Christchurch Anti Anti-Smacking Bill March
I went on my first ever protest march yesterday. With 2,000 other brave souls (including several ACT members) I marched through central Christchuch, in the pouring rain, in opposition to Sue bradford's proposed anti-smacking law.
From TV1 News
About 2,000 people packed a rain-soaked Cathedral Square in Christchurch on Wednesday, to protest against the anti-smacking bill which would remove the defence of reasonable force from Section 59 of the Crimes Act.
The crowd marched two city blocks from Victoria Square to the Cathedral shortly after midday, where speeches were delivered by Newstalk ZB's Ali Jones and broadcasters Simon Barnett and Gary McCormack to thunderous applause.
Jones says the issue is bigger than whether to smack or not. He says it is about allowing the average loving New Zealand parent the right to chose how to fairly and reasonably raise their children.
Update
The Labour government is to adopt Bradford's bill as their own. Theoretically this means it could be passed within a few days.
Helen Clark must want that UN job pretty badly to risk her party's future with such unpopular legislation.
From TV1 News
About 2,000 people packed a rain-soaked Cathedral Square in Christchurch on Wednesday, to protest against the anti-smacking bill which would remove the defence of reasonable force from Section 59 of the Crimes Act.
The crowd marched two city blocks from Victoria Square to the Cathedral shortly after midday, where speeches were delivered by Newstalk ZB's Ali Jones and broadcasters Simon Barnett and Gary McCormack to thunderous applause.
Jones says the issue is bigger than whether to smack or not. He says it is about allowing the average loving New Zealand parent the right to chose how to fairly and reasonably raise their children.
Update
The Labour government is to adopt Bradford's bill as their own. Theoretically this means it could be passed within a few days.
Helen Clark must want that UN job pretty badly to risk her party's future with such unpopular legislation.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
3/29/2007 12:54:00 PM
7 Comments:
If Ms Bradford held an electoral seat she could be voted out of office.
Alas this is an classic example of the power of wheeling and dealing under MMP and the power of unelected representatives in a coalition government.
Dirk.
I agree Dirk-MMP is a corrupt system that increases the ability of unaccountable cliques to override our basic liberties.
The photo you have used is of the wellingotn march and the banner says 'repeal'.....hehehe
If the Crusaders lose, you might blame the coach, the players, the field, the weather, the other team - but not the rules of the game. So why blame MMP for the anti-smacking bill?
Murray and Richard-MMP is corrupt because it increases the power of the Party over the MP.
MPs should be accountable to their electorate first and Party second.
MMP by its very nature reverses those priorities.
NZ's leading communists at the time, the Socialist Unity Party was heavily involved in the MMP campaign in 1993.
Why do you think that might have been?
It was because they were a minority party and, like every other minority party, stood no chance under FPP.
OK, people, move along. There's nothing sinister to see here.
Richard
The SUP explicitly promoted MMP as a step towards socialism-which it is.
MMP moves power from the constituencies to the Party's
If state funding comes in, powe will move from the Party's to the state.
Nothing sinister there.
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