Dear Friends,

A very remarkable opportunity has come our way to further slow the advance of totalitarianism. The battle for retaining Section 59 in New Zealand did not go well. It seemed to me that most of New Zealand woke up to the reality of it way too late. In other countries the state actually prevents parents from more than smacking…parents cannot even choose the kind of education they give to their own children. That’s what this conference is Spain is all about The time frame is pretty tight and consequently, a bit of financial assistance to the Home Education Foundation is needed to make it happen. See what you think about it at this link: International Home Schoolers’ Leadership Conference

Would you consider joining our call…

Call for Majority of Parliament

To Demand Election Day Referendum

Family First Media Release 25 June 2008
Family First NZ has written to the leaders of National, Act, NZ First, United Future and the two independent MP’s asking that they form a majority and require the anti-smacking Referendum to be held on Election Day.

Under section 22AA (5) of the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act 1993, a Referendum can be scheduled for polling day if the “House of Representatives passes a resolution requiring the indicative referendum to be held on the polling day for the general election.”

“That is an ordinary 50% majority vote,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “ We are therefore calling on National, Act, NZ First, United Future and the two independent MP’s to acknowledge the voice of over 350,000 people and require that the Referendum be held at the most obvious and cost-efficient time of the upcoming election.”

“ Any party that votes against this proposal should have the $10 million that it will cost to do a postal ballot charged against their election expenses ,” says Mr McCoskrie.

“If Sir Robert Muldoon could call a 1984 snap election just four weeks before polling day, and the-then National Government in 1999 take only a week to determine Norm Withers’ petition for a referendum on violent crime would be held on election day, it proves that the Prime Minister’s claim that there is not enough time is a cynical and desparate attempt to sweep the issue under the carpet and undermine democracy.”

If the Prime Minister goes ahead and forces the Governor-General to declare that it be held by postal voting, then the majority of Parliament can still require the voting period to close on the day of the general election - s22AB(6)(b)

“This is second best as it is a completely unnecessary waste of taxpayer money,” says Mr McCoskrie.

JOIN OUR CALL

Email
john.key@parliament.govt.nz
peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz
rodney.hide@parliament.govt.nz
winston.peters@parliament.govt.nz
gordon.copeland@parliament.govt.nz
taito.phillip.field@parliament.govt.nz
pita.sharples@parliament.govt.nz

View the Act: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0101/latest/DLM318489.html

LETTER

We are asking that you form a majority in the House and require the anti-smacking Referendum to be held on Election Day.

Under section 22AA (5) of the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act 1993, a Referendum can be scheduled for polling day if the “House of Representatives passes a resolution requiring the indicative referendum to be held on the polling day for the general election.”

That is a simple 50% majority vote.

We are asking you and your party to acknowledge the voice of over 350,000 people who have signed the petitions and require that the Referendum be held at the most obvious and cost-efficient time of the upcoming election.

If the Prime Minister goes ahead and forces the Governor-General to declare that it be held by postal voting, then the majority of Parliament can still require the voting period to close on the day of the general election – s22AB(6)(b). This is second best as it is a completely unnecessary waste of taxpayer money.

If Sir Robert Muldoon could call a 1984 snap election just four weeks before polling day, and the Government in 1999 could take only a week to determine Norm Withers’ petition for a referendum on violent crime would be held on election day, it proves that the Prime Minister’s claim that there is not enough time is an attempt to sweep the issue under the carpet and undermine democracy.

The ability to get 390,000 signatures on a petition is a major feat in itself. Please help us uphold democracy in New Zealand.

www.familyfirst.org.nz

TAKE ACTION: Email the Prime Minister and John Key demanding that a Referendum be held at the upcoming Election

pm@ministers.govt.nz john.key@parliament.govt.nz

MEDIA RELEASE

23 June 2008

Family First NZ is shocked and angry that the Prime Minister is willing to consider spending over $10 million of taxpayers’ money on the anti-smacking Referendum to be held separately from the upcoming election rather than holding it during the upcoming election, which is the most natural timing for it.

“Helen Clark says that Parliament had spoken on the issue with a near “unanimous mind”. What she fails to say is that both the major parties were ‘whipped’ to vote for the bill, which is highly ironic considering it is the anti-smacking bill,” says Mr McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “The bill would have been dead and buried otherwise, as NZ’ers wanted.”

“She also fails to hear the voice of over 390,000 signatories who oppose the law change and are demanding a Referendum, and the 80%-plus who want the law changed according to latest polls.”

“Unless the PM is holding the election before 23 September, the perfect and most economical time to hold the Referendum is Election day in October or November, and any later timing is simply a cynical attempt to try and prevent the voice of NZ’ers being heard.”

“It would be a sad day for democracy and fairness if that happened.”

ENDS

For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

Tel. 09 261 2426 | Mob. 027 55 555 42

TAKE ACTION: Email the Prime Minister and John Key demanding that a Referendum be held at the upcoming Election
pm@ministers.govt.nz john.key@parliament.govt.nz