Still more MPs
January 27th, 2009 at 7:36 am by David FarrarAnd still more:
Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns called for liquor laws such as the drinking age to become matters of party policy, saying the traditional use of conscience votes to decide them should be a relic of the past.
The new Labour MP said the need for reform was clear from his own electorate, where even if the bars refused to serve intoxicated people and there was a liquor ban, alcohol was still easily available. Local police and health bodies had told him alcohol accounted for 70 per cent of weekend crime and injuries in Christchurch.
“Liquor legislation is difficult to get right. In part I think that is because it remains a conscience vote for members. As further liquor legislation looms in the time of this Parliament, I suggest it is timely for parties to consider whether such law changes should become matters of party policy.”
I respectfully disagree. I think more issues should be conscience votes, not less. I love conscience votes – you get true debate. MPs lobby each other, amendments are considered on their merits, you get great passionate speeches etc.
Before turning to politics, he worked for 12 years in the parliamentary press gallery, and said he was the first former gallery member to become an MP since Sir Frederick Doidge 70 years ago.
I didn’t know that.
Melissa Lee
Background:
Former journalist and presenter on Asia Down Under, which has been produced by her company for the past 13 years. Born in Korea, family moved to New Zealand in 1988.Personal:
Her parents instilled a strong work ethic in their children. As a cadet reporter at the Sunday News she would go to work at the family’s dairy until 11pm after finishing her day’s work. Mother of 10-year-old son.
I covered Melissa at the time of her maiden speech.
Steven Joyce
Background:
Started what is now the RadioWorks network in the 1980s with four friends, all putting in $100 for a Massey station. After 17 years CanWest bought them out for $6 million.Personal:
He comes from a long line of small business people. His parents both left school at 15 and “scrimped and borrowed” to buy a Four Square grocery store in New Plymouth.
Steven has been in charge of National’s last two campaigns, which saw National’s vote go from 21% to 45%. The first MP since Margaret Wilson to go straight into Cabinet.
Related posts:
- National announces two list only candidates
- The marathon alcohol debate
- Watkins on conscience votes
- Hooton on Joyce
January 27th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Not that impressive a stat – Don Brash basically did the same, but into the shadow cabinet.
[DPF: More impressive would be for you to tell us how many NZ MPs since WWII became Ministers straight away? You have one hour
]
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Such rapid promotion means there is a rapid fall not too long off- viz Don Brash
And look at Paula Bennett, the leaks of less than complementary stories have all ready started- most likely from the office of Police Minister Judith Collins. Theres only room for one queen bee in the hive
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 11:13 am
How utterly disappointing (but sadly, not at all surprising) to see Brendon Burns advocating for the dimunition of the only votes taken in Parliament which don’t have a pre-ordained outcome and which are, therefore, the last vestige of the way Parliament was meant to operate.
I’d like to see every vote a “conscience” vote. MPs would need to spend some time with members of their electorate to gauge their views, rather than willing becoming nothing more than a number called out at voting time. If MPs actually did what we paid them for – applied their minds to creating and improving better legislation – we’d have better law. Or at least law in which we all had some say, and thus some reason for respecting.
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Burns is on to something about conscience votes. Under MMP, these don’t work. Voters have no recourse when they disagree with the conscience vote of a list MP.
Conscience votes should either be abandoned and replaced always by a referendum of all voters, or list MPs should be excluded from them.
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Joyce unlike Wilson got there on demonstrated ability rather than a close personal connection to the party leader.
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
BURNS is right….Conscience votes represent the height of arrogance, and very seldom reflect the conscience of the people the member represents. They are also a complete farce with the left wing parties invariably voting as a block following the conscience of their leader. Invariably several dopey liberal centre right MPs find recall a one off situation, …or follow the wishes of a teenage family member that sways them to add to the left wing vote…. The conscience of the Nation should be what counts and that should be decided by referendum…. Mike LAWS does it successfully in Wanganui and it could easily be adopted by both local and Central goverment nationally…..The reason BURNS is promoting a change is probably because he is so aware of the numerous times the members conscience vote has been subverted by his party leadership. But none the less GOOD ON HIM
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
What we have is called representative democracy not direct democracy for good reason. parliaments formal name is House of representatives for the same reason.
freethinker what ability does Joyce have , he seemed to forget there was GST in spite of many years in business. How convenient his lapse gave national a $110,000 advantage with tax payers money
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Damned right.
ALL issues not involving supply should be non-party conscience votes.
Only then can NZ get at least close to a genuine democracy instead of the current three year elected dictatorship.
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
MT Tinman
Sure its a nice idea (in theory) to have all non supply votes decided on a matter of conscience but can you imagine how the left would react to this on issues dear to their heart?
Lets take the civil union bill for example, the bastards would be trying to outdo each other in an effort to prove they were more liberal (PC) than the last speaker from their side of the house, before we know it they would make homosexual acts compulsory.
Vote:January 27th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
“I covered Melissa at the time of her maiden speech.”
You dirty little devil! Has your lust no end…?!
Vote: