This is election year, and this is possibly, in my opinion, and many other people's opinion, the most critical general election for New Zealand in a very long time.  

I'm seeing it in the letters to the editor today in the paper, because there's a lot of people saying the same thing. This is a critical general election.  

The right is saying it's a critical general election. We've got to keep the left away from the Treasury benches because they're going to blow all the money and they could ruin the economy.  

And the left is saying we've got to keep the right away from the Treasury benches, you know, because they're destroying the environment and hurting the vulnerable, et cetera.  

I agree on all of that. In a funny way, both sides are correct.  

And here's an example of just how critical it is. Back in August of last year, Transport Minister Chris Bishop released some plans for road infrastructure spending. At the time, he warned about how much it might all cost. He warned of hard decisions, and he warned of a mediocrity if we don't actually get on with things. If you don't do anything, you're going backwards, he said.  

So this week we found out about the Ministry of Transport briefing paper that he was basing his warnings on. And it's a scary thing. It says 1/4 of a trillion dollars needs to be spent on roads over the next 20 years. A quarter of a trillion is twice our current total GDP. And that's got all the headlines this week. And then when you read it a bit closer, it reveals that only $7 billion of the $56 billion cost of the current 17 roads of national roads of significance, are funded. $7 billion out of $56 billion.  

So here's the question: where do we find the extra $49 billion? So the Ministry proposes road user charges and tolls on existing roads and new ones. The detail of the likely increase is, however, redacted.  

Here's the thing: if Chris Bishop is serious about the roads, then new taxes, because that's what tolls and road user charges are, new taxes are coming, no matter whether you vote left or right.  

And this is just roads. The state also has to find money for health, education, and for more police and bigger jails, and more pensioners. I mean, the bills go on forever, and none of it is wasteful spending. This is what we just need to get by.  

So the big conversations we have to have this year and going forward is whether we want to stop and just slide ever backwards, or whether we want to pay more to live in our paradise. This is what makes this year's election critical to our future.  

And the question for all parties is how do we find the money to pay for the stuff we need to cope with the people we have to have to grow our economy? And that's a big question, whether you're left or right. And I warn you, we're talking new taxes no matter which way you vote.