Showing posts with label electoral finance bill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electoral finance bill. Show all posts

Monday, January 28, 2008

Victim of Electoral Finance Act forced to shut down website

The first publicized internet victim of the Electoral Finance Act has finally come to light.

21 one year old Andrew Moore has had to take his website down at Don't Vote Labour because the Electoral Commission threatened him with legal action should he not do so.

Now those doubters who didn't believe this would happen and those that voted for the Act , should hang their heads in shame because an individual's freedom of speech has clearly been denied here.

Andrew is right. You shouldn't vote for Labour, The Greens, NZ First, Jim Anderton and the others who supported this piece of Stalinist filth and Andrew and people like myself should be allowed to freely say so.

Please support Andrew and others in the fight for freedom of speech. Go to his website here:

Andrew's Site

The message below replaces the previous content on Andrews site but he has a forum there.




Related Political Animal reading


Electoral Finance Bill Vote
NZ losses democratic freedom
Mike Moore turns the knife
List of MPs who voted for Act
Cartoon and comment
Auckland Protest against EFB
The purpose of the Bill is clear


C Political Animal 2008

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Historical day as New Zealand loses democratic freedom

The Electoral Finance Bill was passed at approximately 5.15pm Tuesday 18, 2007.

Never before in my 42 years of existence have I ever seen such an anti democratic and unbridled attempt to hold on to the reigns of power, aside states such as Mugabe's Zimbabwe, Putin's Russia, Stalin’s Russia, Mao's China, Mbeke's South Africa and Hitler’s Germany.

We have seen the death of free speech today, unless you are the Labour Government and you can purchase it with taxpayer’s money by trumpeting your “achievements” through state agencies.

In a democratic society you have to be allowed to speak your mind without fear and that means the freedom to critique or advocate for a government or opposition. The Electoral Finance Act means you can’t do that.

In fact in a free democracy it means that even if you disagree with what I or someone lease says you have to defend my right to have that view even if it pisses you off.

That essential part of our democracy is now missing and we now must vote to remove those freedom haters who removed our rights today to have our say.


C Political Animal 2007

Tuesday 18 December 2007: The death of democracy

If one were the suspicious type one might think that news out yesterday about the Eden Park Stadium was designed to take the Electoral Finance Bill off the front page, not me of course but I have a long memory and can dredge up the fact Trevor "The Bash" Mallard put out the waterfront stadium proposal last year to coincide with news that Labours' Phillip Field was being charged with various serious offences and the Anti smacking bill was on the agenda.

I just wanted to memorilise my disgust today at the passing of the Electoral Finance Bill before we lose our democratic rights.

It is without a doubt the saddest day in our democratic history and when looked back on with more clarity and purpose we will see it as a turning point for the condition our country is in, if Labour gets voted back in again in 2008.

It seems though that voters could be slowly putting up a middle finger to all this but I believe the turn in public opinion as to who they would back if an election was held today, now overwhelmingly National, has more to do with the modus operandi of Labours' Ministers, epitomised by Trevor Mallard's bullying ways and Micheal Cullen's "Scumbag" and "rich prick" comments in Parliament recently.

The public are largely unaware of the importance of the EFB because of Labours' lies about its intention but Kiwis cant stand their arrogant, nasty, vengeful, and Stalinist attitudes and if an election was held today National would govern alone.

Taxpayer money though is being readied to bribe us in 2008 like we have been never been bribed before and you can be sure that Labour would do anything to keep the reigns of power for another 3 years.

Please take a moment today to listen to the debate and also take a moment of silence to lament the death of your democracy.


C Political Animal 2007

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Mike Moore turns the knife on Electoral Finance Bill

Mike Moore, former Labour Prime Minister and thorn in Helen Clark's arse takes another swing at the fascists voting for the Electoral Finance Bill.

The NZ Herald has once again given Moore an avenue to vent and once again I congratulate them for their commonsense attack on this Bill. Shame they don't have the same commonsense when it comes to their bizarre support of "climate change". We live in hope!

This bill is set to pass this week after much stalling by the National opposition and will be in force by January 1 2008.

The coming week is the darkest in our democracy's history because it will mean the end of free speech in an election year.

There are no foreign powers making comments at the death of democracy here, nobody seems to care that this sleepy little once free land in the South Pacific is turning into a bright yellow fascist/communist banana.

Will you care next year when you have to keep your mouth shut?

Its too late baby, its gone.

C Political Animal 2007



Moore continues attack on controversial Electoral Finance Bill

11:50AM Sunday December 16, 2007

Mike Moore has continued his attack on the Electoral Finance Bill.

The former Labour Prime Minister has today labelled the piece of legislation as fatally flawed. He says the restrictions in the electoral finance law, promised by the Government to be passed next week in Parliament, are without precedent in the free world.

Mike Moore says the bill is wrong in principle and in substance and will end up doing the opposite of what its authors expected.

The fresh comments come in response to Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt's promise he will continue to run ads against funding cuts at Southern Institute of Technology, even if the bill passes and he is breaking the law.

Mike Moore launched a public attack on Prime Minister Helen Clark earlier this year, comparing her to Robert Muldoon.

C NZ Herald 2007

Thursday, December 13, 2007

List of MPs who voted for the Electoral Finance Bill(amended list)

The following is a list of those individuals who must hang their heads in shame for what they have done in passing The Electoral Finance Bill, they all voted for the Bill which will severely restrict New Zealander's right to free speech.

It will be a sad day when this Bill passes next week and the following must be remembered for all time for what they have done to their own country.


New Zealand Labour 49; New Zealand First 7; Green Party 6; Progressive 1

Ann Hartley LABOUR [ List MP ]
Annette King LABOUR Rongotai
Ashraf Choudhary LABOUR [ List MP ]
Charles Chauvel LABOUR [ List MP ]
Chris Carter LABOUR Te Atatu
Clayton Cosgrove LABOUR Waimakariri
Damien OConnor LABOUR West Coast-Tasman
Darien Fenton LABOUR [ List MP ]
Darren Hughes LABOUR Otaki
Dave Hereora LABOUR [ List MP ]
David Benson-Pope LABOUR Dunedin South
David Cunliffe LABOUR New Lynn
David Parker LABOUR [ List MP ]
Dianne Yates LABOUR [ List MP ]
Dover Samuels LABOUR [ List MP ]
George Hawkins LABOUR Manurewa
Georgina Beyer LABOUR [ List MP ]
Harry Duynhoven LABOUR New Plymouth
Helen Clark LABOUR Mt Albert
Jill Pettis LABOUR [ List MP ]
Jim Sutton LABOUR [ List MP ]
Judith Tizard LABOUR Auckland Central
Lianne Dalziel LABOUR Christchurch East
Lynne Pillay LABOUR Waitakere
Mahara Okeroa LABOUR Te Tai Tokerau
Margaret Wilson LABOUR [ List MP ]
Marian Hobbs LABOUR Wellington Central
Mark Burton LABOUR Taupo
Mark Gosche LABOUR Maungakiekie
Martin Gallagher LABOUR Hamilton West
Maryan Street LABOUR [ List MP ]
Michael Cullen LABOUR [ List MP ]
Mita Ririnui LABOUR [ List MP ]
Moana Mackey LABOUR [ List MP ]
Nanaia Mahuta LABOUR Tainui
Parekura Horomia LABOUR Ikaroa-Rawhiti
Paul Swain LABOUR Rimutaka
Peter Hodgson LABOUR Dunedin North
Phil Goff LABOUR Mt Roskill
Rick Barker LABOUR [ List MP ]
Ross Robertson LABOUR Manukau East
Russell Fairbrother LABOUR [ List MP ]
Ruth Dyson LABOUR Banks Peninsula
Shane Jones LABOUR [ List MP ]
Steve Chadwick LABOUR Rotorua
Steve Maharey LABOUR Palmerston North
Sue Moroney LABOUR [ List MP ]
Tim Barnett LABOUR Christchurch Central
Trevor Mallard LABOUR Hutt South
Winnie Laban LABOUR Mana
Jeanette Fitzsimons GREEN [ List MP ]
Keith Locke GREEN [ List MP ]
Metiria Turei GREEN [ List MP ]
Nandor Tanczos GREEN [ List MP ]
Sue Bradford GREEN [ List MP ]
Sue Kedgley GREEN [ List MP ]
Barbara Stewart NZ FIRST [ List MP ]
Brian Donnelly NZ FIRST [ List MP ]
Doug Woolerton NZ FIRST [ List MP ]
Peter Brown NZ FIRST [ List MP ]
Pita Paraone NZ FIRST [ List MP ]
Ron Mark NZ FIRST [ List MP ]
Winston Peters NZ FIRST [ List MP ]

C Political Animal 2007





Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Electoral Finance Bill debate continues


Emmerson: "Power Junkie", NZ Herald Nov 27, 2007

The fascist Electoral Finance Bill gets debated again in Parliament at 2.00pm again today.

This is a huge week in our little democracy, the biggest since the constitutional change in our courts when the Privy Council was removed without public debate or notification and when a law was passed in 2006 making the stealing of $800,000.00 in public money by the Labour Party to buy the 2005 election, legal after the fact.

Let your MP and indeed Aunty Helen know what you think about this attack on our freedom.
Email them here

The bill is likely to be passed this week but if you show your opposition now, before you are forced to shut your gob next year, then, well, who knows.

You have got to be optimistic until the fat politician sings.


Below is what Helen Clark thinks of the Herald's stand against this bill. She blames the papers stance on the EFB as electioneering and its coverage misleading. The very things her minions in Wellington are doing and those Labour party members directed to write to papers and call talkback stations.

Her own minister, Annette King doesn't even understand the Bill! Mind you nobody can because it is so rushed. Its contradictory, badly written and lacks specifics.

Don't worry though, former dental nurse King, says we can interpret the Bill/Act, "with the law of commonsense".

5:00AM Tuesday December 11, 2007
By Claire Trevett , NZ Herald.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has given a biting appraisal of the media, saying it often lacked depth and taking a swipe at the Herald for its coverage of the Electoral Finance Bill.

Speaking to the Journalism Education Association conference in Wellington, the Prime Minister said fairness and balance were key responsibilities.

With clear reference to the Herald's campaign against the Electoral Finance Bill, she said "fairness and balance is in the eyes of the beholder".

"In my experience, after many years in politics it doesn't pay to be too thin-skinned about this. Actually, we put up with quite a lot, especially when a newspaper is in full campaign mode, like the Herald is at the moment, and it can run for weeks, if not months, with full-blooded attack, front-page headline, opinion editorials, editorials, attack stories, cartoons, you name it."




C Political Animal 2007

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Cartoon and comment; Emmerson: Winston Churchill Clark


C Emmerson, NZ Herald 2007


Emmerson gets to the nub or middle finger of the Electoral Finance Bill.

Labour and its cronies are blaming The NZ Herald for whipping up undue fear among the unwashed public but it is doing a stellar job over the EFB bill. A stand, the likes of which has never been seen since the heyday of Muldoon in the 1970s-80s.

On Wednesday in parliament Labour lapdog Winston Peters called the Herald's "attack" on the EFB a conspiracy of big foreign business trying to gain a foothold of power in New Zealand to enable them to make more money.

Paranoia clearly rules in Winston's office.

We can only hope he gets his foot caught in his mouth again on his latest holiday abroad.

Link to the Herald's EFB website: Electoral Finance Bill in detail


C Political Animal 2007

Electoral Finance Bill gets stalled in Parliament

They don't call it a political grind for nothing.


C Emmerson, NZ Herald 2007

The passing of the Electoral Finance Bill by Labour into law this week isn't going to happen.

The National opposition party are hammering every new clause to the hastily rushed and badly drafted bill and it is chewing up valuable parliamentary time.

There is a very distant possibility that National could stall the bill long enough for Labour to have to come back next February after the summer break.

There is of course the possibility that the house sit under urgency to pass the bill, as they have done with many other contentious constitutional and social changing legislation.

Whatever the time line, the bill is going to pass and the net affect will be that New Zealand citizens will have their democratic right to express their political views, without fear, in election year, removed.

C Political Animal 2007

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Electoral Finance Bill: The purpose is clear

The crucial and main thrust of the Electoral Finance Bill is as follows and is the clearest part of an otherwise confused, contradictory and appallingly written bill. From part one of the preliminary provisions and purpose of the bill:


5.
Meaning of election advertisement
(1) In this Act, election advertisement

(a) means any form of words or graphics, or both, that can be
reasonably be regarded as doing 1 or more of the following.

(i) encouraging or persuading voters to vote, or not to vote,
for 1 or more specified parties or for 1 or more candidates
or for any combination of such parties and candidates:

(ii) encouraging and persuading voters to vote, or not to vote,
for a type of party or a type of candidate that is described
or indicated by reference to views, positions, or policies
that are or are not held, taken or pursued (whether or not
the name of a party or the name of a candidate is stated):

(iii) taking a position on a proposition with which 1 or more
parties or 1 or more candidates is associated; and

(b) includes-
(i) a candidate advertisement; and
(ii) a party advertisement.



Lets have a closer look:

(a) means any form of words or graphics, or both, that can be
reasonably be regarded as doing 1 or more of the following.

So the purpose of the bill is clear, any words or graphics constitute an election advert.

(i) encouraging or persuading voters to vote, or not to vote,

for 1 or more specified parties or for 1 or more candidates
or for any combination of such parties and candidates:

This blog will be captured as a result of this and so will political writers, broadcasters and individuals who support or have a contrary view to a particular party. Even though in other parts of the bill this purpose is contradicted by saying it allows blogs like this one and the other media I mentioned.

(i) encouraging or persuading voters to vote, or not to vote,
for 1 or more specified parties or for 1 or more candidates
or for any combination of such parties and candidates:

(ii) encouraging and persuading voters to vote, or not to vote,
for a type of party or a type of candidate that is described
or indicated by reference to views, positions, or policies
that are or are not held, taken or pursued (whether or not
the name of a party or the name of a candidate is stated):

Part one and two of the purpose are similar so I will look at them as one. Largely self explanatory and very clear about their purpose. That individuals are unable to express views that may influence others by encouraging them to vote for or against a candidate or party.

"Advertising" those views, as expressed in the purpose and definition of an electoral advertisement, is merely giving ones own opinion to another individual or group to the positive or negative and may be seen as an "advertisement" as a result, according to this portion or the purpose of the bill.

This shuts down all opposition to the incumbent government in an election year and is clearly designed to favour Labour at the expense of democracy and our rights to speak our minds.

The debate continues in parliament this week and the bill looks set to pass into law soon.


C Political Animal 2007



Herald gets angry at Electoral Finance Bill(again)

The New Zealand Herald has ripped into the Labour Governments' fascist anti democratic Electoral Finance Bill this morning. Once again granny has put their editorial on the front page and cut deeply into the morass of subterfuge and cover ups over the direction of this piece of trash bill.

Parliament debate the bill today and Labour and its hangers on plan to pass it into law before the end of sitting this year, for it to take effect on January 1 2008. It is possible that the bill could be passed this week.

This will be the last time New Zealanders' will be able to freely debate political issues in an election year and all opposition against the incumbent government will be censured to such a degree people will be too scared to speak out should they be tapped on the shoulder and charged for inciting other people to vote or not to vote for a particular party.

Along with a whole host of other anti democratic laws passed by this power crazed government over the last 9 years, the ditching of the Privy Council and the hiring of politically appointed judges to the "Supreme Court" high among them, the EFB bill passed into law, will mean the end to one of the worlds longest running democracies and put us into the realms of banana republics like Zimbabwe, Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan, where those governments keep criticism by its citizens in line by similar means.

The Herald is doing a fine job exposing this fascism and seems to be man alone in mainstream media circles. Other media outlets ignoring the fact that they will be unable to publish such criticism in election year:


Editorial: Speak now, or next year hold your peace

5:00AM Tuesday December 04, 2007

The Herald has today, for the second time in a month, run a front page editorial calling for the Electoral Finance Bill to be scrapped, saying it is an attack on democracy

There will be no winners if the Electoral Finance Bill is passed into law this week. The Labour Party will have revised the electoral rules to suit itself, but that will be a pyrrhic victory if it loses the next election, as polls suggest it will. The National Party has promised to repeal the bill as soon as it gets the chance.

Thus our electoral law is reduced to a game of political ping-pong, a game that would not have started had the Government done the right thing from the beginning.

Even its friend the Green Party has been urging it to refer its concerns about election finance to an independent body that could recommend changes to the law if necessary from an impartial position.

But the Government has ploughed ahead, making minimal changes to the bill's clamp on political expression from January 1 until after election day next year, and adding an extraordinary new dimension, making the Electoral Commission the vehicle for disbursements of parties' secret donations. That drastic sudden proposal alone should tell the Government this is not the way to make constitutional change.

Unless the Greens and United Future act on their reservations and withhold support for the bill this week it will pass. And they will be as guilty as Labour and New Zealand First for the offence to free speech.

From next month until a probable November election, any person or group wanting to promote an issue of concern would face a legal and bureaucratic minefield. For the right to spend their money they would need to register as a "third party", file declarations about donors and expenses and keep within a spending limit of $120,000, just 5 per cent of the amount MPs' parties may spend.

The regulations would apply to any material that might encourage people to vote or not vote for "a type of party or a type of candidate" described by reference to views, positions or policies even if the party or candidate is not named.

As revised, the bill seems to catch everything from a billboard to a bull-horn, but the Justice Minister says "common sense" will apply. Whose?

The self-serving electoral fix is being done now in the hope it might be forgotten at an election 11 months hence. Those 11 months will be quieter than they would have been without the electoral finance gag. Labour's union allies will be as constrained as any moneyed group agreeing with National. Public debate will be constrained and our politics poorer.

Money does not win elections unless the message it is financing strikes a popular chord. Labour is legislating in fear of messages it might not like. At the same time, it has given parties in Parliament the right to use public funds for purposes the Auditor-General ruled improper at the last election.

The country should not stand for this. It is not unduly susceptible to paid campaigns. The bill is an insult to our intelligence as well as our rights. Even now, at the 11th hour, it can be stopped and sent to an impartial panel. Let's hope the common sense outside Parliament can prevail.


C Political Animal & NZ Herald 2007

Monday, November 26, 2007

Christchurch Electoral Finance Bill protest , Wed 28 Nov, 1.00pm


The Auckland EFB march Nov 17, 2007

Protest March Victoria Square to Cathedral Square Wednesday 28 November 12.30. March starts 1.00pm. Organiser of the Auckland and Wellington marches John
Boscawen will speak.

Get ready citizens of the South, it is now your turn to march against this attack by the sisterhood on your democratic rights to free speech and your right to criticise any sitting govt be it snivelling Lefties, National, Greens or any other colour of politics.

The passing of the Electoral Finance Bill into Law next month means your right to freely do that in election year will be removed.

I will not be able to legally write this blog!

The Greens said last week that this bill would allow more free speech. That ladies and gents is a bald faced lie, just like the one told by Helen"Teflon" Clark and Sue "I'm so cute" Bradford that the repeal of section 59(or the anti smacking bill) earlier this year wouldn't lead to parents being charged for smacking a child on the hand for being naughty, it has happened in a number of cases already.

Get out there Canterbury and protest for your right to protest against a Government that want to silence your voice.

Speak up before it is too late!!


C Political Animal 2007

Monday, November 12, 2007

March for Democracy , 10.00am, Sat Nov 17, 2007

March Planned in Support of Human Rights Commision


PRESS RELEASE


Protest March Planned in Support of the Human Rights Commission

Saturday 17 November, Queen Street, Auckland. 10.30am.


9 November 2007


I am pleased to announce that I have today lodged an application with the Auckland City Council to lead a protest march down Queen Street, Auckland.

The council have confirmed it is my democratic right to do so, and the march will leave from Aotea Square at 10.30am and proceeding to Britomart Place.

I and others will be protesting about the combined effect of the Electoral Finance Bill and the recently introduced Appropriation (Continuation of Interim Meaning of Funding for Parliamentary Purposes) Bill.

The combined effect of these two bills is to massively increase the amount of taxpayer money available to existing members of parliament and political parties to fund their re-election campaigns, while severely restricting the ability of private citizens to oppose them. This is an affront to democracy in New Zealand.

The Human Rights Commission has described the Electoral Finance Bill as “inherently flawed” and has called on the government to withdraw the bill and redraft it from scratch based on the over 600 public submissions.

To date, the government has failed to act on that recommendation.

The Commission has also called on the government to allow a further round of public submissions on whatever bill comes from the select committee process. To date, the government has given no indication it will do this.

We will be marching in support of the Human Rights Commission.

Those wishing to participate should assemble in Aotea Square from 10.00am with the march to leave at 10.30am.

The march will be widely advertised in the media next week.

I will attempt to be there. My first ever political protest!!


Ends

New Zealand Herald gets nasty over Electoral Finance Bill

I have never seen the likes of this before in my life. The New Zealand Herald has used its entire front page today to rail against Helen Clark and the Sisterhood over their attempt to buy next years election by using their Electoral Finance Bill to make previous illegal spending of taxpayer money, to promote themselves, legal and to stop debate during an election year.

The Herald, usually left leaning, has come out strongly against the bill and should be congratulated for their strong stand.

This bill, if passed through in November, will put New Zealand in the position that many dictator states now find themselves in. A Government that will stop at almost nothing to get re-elected and a population that wont be able to have their democratic right to voice opposition and if they do so they could be imprisoned.

New Zealanders as a whole don't seem to be angry about this bill and what it means. They should be. Is it that we just don't care that our democracy will be no longer or are we just too stupid to see what is happening?

Lenin, Marx, Mao and Hitler would have be proud of this bill.

C Darren Rickard 2007




The Herald Editorial

Editorial: Democracy Under Attack

5:00AM Monday November 12, 2007



When is the Government going to get this message: democracy is not a device to keep the Labour Party in power.

Practically every other participant in New Zealand politics - not only parties but other interested organisations and especially guardians of political rights - has voiced concern at the implications of the Electoral Finance Bill introduced to Parliament more than three months ago.

The Human Rights Commission has described the restrictions on election activity as a "dramatic assault" on fundamental rights which "undermines the legitimacy of political processes".

The Law Society says the bill would "make participation in our parliamentary democracy an arduous and perhaps even legally dangerous undertaking for ordinary New Zealanders".

They say this because it would be illegal in election year for any organisation other than a registered political party to spend more than $60,000 (perhaps a couple of full-page advertisements) to publicise a cause that might be deemed political.

In the face of near-universal condemnation, the bill should have been withdrawn. Instead it will be tweaked to dilute some of its worst features. But the attempt to restrict non-party participation in election discussion will remain.

Labour seems determined to use the time it has left to skew electoral laws in its favour.

Not only does it mean to make election debate the preserve of political parties, it has introduced this month a second electoral outrage - a bill to extend the law legalising the use of public money for political purposes that were ruled improper by the Auditor General after the last election.

The Clark Government's refusal to bow to public opinion on this subject beggars belief. It was staggering enough last year that Helen Clark and her lieutenants could not understand why nobody else regarded their electoral pledge card as innocent information.

Now, having grudgingly repaid the public purse, they are hell-bent on giving themselves the right to raid it again.

If these bills become law, politics will be largely confined to registered parties, and they will have to be able to use parliamentary funds for election campaigns.

Both measures are designed to favour the party that has devised them. Labour fears independent campaigns by the likes of the Exclusive Brethren much more than National fears the efforts of the PPTA or the Council of Trade Unions. And Labour believes it needs public money to balance covert contributions to the National Party.

Parties have different advantages. If National has more well-heeled donors, Labour probably has the more committed and articulate foot soldiers.

National's supposed advantages were of less urgent concern to Labour when it was polling well. Now in desperation it wants to screw the scrum. It has succumbed to the old conceit of the Left that the interests of the people are identical with its own.

The interests of any healthy democracy lie in unrestricted debate, not laws that favour incumbents with public finance and suppression of free speech.

If these bills pass, they will be Labour's epitaph.


C NZ Herald 2007

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Desperation by Labour Backfires

Image result for useless labour party 2007 nz

The New Zealand Labour Party is desperate.

2o points down in the polls, an all-time low against this National Opposition, Labour Ministers mired in scandal and political stuff-ups and the Prime Minister Helen Clark and her underlings are in full filth mode trying to dig dirt on John Key. If serious accusations are to be found true then any politician must be harangued , it just so happens that none of the accusations placed at the feet of Key are serious or truthful

While New Zealands financial and political security and economy is on the brink of collapse and looking like it will consume this government and the country with it, all Labour are interested in is hanging onto power any way they can.

Scurrilous accusations have been made against John Key which haven't stuck and in fact they have indeed backfired on the detritus that have pointed the wagging fingers. What is that phrase again about glass houses and stones?

The energy being put in by Labour to discredit the National Opposition would be better used to govern the nation out of its present sliding fortunes. On second thoughts it might be better for NZ inc if Labour didn't try to "help" us, things always get worse when they intervene!

To simply ignore the mayhem surrounding them though is a crime that should be punished by an early election and a solid beating of the government reminiscent of what David Benson Pope used to dish out to his pupils while he was a teacher at a Tauranga High School.

Labours thrust at another term in office has them ignoring the basic issues a government is elected to do. We have the highest interest rates in the developed world, hospitals unable to cope with patients, finance companies losing almost $2 Billion dollars so far, government Ministers and bureaucrats involved in corruption and cover-ups, crime at at an all-time high, education standards slipping, record numbers of Kiwis leaving the country while questionable immigrants flood in unabated and a continuing lust to curb our freedoms by Labours lap dogs in parliament, Winston Peters, Sue Bradford and the usual hangers on.

Perhaps the biggest lunge at power lust by Labour is the introduction of a a contentious bill to parliament that will make it almost impossible for detractors of the Government to criticise them or use money in an election year to advocate against them or for an individual or party that one supports. That includes blogs such as this one. (I will not remain silent though dear readers)

The Electoral Finance Bill would curb advertising by political parties from January 1 of an election year that would cap their electoral spending, while government advertising on programmes like KiwiSaver would be uncapped and able to continue unrestrained. This advantage would also apply to Labour supported interest groups such as left backed organisations like the PPTA and other unions.

This kind of introduced legislation-it hasn't been passed yet-is the kind of law that would be passed by jurisdictions such as Mugabe's Zimbabwe , Stalin's Russia, Mao's China and Hitler's Germany.

The successful passing of this bill and its repercussions on democracy cannot be understated. The main purpose of the bill is to shut down free debate and the ability of the silent majority to elect an alternative government, whatever colour that government might be. It cannot be allowed to pass and any individual in parliament who votes for it must surely hang their heads in shame and perhaps think of packing their bags for a seat in Zimbabwe's Governing dictatorship. Clearly those who vote for such individuals must also question their motives for doing so.

A government whose sole focus seems to be power at any cost and the neglect of the country and those that voted for them in the first place is indeed a sad state of affairs. Regardless of how badly Labour have governed New Zealand over the last 8 years and history will look back and judge this period as one of the blackest since the great depression and more recently Rob Muldoon's tenure in the late 1970s and early 80s, a Governments focus must be on governing the country. It is from the outfall, positive or negative, from a governments running a country that a voters ballot must be judged and cast not the corruption of the democracy by fascist law and filth flinging at opposition.

Either way Helen Clark's Labour Government must be judged and whatever angle one looks at it from , whether it be from Governmental success/failure or unbridled muck raking and various legal/ illegal attempts at remaining in power they have been a dismal failure at both.





c Darren Rickard 2007