Comments on: Supreme Court Bill passed

By: Berend de Boer

Berend de Boer — Wed, 15 Oct 2003 03:06:45 +0000

Any bets on who wants to become the first president of NZ? I mean, you need to have options if you don’t get the top UN job.

By: Kimble

Kimble — Wed, 15 Oct 2003 02:56:03 +0000

Granted that might be what you and others like you would do. But would the majority? Don’t foget the majority rules in a democracy. I contend it would be more likely that only a minority would vote based on an evaluation of all the relevant data. Whilst the majority would base their decision only on the data that supports the uneducated position they already have. Alot of people read movie reviews AFTER seeing the movie. They want to have their own opinions justified. Only a relatively small number of people will make up their minds on an issue after a debate. They will hear only what they want to hear. The whole GM paranoia (why do I always end up using this example when describing basic human stupidity?) is a perfect example for this point. The people marching on Saturday would not change their opinions even after a year of debate. And these are the people most likely to vote in a referendum!

Personally, I am also quite worried that a change in the (unwritten) constitution of NZ can be changed so (relatively) easily.

By: David Farrar

David Farrar — Tue, 14 Oct 2003 21:36:31 +0000

I think most people can tell the difference between a major constitutional change, and a sports team.

And with a referenda you have several weeks or months of debate and information provision so people can make an informed choice.

By: Kimble

Kimble — Tue, 14 Oct 2003 21:07:52 +0000

Why is so much made of these polls? So 80% of people want to have a say in whether or not we removed the option of the Privy council. So what? Am I to believe that those in the 80% have full knowledge of all the pros and cons of such a decision? Polls dont mean shit, because the people responding dont have the information and are ultimatly saying that they want more control over their lives. Take another poll, 75% of all couch potatoes reckon we should have a say in the selection of the All Blacks. Doesnt mean it should happen. We dont make the decisions in this country, except for one (or two) at election time. What is it with this country? We seem to tout ignorance as a virtue. The anti-GE marches are another example, people with no information/intelligence demanding to control the way we all live our lives. At least the government has a mandate.

By: gpt

gpt — Tue, 14 Oct 2003 10:03:38 +0000

This is a disgrace. Quite apart from the fact that it is complete madness to end appeals to the greatest common law court in the world as some sort of proof that we are “a big country now” the decision has been rail-roaded through. It is a huge constitutional move, certainly the biggest since MMP and it has been flicked through on a bare majority.

Anyway, I’m off to chop my tackle off, dye my skin and lose a leg in order to fulfill Margaret Wilson’s criteria for the bench of the Supreme Court.