Click to enlarge
'Team Kiwi' in Wellington. From left
to right: Renton Maclachlan, Camilia Chin, Gordon Copeland, Rebekah
Clement, Joel Sison

Gordon Copeland Press Release
For Immediate Release
Friday, 26th September 2008

Kiwi Party launches Wellington campaign

The Kiwi Party, a new voice in politics, launched its Wellington
campaign for the 2008 elections at a well attended meeting in Lower
Hutt last evening. Gordon Copeland MP, co-founder of the Party with
former MP Larry Baldock, introduced the Party's candidates for five
of the Wellington metropolitan electorates.

Mr Copeland will again contest Rongotai, with 24 year old Rebekah
Clement as the Party's candidate for Wellington Central. Ohariu will
be contested by Joel Sison, Hutt South by Camilia Chin and Mana by
Renton Maclachlan.

The Party expects to announce its candidates for the Otaki and
Rimutaka electorates in the near future.

The Kiwi Party will campaign strongly for the Party vote. It wants to
stop the criminalisation of good parents by repealing the
anti-smacking law and appoint a Royal Commission to understand and
address the wider causes of family breakdown, family violence, and
child abuse.

Party Leader, Larry Baldock, led and coordinated the collection of
more than 600,000 signatures throughout the length and breadth of New
Zealand in support of these intentions.

As a result a referendum will be held next year so that the voice of
New Zealanders is heard on these important issues.

It is also the Party's policy to reinforce democracy through
regular binding referenda on controversial issues, to raise the
minimum wage to $15 per hour with an offsetting tax credit to
employers, and increase benefit and Super levels to keep pace with the
real cost of living. Importantly it also wants to address the issue of
family breakdown my investing in marriage preparation, marriage and
relationship enrichment, and parenting courses through faith based,
charitable, iwi, and other third sector organisations.

ENDS

The Kiwi Party will:

• Stop the criminalisation of good parents by repealing the anti-smacking law and appoint a Royal Commission to understand and address the wider causes of family breakdown, family violence and child abuse.

• Reinforce our democracy through regular binding referenda on controversial issues.

• Address the social consequences resulting from the Prostitution Reform Act.

• Change the law and practice so that the number of abortions is greatly reduced, and require parental consent prior to under age abortions.

• Raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, with an offsetting tax credit to employers, and increase benefit levels and Super to keep pace with the real cost of living.

• Introduce income splitting for couples with dependent children, and reduce the burden of rates by removing GST.

• Establish a nationwide goal of house purchase affordability at four times the average annual wage.

• Invest in marriage preparation, marriage and relationship enrichment, and parenting courses through faith based, charitable, iwi, and other third sector organisations.

• Recognise parents as being primarily responsible for the education of their children and ensure funding follows the student.

• Raise the drinking age to 20 and establish detox and rehabilitation centres for those struggling with drug and alcohol addictions.

• Put victim's rights, including full restoration for property crime, before criminals’ rights, with no bail, parole, or home detention for violent criminals.

• Ensure patient focused healthcare funding to reduce public hospital waiting lists by utilising both public and private hospital care.

• Protect every family’s recreational hunting and fishing rights, and ban the aerial application of 1080 poison.

• Address injustices occurring in our immigration service and adopt family friendly immigration policies.

• Withdraw from Kyoto, repeal the Emissions Trading Act and direct funding to energy efficiency and alternatives; cleaning waterways; afforestation.

ENDS

© Scoop Media