27 February 2001
Press Statement
ELECTORAL INTEGRITY BILL INCORPORATES NEW ZEALAND FIRST CONCERNS
CALLS FOR ONE FURTHER CHANGE
The Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First, today said that the inclusion of changes to the Electoral
Integrity Amendment Bill requested by New Zealand First, reflecting our Party’s views and that of the country, had given
the Bill real power to prevent undemocratic, unprincipled party hopping from ever happening again in New Zealand.
“The amendments we have requested in the SOP give the Bill real teeth whereas the Bill initially would simply have had
no affect on party hoppers unless they first wrote to the Speaker signaling their resignation,” said Mr Peters.
Mr Peters said that the New Zealand First Caucus had requested one further change – that Party leaders must have the
support of two thirds of their Caucus, rather than a simple majority, to successfully expel an MP, acting outside party
policies and procedures, from within their ranks.
ENDS