Over the last few weeks there have
been three subtle but deliberate moves from New Zealand First which, while on
the face of it are apparently unrelated, nonetheless, when taken together
amount to a significant attempt to limit diversity and debate in New Zealand.
In their own way, each is consistent with that Party's long held, unstated ambition of returning New Zealand to
the type of insular, homogeneous, conformist
society it was in the days when Rob's Mob held sway.
The so-called "waka
jumping" legislation came first. Ostensibly, this legislation is about upholding the electoral will of the
people by preventing MPs who leave their parties during the Parliamentary term
from remaining in the House, and so preserving the electoral status quo. In
reality, the initiative has two real objectives: first, straightjacketing New
Zealand First MPs from rebelling and splitting from the party, as an earlier
bunch did when the 1996-98 coalition with National blew asunder; and, second,
preventing National from establishing a new support partner by mandating one or
more of its current MPs to split off to establish such a party.
But it also has a more sinister
aspect. It makes the party leader all powerful in terms of a party's MPs. As
the New Zealand First leader is now the dominant leader of the government, it
effectively makes all government MPs responsible to him, not their own parties
and most certainly not the electorate which elected them. The chilling
consequence of this is that it effectively stamps out all prospect of serious
internal dissent, or even debate, and the expression of alternative political
views. MPs will therefore be reduced to the status of mere ciphers, pallidly
toeing the party line, and eschewing any independence or diversity.
Yet our Parliament is not called the
House of Ciphers, nor the House of Delegates. It is properly and deliberately
titled the House of Representatives, where MPs are expected to debate
fearlessly and without prejudice the issues of the day. (Indeed, one of the
first steps every new Speaker takes is to symbolically lay claim to the rights
and privileges of Members to do so.) The "waka jumping"
legislation is a clear constraint on the ability of MPs to do their job and
represent their constituents effectively, as well as on the conscience of MPs
to leave their party if they feel it has moved in a direction they can no
longer support, and to leave it to the electorate to judge them at the next
election.
Then, at their party conference at
the weekend, New Zealand First members supported a proposed Bill to require new
migrants to sign up to a set of pre-determined New Zealand values, and
presumably be required to leave the country or forfeit their residence status
if they will not do so, or breach them subsequently. This has eerie overtones
of dark, earlier times when countries have attempted to impose national values
on a population and exclude those who failed to comply, and is a direct affront
to modern, diverse, tolerant New Zealand. In fact, the only requirement we
should impose on new residents is the one we impose on ourselves - to abide at
all times by the rule of law. In a democratic society, there is no place for
the state attempting to define or legislate the values of that society, save
for the universal right to freedom of belief and expression.
Now, this week, New Zealand First is
speculating about changing the electoral system by "reviewing" (in
reality, tightening) some of the threshold requirements in particular. That
immediately raises the point that changes to electoral law should come at the
behest of the public, not be driven by any particular political party. So
people should be extremely wary of the real motives of politicians abruptly and
arbitrarily promoting changes to the way MPs are elected. Moreover, any changes
should err on the side of extending the opportunities for the representation of
diverse political views, rather than limiting them.
Taken together, limiting the ability
of MPs to speak out and challenge their party leaders if they feel they are
wrong; tightening up the electoral system to make the representation of
minority views more difficult; and, then defining the values new residents are
expected to uphold are a comprehensive assault on the underpinnings of the
tolerant, diverse, liberal society we take for granted. They should be
rejected, completely, loudly and immediately.
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