Yes, he's back. Like a Great Old One woken from dreamless sleep to raven and slay when the stars are right, Roger Douglas has returned to complete his "unfinished business". As for any hope that he's learned a thing from the disaster he imposed on the country, fat chance:
My only regret is I didn't get the job finished.There's no recognition of the pain he inflicted on us, and certainly no recognition that the policies he and his co-conspirator Ruth Richardson pursued are largely responsible for the gap between New Zealand and Australia he keeps harping on about. "Finishing the job" won't close that gap; instead it will widen it further. It will however make the rich richer and the poor poorer, while stripping away the public services we need to survive and turning us into a country like the US where the poor just die rather than impinging on the consciences and pocket books of the rich.
Fortunately, there is a flaw in Douglas' plan: it relies on getting elected. And the policies he represents are about as popular as syphilis among everyone but the tiny clique of ultra-rich money-men (and they are almost all men) who comprise National and ACT's base. But with a high list placing and a "vote Rodney, get Roger" campaign (something ACT seem to regard as a selling-point, rather than a threat), even that can be overcome.
So will Roger get to roger us again? At this point, its worth remembering that despite the denials and protests, ACT is National's favoured coalition partner. Their influence will naturally depend on the numbers, but they will demand something for their support. So, it may be a case of "vote Key, get Roger" as well.
It might pay to remember that on election day.
(For those baffled by the title, see here).
