Family Integrity

Tag: Democracy

  • Commonwealth suspends Fiji – John Key listen to the people of NZ!!!

    Will it come to this in New Zealand!!!

    John Key listen to the nearly 90% of New Zealanders who say “No” to the Government interfering in our lives.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/2824743/Commonwealth-suspends-Fiji

    Commonwealth suspends Fiji

    Last updated 07:01 02/09/2009

    Fiji has automatically been suspended from the 53-nation Commonwealth, after it failed to respond to a demand to begin restoring democracy to the island nation.

    The Commonwealth had demanded that the South Pacific island nation meet conditions – such as resuming a dialogue with opposition groups and holding early elections – by midnight local time, or face suspension.

    The Commonwealth says Fiji responded to the request by the deadline, but it did not meet all of the group’s requirements.

    Fiji has been under military rule since self-appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, the country’s armed forces chief, seized power in a 2006 coup. His government had promised elections earlier this year.

    The country had been previously suspended from the Commonwealth in 2000, and was expelled in 1987 for ten years.

    – AP

  • Democracy in danger?

    The Kiwi Party
    Press Release

    “The final results announced yesterday by the Chief Electoral Office show that more New Zealanders took part in the Smacking referendum than the 1992 MMP referendum,” said Kiwi Party Leader Larry Baldock.

    Compare smacking referendum with MMP referendum

    Smacking Referendum
    56.09%  took part
    87.40%  voted NO

    MMP  Referendum Sept 1992
    55%  took part
    85%  voted for change

    Following the MMP referendum, Labour leader Mike Moore said “The people didn’t speak on Saturday, they screamed.”

    “As a nation we changed our voting system with less of a mandate than was given to our politicians last Friday.

    “Instead of sending troops to Afghanistan to fight for democracy, maybe we should send them to Wellington!

    “Instead of Fiji being suspended from the Pacific Forum,for ignoring the Democratic will of the people, perhaps New Zealand should be suspended…..?”

    Ends

    Contact Larry Baldock
    021864833

  • Test of Democracy In Parliament Today

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00346.htm

    MEDIA RELEASE

    27 August 2008

    Test of Democracy In Parliament Today

    Family First NZ says that there will be a test in Parliament today of whether NZ is a democracy that represents the voice of New Zealanders.

    Independent MP Gordon Copeland is seeking the leave of the House for a debate on a motion that the House recommends to the Government that that anti-smacking referendum be held at the same time as the General Election. (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.” A postal vote can also close on Election day.)

    “That is an ordinary 50% majority vote in the House,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “We are therefore calling on all politicians to acknowledge the voice of 310,000 signatories to the petition and require that the Referendum be held at the most obvious and effective time of the upcoming election.”

    In a recent online poll by TVNZ, 81% of the 4624 voters said that the referendum should be held at the same time as the election.

    “The excuses presented in the Cabinet briefing paper simply don’t stack up,” says Mr McCoskrie. “The paper acknowledges that better organisation such as separate ballot boxes and colour coding would solve many of the problems experienced in 1999.”

    “It is also an insult to voters to suggest that voters would be confused by an extra question in the ballot box. Voters have been able to grasp the far more difficult MMP voting process,”

    Family First NZ is also disappointed that the Deputy Prime Minister Dr Michael Cullen yesterday refused to allow acknowledgement of the huge effort put in by organisers of the two petitions on this issue which obtained more than 600,000 signatures. (The second petition fell just short of the required numbers).

    “Democracy is defined as being where the people have a voice through their elected representatives. Today will be a test of whether we do live in a democracy,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

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

  • FI414-FAMILY FIRST – Please join our call

    26 June 2008 – Family Integrity #414 — FAMILY FIRST – Please join our call

    Dear Friends,
    Let me encourage you to please join this call to get some MPs to force the referendum to go though at the same time as the election in November.
    There are only 7 MPs to email. A sample letter of what to say and the email addresses are all reproduced below.
    Thanks a million.
    Regards,
    Craig Smith
    National Director
    Family Integrity
    Ph: (06) 357-4399
    Fax: (06) 357-4389
    Family.Integrity@xtra.co.nz
    http://    www.FamilyIntegrity.org.nz

    Our Home….Our Castle
    25 Jun 2008

    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