They will not drown out the voice of the people! The Kiwi Party
Press Release
June 23, 2008
Kiwi Party Leader and Tauranga electorate candidate Larry Baldock will today resubmit to the Clerk of the House the
petition calling for a referendum on the Anti-smacking law that was passed by Parliament in May 2007.
The petition was first presented on Feb 29 this year with 324,511 signatures but was deemed to have insufficient valid
signatures after the audit process had been carried out. The required number to force a referendum is 285,027 and the
petition fell short by approx 18,000.
The CIR Petition Act 1993 allows for an extension period of up to 2 months for the petition sponsor to gather further
signatures and then resubmit all the signatures again. The Clerk of The House then conducts a completely new audit
process on a new 1 in 11 sample to determine if a referendum is to be held.
Mr Baldock said he was very confident that they now had sufficient signatures to ensure a referendum goes ahead.
"Over the past 15 months we have collected more than 390,000 signatures all over this country. That means we are now
handing in 100,000 more than required and more than 60,000 new signatures since we first handed the petition in just
over 3 and half months ago.
"Quite frankly I do not know who Sue Bradford, Children’s Commissioner Cindy Kiro, and Barnardos Chief executive Murray
Edridge are trying to kid when they claim that attitudes have changed. I would like to see the supporters of this crazy
ill-conceived law try and collect even 100,000 signatures in support of it, let alone the nearly 400,000 we have
collected, the Kiwi Party leader said.
"Why are these people so afraid of democracy?
In Tauranga last week National Party leader John Key said he was not going to change the law if he became Prime
Minister. In response to a question from the floor, he said that he would only make changes if he saw good parents being
prosecuted.
“Personally I find that most disturbing,” said Mr Baldock. “John Key seems to be catching Parliamentary flu, that
sickness which afflicts so many of our political leaders and causes them to believe they know better than the people who
elected them to their positions of responsibility.
“The only acceptable response to the referendum is for John Key, Helen Clark, Peter Dunne, and Jim Anderton to promise
the people of New Zealand that they will lay aside their personal opinions on the subject of how good parents should
correct their children, and give their solemn commitment to abide by and implement the majority view of the people of
New Zealand.
“Winston Peters, who has held the balance of power for the past three years could have stopped the Bradford Bill in its
tracks. Once again he has showed everyone that he was more interested in enjoying the baubles of office around the
world, than representing good families in need of a voice here at home.
“Our success in collecting these signatures has in part been helped by the fact that many voters have had enough of
being ignored by arrogant politicians. This Bradford anti-smacking law has been the latest example of a blatant
disregard for our democracy as parliament has passed a long line of laws against the will of the majority of New
Zealanders. I am determined not to let them get away with this one,” said Mr Baldock.
ENDS