Family Integrity

Tag: Kiwi Party

  • Petition succeeds- referendum to be held

    The Kiwi Party
    Press Release

    Kiwi Party Leader and CIR Petition organiser Larry Baldock welcomed the news today that the petition has been certified by the Clerk of the House of Representatives to have achieved sufficient signatures to force a referendum on the question, “should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?”

    “This is great news and a huge victory,” said Mr Baldock.

    “It has been a long battle to assert the right of all New Zealanders to be heard on this controversial issue. Quite frankly in a democracy it should not require so much effort. I want to pay tribute to Sheryl Savill who was prepared to put her name to the petition, and the thousands of volunteers that have helped us collect over 390,000 signatures,” Mr Baldock said.

    The clerk of the house has declared that 310,000 signatures were certified as valid.

    This means there were over 25 000 more signatures than the 285 027 required by the CIR Act 1993 to force a referendum.

    “The referendum should be held at this year’s election. None of the reasons being given by the Prime Minister for delaying it make any sense at all, and are simply a tactic for her to try and avoid this being an election issue. She will not drown out the voice of the people and should realise there is no point further angering everyone by delaying the inevitable.

    “Justice delayed is justice denied, Prime Minister. 110 MPs should never have ignored 80% of the population in the first place, and the right thing to do now is to let every Kiwi have their say as quickly as possible.

    “The Kiwi Party have made it our number one priority to ensure that voice of the people in this referendum is respected. There is ample evidence that good mums and dads are now being prosecuted by this new law, while there is no evidence that it has led to any reduction in the real child abuse we are all concerned about,” said Mr Baldock.

    Ends

    Contact Larry Baldock
    021864833

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz

  • Kiwi Party leader outlines first five pledges.

    Addressing his party’s annual conference today, party leader Larry Baldock announced their first five priorities for action they would be working on after the election.

    “Our number one priority is of course to stop the criminalisation of good parents by repealing the anti-smacking law. This has to be the most anti-family socially destructive legislation parliament has passed in a long while. Completing the petition to force a referendum was always only going to be the first stage of the battle,” said Mr Baldock

    “It is simply not good enough for John Key to say he supports the peoples’ right to have their voice heard in a referendum without committing his Government to abide by the result.

    “In fact when National’s leader John Key announced their pledge of 10 policy items at their conference last weekend not a single one of them addresses any of the social engineering Labour has forced upon the nation in the past 6 -9 years.

    National surely is the party to maintain the status quo, easy she goes, don’t rock the boat.
    It is essential therefore that the Kiwi party is able to exercise influence over National after this years election if voters want to see the social engineering of Labour repealed.

    “Our message to the voters in this election is this, give the Kiwi party your support on Election Day and the Bradford anti-smacking law will be gone by lunchtime. Once the law has been repealed we must then get serious about the nations child abuse by appointing a Royal Commission  to understand and address the wider causes of family breakdown, family violence and child abuse in response to the more than 300, 000 kiwis that signed our petition on this matter.

    “Then we must restore our democracy by ensuring that we can have binding referenda on controversial issues. It must never happen again that more than 90% of our elected representatives could ignore 80% of the population ever again……….

    Contact Larry Baldock
    Party Leader
    021864833

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz

  • Kiwi Party Outlines Plans for Changes to Referenda Law

    Embargoed till 11AM August 9th.

    Announcing the results of the audit on the petition to force a referendum on the ‘Anti-smacking’ law, party leader Larry Baldock also outlined The Kiwi Party’s pledge to make changes to the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act (CIR) at its National Conference this weekend in Auckland.

    “We are now certain to have a referendum which is great news. The audit carried out on the more than 390,000 signatures collected and handed in to parliament on 23rd June, has given sufficient valid signatures to assure the referendum should proceed as planned. The Government Statistician now has until 23rd August to complete their final analysis of the results before the Clerk delivers the verdict to the Speaker of the House. Based on the Chief Electoral Officer’s audit, I am very confident we will have succeeded. It has been a huge task and I am relieved that this stage of our fight against this undemocratic and stupid law is now over.” Mr Baldock said

    “The Kiwi Party would make three changes to the current arrangements for Referenda:

    “Decrease to 5% of the electoral role the requirement needed to force a referendum.  The current rate of 10% is too high and why so few ever succeed, and probably the way the National and Labour parties like it to be. While 42 CIR petitions have been started, only three have been completed in the past 14 years. Confirmation of the referendum on the ‘Anti-smacking’ law would be the fourth.

    “Make referenda binding when they concern legislation already passed by Parliament.

    “In the future, make all Private Members Bills subject to referenda before becoming law.

    “It is of course disappointing that the Prime Minister is afraid to hold the referendum at the election, but her actions will only delay the inevitable.

    “To ensure this referendum is respected it is essential that The Kiwi Party receives the support of those concerned about the Government trying to tell parents how to raise their children. We have a message to the good parents of New Zealand. Give the Kiwi Party your vote at this year’s election, and once the result of the referendum is known, we pledge to make sure it is gone by lunchtime.” Mr Baldock said.

    Ends

    Contact
    Larry Baldock Party Leader

    021864833

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz

  • Larry Baldock: National have no intention of repealing s59

    Hi everyone.

    Recent comments reported in the media by John key have made it abundantly clear that National have no intention of repealing Sue Bradford’s anti-smacking law.

    National’s call for the referendum to be held at the election so New Zealanders can have their say is meaningless if they are not prepared to listen and respond to the result of the referendum.

    You will recall I said very clearly that if we want to see the law changed it is essential that the Kiwi party hold the balance of power after this election.

    In less than 4 months New Zealand will hold a general election and we have much to do to prepare the Kiwi Party for a successful result.

    The good news is that we have come along way in the five months since our registration with the Electoral Commission was finalised.  Regional conferences have been held in eight cities and Kiwi Party committees have been established and are preparing for action in the coming months.

    The Party now has over 1000 members. At every meeting where we have the opportunity to present what the Kiwi Party stands for we find an almost 100% positive response from those who attend.

    National Conference
    In just over two weeks we will hold our Kiwi Party National conference in Auckland on Aug 9 at the Ellislie Racecourse.

    We have an exciting line up of speakers from within the party and invited guests. You can register directly on line.

    Nationwide Protest
    We are discussing the potential for launching a campaign to protest the Prime Ministers disregard for democracy by not holding the referendum at the election. We are formulating plans and will advise you shortly. I am keen to hear from anyone who would be interested in helping organise a protest gathering in your city or town.

    Warm regards,

    Larry Baldock
    Kiwi Party Leader.

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz

  • Larry Baldock: “You will not drown out the voice of the people”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/eveningstandard/4610385a6502.html

    Kiwi Party singles out drugs, booze

    By GRANT MILLER – Manawatu Standard | Monday, 07 July 2008

    Random drug-testing in schools, violent criminals losing any right to parole and increasing the penalty for class A drug manufacture and distribution to the same as murder are the planks of a hardline law and order policy from the Kiwi Party.

    “Those profiting from the manufacture and sale of class A drugs are murderers in my opinion,” party leader Larry Baldock said at a regional conference in Palmerston North.

    The maximum penalty for importing, manufacturing or supplying class A drugs is already life imprisonment, however.

    Conspiring to supply class A drugs carries a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.

    Mr Baldock said drug and alcohol abuse was at the root of much of the nation’s crime.

    “Our young people need a strong message to encourage them to make the right choices with regards to binge drinking and drug usage,” he said.

    “Random testing would help identify those in need of help and make it clear that we do not intend to stand idly by while they waste their youth and potential. . .”

    A World Health Organisation report found that 42 percent of New Zealanders had used cannabis.

    Mr Baldock, who had himself used cannabis, said it nearly ruined him.

    Lowering the drinking age from 20 to 18 was a mistake, he said.

    People alleged to have committed violent offences should not be eligible for bail and violent criminals would not get parole or home detention.

    Hail pelted the region in the hours before the conference and the weather was freezing throughout the day.

    “For hardy folk like yourselves, it’s a summer’s day really, isn’t it?” party president and emcee Frank Naea joked at the Palmerston North Convention Centre.

    Mr Baldock, who led efforts to bring about a referendum on smacking, said the Kiwi Party was not a single-issue party, though repealing anti-smacking legislation had been its top priority.

    “Parents should be able to raise their children without the fear of the police turning up at the door,” he said.

    “Helen Clark, Sue Bradford, Peter Dunne, John Key – you will not drown out the voice of the people.”

    The Christian-based party played clips from the Amazing Grace movie, which depicted anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce presenting 390,000 signatures – roughly the same number collected against anti-smacking legislation.

    Mr Baldock was frosty about the prime minister’s record of “social engineering”.

    He said Miss Clark’s agenda of “humanism, socialism and secularism” undermined traditional Kiwi values exemplified by Sir Edmund Hillary.

    The Kiwi Party hoped anger over anti-smacking legislation would translate into votes for the party at this year’s election.

    Mr Baldock said he believed the party could cross the 5 percent threshold needed to earn representation in Parliament – or that he could win the Tauranga electorate.

    If successful, the party would not support Labour.

    It would also “make sure National does not return to the harsh social policies of the 1990s”.

    People wanted to get rid of Labour but they were “not really that stoked about National”.

  • Key calls for smacking referendum

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/10790/key-calls-smacking-referendum?page=0%2C1

    National leader John Key says if campaigners get enough support to force a referendum on so-called smacking laws, the referendum should be held at this year’s election.

    Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday indicated a referendum was unlikely to be held at this year’s election, even if campaigners had enough signatures on their petition, because of the organisation it would take to stage a referendum.

    Campaigners yesterday handed in their second attempt at a petition to force a referendum on the issue.

    Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock handed over more than 390,000 signatures backing the call for a referendum on the question: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand.” The Office of the Clerk in Parliament has two months to check the petition is signed by 10 percent of registered voters or around 290,000 valid signatures.

    If the threshold is met, the Government would have one month to name a date for a referendum.

    Mr Baldock is hoping it would coincide with this year’s election, but the Government can delay any vote on the issue for up to a year.

    Asked yesterday why it could not be held alongside the election, which must be held by November 15, Miss Clark replied: “Just in terms of sheer organisation, I do not think that is possible.” But Mr Key today told reporters that if the campaigners have the numbers, it should be held at the election this year.

    “Well, the referendum should take place at the general election in 2008 and quite frankly the behaviour of the prime minister smacks of arrogance and wasteful behaviour,” he said.

    The legislation, which was drafted by Green MP Sue Bradford, amended section 59 of the Crimes Act to remove the defence of reasonable force for parents who physically discipline their children.

    National supported the legislation after an amendment gave police discretion to judge whether a reported offence warranted prosecution.

    Mr Key said his position on the child discipline legislation was clear.

    “But this is about democracy, the right of people to be heard and it’s the absolute height of arrogance that the prime minister is going to use a technicality within the law to circumvent people’s rights to express their views on the issue.” It could take up to two months to check off the signatures on the petition but “ultimately it’s about putting on the ballot paper at election time a pretty straightforward question”.

  • 390,000+ signatures

    Re-Presentation to Parliament of Petition against the ‘anti-smacking/anti-correction law’. June 23rd, 2008.

    390,000+ signatures

  • New report shows police are wasting their time

    Kiwi Party Leader and organiser of the petition for a referendum on the Anti-smacking law said the new law is simply wasting the police’s time.

    The Prime Minister has claimed that the police report proves nothing much has changed. “In part I agree with her,” said Mr Baldock.

    The police report does not reveal any improvement in the prosecution of real child abusers. The category of other child assaults for the past three months has remained at about the same level as it was for the three months prior to the new law.

    What has changed though, and this very dramatically, is the number of police call outs to smacking and minor acts of physical discipline. In the three months prior to the law their were a combined total of 13 for these two categories. In the last 3 months this has risen to 41.

    The report confirms this when it states, “The current review period volume of 13 child assault events involving “smacking” and 65 of the total 69 “minor acts of physical discipline” events were determined to be “inconsequential” by either the attending and/or investigating Police Officer, and therefore not in the public interest to prosecute.”

    That means 82 call outs for only 3 pending prosecutions and one dealt with by diversion.

    No wonder the police don’t have time to attend call outs on real crime.

    “The police should not be required to monitor parental activity. They should be monitoring the crime syndicates operating through gangs that are dealing in drugs, prostitution and violent assaults on innocent shop keepers and home invasion victims,” said Mr Baldock.

    “When the Prime Minister claims that the law is working and not affecting good parents, she of course does not have any understanding of the traumatic experience good parents are experiencing when the police turn up at their door to investigate what their own report says ‘are inconsequential minor acts of discipline.’

    “The anti-smacking law was not needed and the sooner it is repealed the better,” said the Kiwi Party leader.

    Ends
    Contact

    Larry Baldock
    Party Leader
    Phone: 021 86 4833
    Email: l.baldock@xtra.co.nz