Representative means what?

The Kiwi Party
Press Release
13 Aug, 2010

What english dictionary are they using in our House of Representatives?

Op Ed, by Larry Baldock
Leader of the Kiwi Party.

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word representative as “a person who has been chosen to speak or vote for somebody else or on behalf of a group.”
So what is it our elected ‘representatives’ don’t understand about speaking and voting for somebody else or on our behalf?

Their reluctance yet again to carry out the wishes of the vast majority of Kiwis, concerned about the devastation caused by alcohol abuse in this country, is just another example in a long list of issues our ‘representatives’ refuse to act upon on our behalf. I would be the first to agree that dealing with alcohol is not all about a zero blood alcohol level while driving. Given the amount of alcohol being consumed and its easy availability, it could even be a pointless gesture if it was not connected with implementing all the other important recommendations of the Law Commission Review.

Take the drinking age for example. Even before the lowering of the drinking age in 1999 there was strong opposition to that foolish move, and for many years now there has been a clear majority of NZ voters calling for it to be raised again.
Sadly, however, no one can seriously entertain any hope that this Government, on its current track record, will do the right thing and stand up to the powerful alcohol lobby.

We were told the Government was prepared to look at mining in a tiny percentage of the Conservation Estate, land that belongs to all New Zealanders and that could release an estimated $100 billion of export potential to help improve the financial prospects of ordinary Kiwis. But no, our representatives caved in very quickly to another powerful lobby just because they are capable of organising and funding public campaigns.

Mining in the Conservation Estate, the Anti-smacking legislation, the Emissions Trading Scheme, micro chipping of dogs, the abolition of the right of appeal to the Privy Council, the signing up to UN Declarations and agreements… and the list goes on concerning issues that we all as New Zealanders should have the right to decide on for ourselves by binding referenda, especially when our elected representatives no longer seriously represent us.

There is no point hoping, that even on the rare occasion of MPs being given a conscience vote, we will see any better outcomes. Helen Clerk was a master at working behind the scenes on so-called conscience issues so that she was confident there were enough votes to pass her social engineering agenda while maintaining the pretext of free conscience voting. It now seems that her successor was a diligent student of hers while he sat on the other side of the house and watched.

Latest polling results show a majority dissatisfied with our current electoral system, much of which stems from the almost universally held belief by voters that our politicians will ignore those who voted them into power once they take their privileged seats in the House of Representatives.

Let’s face it, any system of government that allows the rejection of 84% of the expressed will of the people cannot be called representative in anyone’s estimation. Until we fix that problem we will continue to be dissatisfied with our democracy, no matter what issue is being debated in the public square.
ends

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