INDEPENDENT NEWS

Judge Vindicates ACT Decision Over Huata

Published: Fri 20 Feb 2004 08:42 AM
Judge Vindicates ACT Decision
ACT Leader Richard Prebble said today that he was delighted with the judge's decision that he had acted properly in instituting provisions of the Electoral Integrity Act to remove Mrs Donna Awatere Huata from parliament.
"Mrs Huata's voting against the ACT party had defeated the whole point of having a proportional parliament.
"Under the judgement I am still prevented from delivering my letter to the Speaker to have Mrs Huata ejected until next Thursday. This is to enable her to appeal should she wish. To me the law has always been clear. The Electoral Integrity Act was designed to enable parliament to act quickly. Already Mrs Huata has frustrated the purpose of the legislation for over two months during which time she has felt free to behave like an independent MP.
" The voters elected nine MPs and were entitled to have nine.
"I believe the honourable course for Mrs Huata is to now resign and give up this farce of trying to pretend she has any sort of democratic mandate.
"ACT's next MP on the list, Mr Kenneth Wang, should be sworn in hopefully as soon as next week.
"I was always sure that I was right to first suspend Mrs Huata and then to move for her dismissal," said Mr Prebble.

Next in New Zealand politics

Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track Legislation
By: National Maori Authority
Comprehensive Partnership The Goal For NZ And The Philippines
By: New Zealand Government
Canterbury Spotted Skink In Serious Trouble
By: Department of Conservation
Oranga Tamariki Cuts Commit Tamariki To State Abuse
By: Te Pati Maori
Inflation Data Shows Need For A Plan On Climate And Population
By: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Annual Inflation At 4.0 Percent
By: Statistics New Zealand
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media