INDEPENDENT NEWS

robson-on-politics September 8 2005

Published: Thu 8 Sep 2005 06:16 PM
robson-on-politics September 8 2005
robson-on-politics, a newsletter from Matt Robson MP
Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party
www.progressiveparty.org.nz
Thur 8 Sept 2005
Peters backed major party after TVNZ poll
I'm told by my good source that Mr Peters was happy to renounce the responsibility of government, in favour of Opposition and support on confidence for the Major Party, after a TVNZ poll showing National mysteriously one mile ahead of Labour. Mr Peters may re-consider his position in light of a TV3 poll showing Labour is actually two miles ahead of National, my source tells me.
The late Mr. Lange used to have a saying about "poll-driven fruit-cakes," in reference to the Far Right.
http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=article=2089
Mr Dunne just found time to meet PM
I have a message to the news reporter who was told by the United Future Outdoor Compulsory Tobacco In Your Face At Cafes Party that the Leader, Mr. Dunne, mightn't be able to squeeze into his timetable a space to meet the PM before September 17.
That message to you from UFO HQ was on Monday, after that infamous TVNZ poll. I can inform you now, however, that in the wake of a TV3 poll, the UFO Leader may indeed be able to just fit in a meeting with the PM before polling day after all.
The late Mr. Lange used to have a saying about "poll-driven fruit-cakes," in reference to the Far Right.
http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=article=2084
Further empirical evidence on alcohol law change
Scholar Pierre Bordieu once wrote that societies would benefit if politicians acted more like scholars, and more often. And that is so true in regard to the public health issues that confront us with alcohol.
I am going to be honest here and admit that I have tried to get journalists to go to Don Brash, Rodney Hide and Peter Dunne and ask them why they voted against by Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction Bill. I have tried to get reporters to ask these "conservative" party leaders how come they talk loudly and often about "law and order" and the "evil of drugs," and yet are silent as lambs on our society's biggest single drug and order challenge.
So once again, dear readers, if you have a local Health or Police reporter in your region, please ask them to ask the leaders of United, National and ACT why they oppose practical, evidence-based action to better protect young teenagers and children against those that sell alcohol to them for financial gain.
http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=article=2085
Progressive Policy is evidence-based
Progressive's Sale of Liquor (Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill seeks to raise the alcohol purchasing age to 20 - that is the age you can walk into your local corner licensed dairy and buy alcohol.
It also strengthens provisions relating to the supply of liquor to minors and provides a restriction on TV liquor advertising before 10pm, amongst other things.
Our party is pro-fun, pro-young people. We support and want young people to grow up enjoying a social drink and enjoy going to parties and making friends and our policy is based on the specific, empirical evidence arising from the 1999 decision to radically liberalize alcohol retailing law and to lower the alcohol purchasing age.
http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=article=2083
Cutting Edge conference on alcohol Saturday
On Saturday, I'll be at the Cutting Edge alcohol and drugs conference at the Dunedin Centre, speaking on the issue of alcohol harm including the purchase age. I'll discuss the data from national sting operations on liquor retail outlets, the Otago University research to be published in January on lowering the purchasing age, and increased traffic crash injuries among 15-19 year olds.
National / Exclusive Brethren links are not new
I am surprised to read the Exclusive Brethren are promoting National with a half a million dollar PR campaign considering that that is the same Church that lobbied MPs in the past seeking Two Standards Of Law.
They want to have the power to hire and fire people on the basis of whether they are sufficiently "Christian" as opposed to, I don't know, being Muslim or atheist or Jewish.
A search of Hansard reveals various warm references to the Exclusive Brethren by National MPs. For example this from Lockwood Smith in October last year: “As there are members of the Exclusive Brethren here in the gallery tonight, I want to make it clear that National, likewise, respects their conscientious objection to some of the provisions in this legislation and will also support the amendment to provide for that deeply held belief.”
ENDS

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