NZ First on Electoral Reform
December 14th, 2007 at 8:09 am by David FarrarA commenter yesterday pointed out a clause in NZ First’s 15 fundamental principles, which highlights their hypocrisy on the Electoral Finance Bill:
Electoral Reform
Electoral reform will be determined by the electors. The Government’s duty will be to ensure the fair representation of all views and the holding of appropriate referenda.
So consider this:
- The public had no notice before the last election of electoral law changes
- NZ First negotiated in secret with Labour on electoral law changes
- There was no public policy process to allow policy to be set on which the law was based
- Opinion polls (Colmar Brunton) have shown the majority against further third party restrictions
- The Human Rights Commission called for a second round of public submissions, which NZ First ignored
- The public will be restrained from criticising those who voted for the law, by the law.
So is that what NZ First calls having electoral reform determined by the electors?
Related posts:
- Electoral Finance Reform Proposals
- Electoral reform done properly
- Andrew Geddis on Electoral Reform Bill
- National backing electoral reform
December 14th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Standard policy debate at NZF HQ
ooooh look a bauble! what principles? Hey the wrinklies who vote for us are all gaga, give them a gold card and 10% off wine biscuits and they’ll never remember…
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:22 am
The Winston Circus has come to town, led by the chief clown and populated with a bunch of mental midgets.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:32 am
From NZ first press release
“New Zealand First has never shirked its social responsibilities towards the vulnerable in our society. We chose therefore to give the disputed amount directly to Starship Hospital rather than to see it lost in the coffers of the Wellington bureaucracy.”
Is this an admission by NZ First that government bureaucracy is out of control?
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:33 am
ouch… oh winnie…
all fundamental aspects of NZ’s ‘constitution’ should have to come back to referenda IMO.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Hey steady on David,
The mistake you have made is you are looking at the principles of the New Zealand First Party which is NOT the Winston First Party and I have looked everywhere in the Winston First Party principles and those lofty views are not there anywhere.
(please make sure you quote accurately in future !!!!)
It appears to me as if the only old New Zealand First MP’s that have not changed to the new party are Peter Brown and obviously the Tauranga Electrorate Committee (who are demanding NZF oppose the EFB).
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Contracts to grant supply are contrary to constitutional freedom too. The right to a three year term was not indeterminate prior to MMP; a government had to show a majority. Now there is trading up front of petty party policies for assurance to govern right or wrong.
There are two matters of constitutional reform required (at a minimum): Outlaw contracts for supply and disenfranchise list MP’s in respect of conscience votes.
Contracts for supply may already be unenforceable or the terms void as contrary to public policy. I would like to see that tested.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Electoral reform is changing the election system.
There are no changes to how MPS are elected.
The voters till go to the polls and MPS are voted for exactly as they have been .
National is the one who has secret adjenda to ‘change’ the election system and dump MMP or emasculate it
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:27 am
gww: I’m impressed. National has a secret agenda, but luckily they think so highly of you that they have shared it with you, knowing that you are trustworthy and won’t tell anyone. Idiot.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:30 am
NZ First has only one principal:
`What is best for Winston’!!!!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:38 am
I worked this National agenda out in 5 secs flat and I agree,,
GWW is an idiot,, lol lol
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Ghostwhowalks – I think you’ll find it was New Zealand First MP Barbara Stewart who proposed a bill dropping the number of MPs to 100 (getting rid of 20 list MPs), which would basically have made MMP unworkable (or with a hell of a lot of overhang distorting Parliament).
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:08 am
pdm said “NZ First has only one principal:
`What is best for Winston’!!!!”
Principal or principle? I guess in the case of Winston First, the two are interchangeable!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:10 am
What ever happened to Cadmus?
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Technically, MPs (even List MPs) have allegiance only to the Crown.
New Zealand First (the Party) has no right of influence over their MPs to vote in a particular way, regardless of Party “principles”.
The Party’s only recourse is to not re-select those “unfaithful” MPs as candidates for the next election.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:20 am
“New Zealand First (the Party) has no right of influence over their MPs to vote in a particular way, regardless of Party “principles”.”
In the real world that’s not going to stop inter party disciplinary measures or future promotion chances.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:26 am
hinamanu: I’m not sure what promotion prospects you would expect an MP to have in NZ First. Only the dictator for life is allowed to hold a Ministerial position, and nobody is allowed to supplant him. There’s a recipe for engendering hard work!!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:34 am
“There’s a recipe for engendering hard work!!”
I’m just working hard provoking these truths on this blog.
And I hear Winston reads this blog. entertain him no end I should think.
He thinks how much he’ll miss it when he has a hand in banning it.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:40 am
You have to admire how Fidel Peters gets away with such barefaced Hypocrisy time and time again!
“I won’t accept baubles – but I will”
“I won’t tamper with electoral law – but I will”
“I will payback the money – but to someone else”
You have to feel sorry for NZ First supporters, they must feel like proverbial lamp-posts awaiting their regular wetting from the dominant Poodle!
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:55 am
BEAUTIFUL
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:56 am
GodWhataWanker, love your work do you supply Toms with material for his comedy routine, you really should, you will have missed your calling if you do not. If National was to dump MMP as you claim many of your ilk would actually have to work and I for one live for that day.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 10:59 am
The tide is turning. Failed Policies of the Present…finally.
Vote:http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4322979a24077.html
December 14th, 2007 at 11:39 am
The EFB is about CAMPAIGN finance.
Nothing to do with how MPs are ‘elected’. Thats where the word ‘electoral’ comes from.
The EFB has been renamed anyway.!!
As I remember MMP went through TWO referendums before the way ‘elections’ were carried out was changed.
The push to get rid of MMP was last espoused by none other than Don Brash this year, I seem to remember he had some minor role with the National party, so the desire is out there , but like many NP proposals they are keeping quiet before any elections, as hollow men do
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:53 am
DPF has just figured out that politicans are two faced arseholes not to be trusted as far as you can boot them up their useless arses.
Well some of us have learnt that to our cost,
Never trust a politican Repeat never trust a politican
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Very interesting that it is Tauranga (which lost to Clarkson and his elaborate schemes to get around the electoral law which lead to Peters advocating such bizarre restrictions through the EFB) that is leading the charge in NZ first against the EFB
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Joely Doe:
Good link. I think that a post on this site (which I kept because it was so good) says it all. To quote:
“We have seen NZ Labour spend big on health, education, etc, etc, and their mismanagement means we have nothing to show for it.
As some bloggers were starting to notice in 2005, Labour has squandered the best economic conditions of a generation. I am sure that come 2008 this will even be apparent to many economic commentators and perhaps even many of the media.
Some journalists have realised this already.”
Rather prophetic I would have thought.
Vote:December 14th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Reg says;
You have to feel sorry for NZ First supporters, they must feel like proverbial lamp-posts awaiting their regular wetting from the dominant Poodle.
No you don’t. They are not capable of seeing anything wrong with Winston.
They just love his silver tongue and his offer of baubles to them. Oh thank you so much for the God Card Winston. What do I do with it Winston? Don’t know, but it must be terrific because Winston got it for me.
He has never produced anything but copious amounts of warm air. He has been a problem to all the other parties but they all keep encouraging him. The media love him because he is good copy and they haven’t yet worked out how to handle him in over 25 years.
Vote: