Former Heartland Deputy Leader and prospective ACT candidate writes in the Herald on how he sees the state of the nation ahead of a crunch by-election.

Kiwis are no doubt reeling from the abortive National government, as an insider even I was blind sided to a degree at the sheer speed of its collapse. But that speed speaks volumes about the National Party and its will to govern.

It simply hasn't got it. There is no god given rule saying you've got to have a growing economy. Good governance and growth don't just fall out of the sky - you have to work for them. Day in day out. Some days you wont see any progress from the days or months before.

But every once in a while you notice something new, like a farmer seeing the first green shoots of spring or the first ripened crop of autumn. And you know all that work means something.

And what Kiwis need to understand about the National party is that its lost the will to govern. The best we can hope for with them is an indifferent economy.

While ACT as a party at its core remains motivated to not just win but to win and deliver value to taxpayers in public services, investing where it is prudent and cutting taxes like goods and services to 10% to help everyone's pocket in these difficult times when every $ will make a difference for hard working Kiwis.

Lady_Ayas vision is the only route forward - a realistic plan to steward the country through difficult global economic conditions and maintain confidence. While the alternative National and the far left are intent only in playing political games and lack the temperament, ability to compromise or the work ethic necessary to make a government work within this deeply divided parliament - would surely only lead to chaos. Voters in Manawatu need to be clear headed about what is at stake when they go to the polls latter this month.