The Mainland Report - 'Commonsense in Action' No. 3, 1 Feb 2003
Welcome to the first Mainland Report for 2003. I hope you have had a wonderful and safe Christmas. This edition is not
only a catch-up from last year but a look at what lies ahead for United Future in the year to come.
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New Criminal Justice research on the way!
Personally, I have been extremely busy over the last few weeks conducting research into a new approach for the criminal
justice system. It has always seemed to me that successive Governments have allocated resources to areas that are the
intellectual flavour of the month all the while neglecting other areas less in currency. It is also evident that what is
required is an inventory of all our programs, a rigorous assessment of them (weeding out those that are the least cost
effective and do not foster best practice outcomes), and taking a more integrated holistic approach.
Some of the areas I have looked into include the role of drugs and alcohol abuse with emphasis on the marijuana debate,
new technologies and offender profiling, prison systems and the newly installed IOM (Integrated Offender Management)
program, City planning and even nutritional deficiencies in youth crime. There is a mountain of information to put
together but I believe it is imperative to structure a coherent and inclusive approach if we are to develop policies
that are equal to the task that lies ahead if we are to ever turn the criminal tide and spare future New Zealanders from
becoming victims. If there are issues you would like to raise please Contact Marc on: marc.alexander@parliament.govt.nz
Marc will be in Blenheim on Saturday 1st of February at the Blues, Brews & BBQ's as a Celebrity Judge. If you're up that way, say hi!
?Christchurch Office; Highlight House,Cnr. Cashel & Manchester Streets, Christchurch.Tel: 374 6804?
Something that all politicians should remember and have as their credo. "The easiest thing in the world is to tell the
truth, then you don't have to remember what you said." Hollywood producer Robert Evans Last Years issues in brief
Thursday, 21 November, 2002
United Future to oppose Progressive Coalition Holiday Bill United Future New Zealand leader, Peter Dunne, today told
the New Zealand Retailers' Association that his party would not be supporting the Member's Bill proposed by the
Progressive Coalition's Matt Robson seeking four weeks' annual leave for all New Zealand workers. After careful
consideration of Mr Robson's Bill, it is our belief that the families of New Zealand will be better served by policies
such as splitting the incomes of breadwinners and child carers for tax purposes, paid parental leave, and by increasing
family support payments," said Mr Dunne. "Nor do we believe that this is the right time to be loading New Zealand
businesses with extra compulsory costs," he said Friday, 6 December 2002
Alexander seeks stronger rules for objectionable videos United Future New Zealand MP, Marc Alexander, is delighted his
Member's Bill strengthening the law concerning classification of films, video and publications has been drawn from the
ballot and will be considered by Parliament early next year.
"The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification (Meaning of Objectionable) Amendment Bill is intended to restore
the original intention of Parliament when it passed the law relating to the meaning of what is 'objectionable'," he
said.
"The original Act gave examples of what might be considered objectionable, but in practice, the courts have been ruling
that those examples, and those examples alone, can be seen as objectionable, meaning much material that does not exactly
conform to the definition have been getting through.
"My Bill will widen the definition so that this further objectionable material will be caught, as Parliament originally
intended. The Bill's objective has the support of the Chief Censor, Bill Hastings," said Mr Alexander.
Tuesday, 10 December 2002
United Future opposes introduction of Supreme Court Bill United Future New Zealand leader, Peter Dunne, announced today
the United Future caucus had decided to oppose the introduction of the Supreme Court Bill, which aims to cut New
Zealand's links to the Privy Council.
"This is a major constitutional change," he said, "and therefore we believe it requires a significant public debate
involving all New Zealanders."
The caucus will ask the Government to postpone the introduction of the Bill for 12 months to allow that debate to take
place. Sunday, 15 December 2002
Blumsky joins board of United Future New Zealand The former Mayor of Wellington, Mark Blumsky, has joined the ten-strong
board of the United Future New Zealand party. Welcoming Mr Blumsky, leader Peter Dunne said "I am delighted with the
high calibre of New Zealanders who are joining us as United Future continues to set new goals for bringing sensible,
thoughtful policies to the business of Government."
Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Reeves joins United Future The former National MP, Graeme Reeves, is the new secretary-treasurer of United Future New
Zealand. Mr Reeves, a Wellington lawyer, was MP for Miramar from 1990 to 1993. He says he's delighted to be joining the
party which he describes as "alive, focussed and intelligent". "I'm very comfortable with United Future's economic
policies and I'm particularly pleased with its social policies, especially the focus on the family," he said.
Q on the Families Commission
What is the Commission's legal structure and status? The commission will be established as an autonomous Crown entity.
How many commissioners will there be? Up to seven commissioners can be appointed including one head Commissioner and a
mix of full-time and part-time Commissioners. Initially two full-time and four part-time commissioners will be
appointed, including the head Commissioner. Multiple Commissioners will effectively reflect the diversity that is
characteristic of families in New Zealand.
When will it open for business?
The Families commission will be established by 1 July 2004. What sort of people does the Government have in mind to be
commissioners? People with a publicly recognised interest in family initiatives. We would like to see Commissioners
reflect a broad cross section of ethnicity, gender and age. What will the Families Commission's relationship be with
other family agencies like the Commissioner for Children, the Retirement Commissioner, CYPFS, Plunket etc? To fulfil its
advocacy function, the Families Commission will need to be responsive to a range of interests associated with families
and family groups. The Families Commission will be required to establish mechanisms to allow it to work effectively
alongside, and receive advice from, the various communities of interest including Maori as tangata whenua, Pacific
peoples and other ethnic and cultural groups, parents including groups representing fathering interests, children and
young people and groups representing their interests, women, service providers, academics, researchers, family law
specialists, employers and so on. What guarantees are there that the Families Commission will not simply duplicate other
agencies' work and add to the bureaucratic labyrinth? It is not intended that the Commission replicate any current
functions. A number of government agencies play a role in the provision of family policy, services, and research but no
agency has a specific role to publicly advocate for families. Therefore the primary function will be to advocate for the
family as a social institution, both at the government level and in the public arena generally. What teeth will the
Families Commission have in enforcing its views about what constitutes family-friendly law? The Families Commission will
be recognised as a key stakeholder on family related issues and the expectation is that Ministers will invite the
Commission to participate in the policy process in that role. What is the scope of the Families Commission? * The
Families Commission will adopt a broad and inclusive approach to families * To act as an advocate for families (being
advocacy for families generically or as social institutions rather than an individual family's particular case or issue)
* Raise awareness of issues affecting families including support of parenting, marriage and committed relationships and
promote informed public discussion * Have a degree of independence from government but be subject to statutory guidance
and have regard to any priorities identified by government.
United Future six months on
Proving that the MMP electoral system can provide stable government has been highlighted by United Future New Zealand
leader, Peter Dunne, as a major achievement by the party in the six months since the voters put eight United MP's into
Parliament at the last election. "It's remarkable to think that just six short months ago, all the pundits and
commentators were writing United Future off as a political force," he said. "Yet today, we can point to a record of
achievement that includes the establishment of a Families Commission that will greatly benefit New Zealand in the
future; the enactment of legislation that will eventually see our transport infrastructure brought into the 21st
century; and the strengthening of the rights of crime victims." "This is a record that many other parties with many more
years in Parliament would be proud to claim. "Perhaps even more importantly, I am very pleased with the role that United
Future has played in allowing the Government to progress its legislative programme and to ensure New Zealanders get the
Government they voted for," said Mr Dunne. "At the same time, United Future has retained the right to assert its own
policies, even where they conflict with the Government's, and the right to lobby the Government strongly and effectively
to moderate its more radical proposals." "We have opposed anti-business moves like the new Occupational Safety and
Health laws, for example." Mr Dunne commented that public support for United Future was growing steadily as middle New
Zealanders, disillusioned by the inadequate extremist options available to them in the current political vacuum,
realised that United Future was providing credible policies of commonsense and intelligent thought, rather than empty
slogans rooted in theory, not reality. "New Zealanders are yearning for moderate, commonsense leadership that gets on
with the job, without resorting to the tired old politics of name-calling, sensationalism, and cheap stunts. "I have no
doubt that the party can continue to grow in public esteem and prominence to become a major long-term player in New
Zealand politics," he said. "Given that we are the party that makes MMP work, I believe we will go from strength to
strength as the New Zealand public realises that stability in Government is a vital ingredient in the social and
economic development of New Zealand," said Mr Dunne.
Re: 1st February "To all our Chinese friends, I wish you a very prosperous and happy New Year!!"- Marc Alexander