Answer the Question Auchinvole

Last Wednesday a friend and I stopped in at the National Party tent at the A&P Show to give them a rark up over their actions around the anti-smacking law. We spoke with newcomer, list MP Michael Woodhouse and Chris Auchinvole, MP for the West Coast. Woodhouse has a good grasp on ACC but we spoke primarily with Auchinvole about the smacking issue. Auchinvole stated that the reason National didn't support ACT MP John Boscawen's bill to amend the law to allow correctional smacking with the hand only, was that the bill would bring about an incredible invasion of family privacy. Boscawen's bill is essentially the same as the bill put forward by National MP Chester Borrows in Feb 2007 which did not pass, and Auchinvole claimed that Borrows had said that it was "verbatim". He railed against the bill as he stated that it specified down to the most intricate level, the specifics of the legitimate use of reasonable force by parents upon their children. However if he had taken the trouble to read and understand the bill he would know that while it is slightly more complicated, it is far from unenforceable or a massive breach of family privacy. Instead it specifies a few things that parents must and must not do, while at the same time altering the law to permit the use of reasonable force for the purpose of correction.

However on 20 Feb 07 Chester Borrows stated that “The full National Party caucus supports my amendments". So why would Auchinvole give his support for the amendment in 2007 when in the opposition but now oppose the amendment in 2009 when he is comfortably in government. Auchinvole and the rest of the National party were happy to support this substantial amendment to Sue Bradford's anti-family bill when they were in opposition, as this was an opportunity for them to be seen to be for the people. But in 2009, a year after they formed the new government, here's a government MP claiming that this same bill is a waste of time. The worst thing about it was that Auchinvole absolutely refused to acknowledge that the current law meant that a correctional smack was a criminal offence. Instead he repeated his statement that "parents can give their children a smack", but when I pressed him as to the legality of this action, he neither confirmed nor denied, but simply refused to answer. I asked him several times but each time he avoided the question. Eventually I told him, "I think it's a criminal offence that you ask an MP a question and he refuses to answer you". Obviously this was a play on the law we were discussing which makes a correctional smack a criminal offence. Chris asked me if I was calling him a criminal, however this was simply an attempt at side-stepping my real accusation. Eventually he played the get out of jail free card, telling me that I was being rude and offensive and that our conversation was over. I don't know how these people get their jobs, but when a 66yr-old representative in Government can't give you a straight answer to a fair question, there's something seriously wrong.

Just Say No

...to National.

The National Party under John Key has determined to ignore the result of the referendum - 87.4% of Kiwis voted No to criminalising smacking, but John Key says "the law is working". John Boscawen's bill to amend the law to allow light hand-smacking was drawn from the ballot on Wednesday, but John Key says "the law is working", and subsequently has determined that National will vote against the bill at its first reading.

The Prime Minister states that if parents are criminalised for a light smack, then he will change the law. The law specifically bans smacking for the purpose of correction, which means that parents are criminalised if they give a corrective smack. "But they won't be prosecuted; the police have discretion," retorts Dear Leader.

The Prime Minister states that if parents are prosecuted for a light smack, then he will change the law. It follows that he believes that until parents are prosecuted for a light smack, the law is working well. However the law is not working well - it is simply a case of a bad law (which John Key has admitted to), which the Govt. has instructed the police to ignore or adhere to at their discretion.

I'd expect more sense from a three-year-old at the pre-school down the road. However it's 1am and I expect the pre-school down the road is closed. So my brother Nathan's debut in political blogging shall suffice. Forthwith, an excerpt...

So a few months back old Larry drove his kiwi party caravan up to the B-hive, and loaded off the box's...and box's...and box's of signatures. Yeah!!! Score....but hey what do you know...uh oh suddenly, whoops, Labour decides to have the referendum at another date...hmmm interesting...another $9,000,000 later, and it comes round. Most people vote except for those who found the multi choice YES or NO quite confusing...

heheh, quite clever.

Have you made "The Pledge" yet?

John Key has ignored 88% of New Zealanders who voted No in the referendum, and in response Trevor Loudon is encouraging people to make "The Pledge". I think it's a good idea and encourage everyone else who feels strongly about this to also make the pledge.

I, Andy Moore will never vote for the New Zealand National Party, or any National Party candidate, in any future General Election in my lifetime, until the right of parents to responsibly smack their children is legally restored

To make the pledge, simply copy and paste and insert your own name.

82.29%

82.29%

That's the average of the 35 main polls (note, includes poll on Young Labour website!) taken between 2005 - 2009. The referendum question is not flawed. Parents who smack their children are not child abusers. Sue Bradford doesn't understand her own law and Prime Minister John Key has no backbone.

John, if you continue refusing to listen to the people, National will lose the 2011 election.

Your call.

Red is the New Blue

Many Kiwis are sick of our new National Government. John Key continues to wilfully ignore the will of the 83% of New Zealanders who are opposed to the anti-family law, labelled by the Green Party as the "anti-smacking law". When asked if he will honour the result of the upcoming referendum on smacking, Key has evaded the question by stating that unless he hears of good parents being prosecuted for a light smack, he is happy with the law. Key is not a fool. He knows just as well as you or I that that is not the point. The fact is that it is illegal to correct your child with a smack - whether or not the police prosecute is utterly beside the point. - more at the Section 59 blog.

Meanwhile, our Minister of Finance Bill English is failing to prepare New Zealand for the full onslaught of the recession. "Mr English said the budget would focus on reprioritising government spending, particularly spending for public services. There would be no room for significant fiscal stimulus in the budget and the rate of increased spending would be lower than in the past." - TV3 23/04/09. Hard as it is to believe, those are English's words "the rate of increased spending will be lower than in the past", i.e. spending will continue to increase.

National is setting our country up for a full-scale depression. What is desperately needed now is a strong dose of ACT policy - the same thing that pulled New Zealand out of the downward spiral set in motion by the 80's Muldoon Government. Below is an excerpt from ACT MP Hon. Sir Roger Douglas's latest press release with his recommendations for the National Government.

Mr English continues to either sit on his hands or move in the wrong direction. While the OECD tells us to sell poorly-managed State assets, National promised to retain State assets – and is now beginning to stack them with political appointments just as Labour did.

The OECD reports that health spending is out of control and can only be tamed by introducing greater public/private competition. National TALKS about allowing competition in health services – but we need action. We need to privatise ACC and utilise private health services before we will see any benefits.

Further, the burgeoning cost of superannuation caused by retiring baby boomers is unsustainable. If we act now, we can decrease the pain in the long term. In the short term, the age of entitlement will have to rise – as the OECD advises – or we will continue to slide behind other nations even faster. In the longer term, we must move away from the current superannuation system towards one that encourages people to save.

When you’re in a hole, you need to look at all possible ways to get out. We shouldn’t ignore advice simply because Mr English doesn’t want to hear it. In fact most of the advice, if followed, would create the kind of growth that occurred from 1984-96. While Mr English is not listening, Labour is moving in the opposite direction to that needed – continuing to have faith in politicians and bureaucrats to spend money more wisely than individuals.

Enough of National thinking they are New Zealand's saviour. They are arrogant and hypocritical just like their predecessors, Labour. We want a government which listens to the people, which refuses to endorse badly written law, and which will protect the country's economy by drastically cutting government spending.

Whaleoil Abandons National, Supporting ACT

I hardly know what to say. Cam Slater (aka Whaleoil) a long-time National-supporter and son of the former president of the National Party, has today announced that he will be supporting the ACT party in their election campaign. Whaleoil was furious with National when they when they pulled the political stunt of turning 180 degrees and voting for Labour's Anti-Smacking Bill. But this latest let-down has proven to be the straw that broke the camel's back for the opinionated ex-National Supporter. This from his blog earlier today...

"...my source told me the National Party didn’t care about this. Apparently, the National Party VOTED WITH LABOUR, against the Maori, ACT and Green parties, to push through the legislation tonight. If National had voted with the Maori, ACT and Green parties, the legislation would have failed.

Surely this is not true. If it is, then **** them. It would mean National was even worse than Labour and that we should all vote ACT. Right now, I still plan to vote for my local National candidate but I am not voting for a party that supports the ongoing taxation of people based on dodgy un-proven science and the support of a corrupt, morally bankrupt party lead by a proven liar.

Party Vote ACT!"

Good on Cam for finally seeing the light. National are just a shade better than Labour, but their arrogance in thinking and acting as if they deserve to win the election in 2008 makes them even worse.

Peter McCafferey wrote over at the ACT on Campus blog,

"At around 7:10pm - just after parliament had gone back from the dinner break - I was hanging around the office, with the parliament video stream playing in the background, when I heard Te Ururoa Flavell take a point of order to seek leave to send the ETS back to select committee. Surely just a little grandstanding, no? It would never actually get the support of the house...

But then I heard perhaps one of the craziest things i've heard in the last three years of parliament.

New Zealand Labour, 49 votes against, New Zealand National, 48 votes against, New Zealand First, 7 votes against, Greens, 6 votes in favour, Maori Party, 4 votes in favour, United Future, 2 votes in favour, ACT, 2 votes in favour, Progressives, 1 vote against." - ACT on Campus

National's New Billboard

The kiwiblog-right ;) are excited about their new billboard.

Remember when you go to the polls: National does not care what you think. 83% of Kiwis opposed the Anti-Smacking Bill, but they made a deal with Labour and shoved it through anyway, riding roughshod over the rights of the vast majority of New Zealanders.

Also, notice what the original National billboard actually says: "wave goodbye to higher taxes". That is a typical National statement. It looks good at first glance; it seems to be saying "lower taxes", when in fact it is saying: "let's keep the status quo". Whereas ACT is committed to lowering income tax and scrapping the two-tiered tax-rate, National is simply saying "hey, let's stick with Labour's policy".

National: ahead of Labour in the Roy Morgan poll

The latest Roy Morgan Research poll shows National has lost ground although it is still well ahead of Labour.

The poll of 899 voters puts National on 45 per cent support, down 3.5 points on the previous Roy Morgan poll, with Labour unchanged on 36 per cent.

The Green Party was unchanged on 8.5 per cent, ACT was up 1.5 points to 2.5 per cent, The Maori Party was up 2 points to 3.5 per cent, New Zealand First was down 1 point to 2 per cent, and United Future was unchanged on 1.5 per cent.

The poll was conducted between February 19 and March 4.

The previous poll was conducted between February 6 and February 18.

The latest poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 per cent.