all petroleum or gas extraction, placing an undue regulatory burden on our farmers, or massively restricting mining and mineral extraction, the Greens will put thousands out of work & cause substantial degrowth in our regions. FinePorpoise submitted a private member’s bill which would collect detailed statistics on our forestry sector and allow our policymakers to better understand this crucial industry. We’ll also amend the Biosecurity Act to account for new pests which could pose a serious threat to our agricultural sector, and we’ll promote water capture and irrigation projects to improve agricultural productivity. National will promote a partial sale of Landcorp assets to free up fertile land for Kiwi farmers and offload an unprofitably run SOE to the private sector which can do better. We’ll boost funding for the Regional Investment Corporation and we’ll merge it with the Sustainable Farming Fund so that environmental concerns are properly valued. Finally, we’ll establish a regional job connection programme so that school leavers can find jobs easier and work to reduce regional unemployment.”

KiwiGuy2020: “Any political heroes that you’d like to shout out?”

Sir Fresh: “Well, I think it goes without saying that Sir John Key is one of them, and the other would certainly be Sir Roger Douglas. I think they represent two sides of the same coin, Douglas was the great reformer who created the economic system that affords us such prosperity, and Key was its defender who led us out of the global financial crisis. Both, in their own ways, reflected liberal ideals though that’s certainly more evident with Sir Roger. I think both of them are examples of how governance should be, though. Technocratic, experienced, intelligent, and reasonable leadership. Both of them have made New Zealand a better place.”