from the newsroom.co.nz website
The Government has been under scrutiny for its use of Parliamentary urgency, and given the power afforded to Labour by its single-party majority, there are legitimate concerns about this emergency approach becoming the ‘new normal’.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t legitimate reasons for going into urgency, as long as the necessary checks and accepted norms are followed.
Careful process, open scrutiny by Parliament, public consultation and investigation through the select committee process cumulatively make for good lawmaking.
This process is supposed to ensure proposed legislation is stress tested, and that there aren’t any unintended consequences.
It is also supposed to instill public confidence and allow for engagement and consultation, especially by those who could be affected by the legislation.
So when that process is circumvented or rushed, there is understandable concern.
Although Dear Leader has a photo of Mickey Savage, the first Labour Prime Minister, prominent in her Beehive room, she seems to take National Party PM Robert Muldoon’s behaviour — the hitherto most authoritarian PM that NZ has seen — as a role model. –Eds
The erosion of democracy and freedom of speech is the BIG issue. Shame on politicians and prime ministers who forget they are elected by the people to serve the public interest.
Jacinta Adern’s lack of democracy underlined her firearm bill following mosque shooting. Over 12,000 submissions read in two days? C’mon, pull the other leg.
Obviously she hasn’t learnt.
Not that National were any better with the ECAN act rushed by PM Key and Nick Smith sacking a democratically elected council and replacing them with state puppets. It was a blatant insult to democracy. It’s ironic Nick Smith is criticising Labour for a lack of democracy. His memory is short, mine isn’t.
We agree totally. Jacinda’s gun grab was a completely unjustified emotional knee-jerk reaction. AR-15 and AK-47 semi-automatic rifles are weapons of choice for Mexican narcos; they are not weapons of choice for common criminals in NZ. But Dear Leader wasn’t going to listen to any such views.
In Gisborne I write quite a few opinion letters such as Maori Wards, inequities in crayfish between commercial and the public. Councillors have acted the oposite of the public domineering votes and Freedom of Speech is not the winner. It’s a disgrace for democracy. Ethics have gone but Freedom of Speach must always be listened to. Very disappointed.
I’ve suggested to a Minister of the Crown that if urgency is to become the norm then a strong case cld be made for cutting the number of sitting MPs needed to run the country.
Did this last year but got no reply. Cannot imagine why…
The only trouble with voting in elections is it only encourages them!
Tony Orman is onto it , If our Second rate Politicians came down to Planet Earth ! & gave the our Police a REAL hand ? Instead of Legislating our Freedoms away. ////////// Politicians should implement ASAP , a Huge Reward for information re / Fire Arm & Drug Shipments coming over the Border into NZ , by the look of media pics ? the types of weapons Etc. ? some not actually available in NZ in the first place ! /////// So crime wise Drugs & Guns seem to go hand in hand & must be imported together ? or by the same People . //////// So It would have to be a very large mega bucks $ Reward ? so the Dobber & Family could relocate ? /////////// It was quite SAD to see the Commissioner of POLICE today, dragged into Parliament & having to answer silly childish Questions from Simon Bridges M.P. , If the Hon Mr Bridges took an I.Q. Test ? the result would come back NEGATIVE !! I rest my Case ..
I fully agree and when you join the dots it becomes very apparent what has happened. John Podesta visited Jacinda just before the Christchurch shooting and clearly displayed on his body where it could be clearly seen the figure 15 and a fish. The fish indicates the 15 and the fish is Pisces which is in March. What was on Tarrant’s guns but a fish and the 15th. This is why the PM has stopped the full Royal commission from being read by the public. John Podesta was the former head of staff in the White House for the dark state. This is now being dismantled and this is one of the bits of information that has surfaced along with our election fraud
.Jacinda is guilty as charged your honor.
I can not follow what you want me to do Dave
Jacinda’s outfit will want to pass as many draconian laws as they can because they won’t be here next time round. Either that or most of them have wax in their ears.