Have read that one doesn't even need a referendum. Parliament can delete maori seats by removing one clause in the electoral Act. Unfortunately Luxflakes doesn't have the balls to try this.
You're right. There's no point if it's not binding.
The challenge will be to get enough New Zealanders to even understand that the seats are no longer fit for the purpose they were created for in the first place. That means thinking for themselves and not just blindly voting against it because they wrongly believe it's a racist concept to drop those seats.
It will be the foot stampers, the drama creators, the forever victims with their distorted perspectives, those stuck so deep in past grievances who'll get the biggest voice...they always do, by design.
They will want to shut down any conversation before it's even started.
That's the challenge...to get all sides heard. It seems to be the biggest challenge with the New Zealand public, they seem so easily swayed by the drama queen/king meltdown hissy-fit thrower mobs...they'll be more concerned about validating the feelings of the tanty-throwers than making a decision that's best for all of us. I don't know how you can fix that mentality.
Winston is on to it but must be a binding referendum with a clear outcome process attached to it and if the vote comes out on the retaining side so be it .If it results in abolishment ,well that’s what the citizens want regardless of the inevitable pre and post the referendum.Luxon and Seymour need to read the room ,commit and let the voters decide
Why wait for a referendum. Surely NZF , ACT can persuade weak Luxon this is what the country needs. Imagine the votes Luxon would get back if he shows he has some balls. He lost 6 votes in my family at the last election because none of us trusted him. Has anything changed ?
New Zealand getting rid of the Maori seats in Parliament, would be the first step towards this country working together again, as one people. It can't happen soon enough.
The current Maori Party has been the gift that keeps on giving. NZFirst and Act hopefully will saturate the populace with the record of their outrageous and ridiculous claims and agenda (Including the claim now deleted from their website that Maori are genetically superior to other races) should sway many voters.
"Māori are not shut out of power. Māori MPs sit in every major party. Māori ministers have held major portfolios. Māori candidates win general electorates. Plenty have got in on merit, and Māori are over represented more than ever, which makes the claim that separate seats are still required harder to defend."
That is absolutely the key point and MPs in the coalition must be lobbied hard. I'm talking of course about the squishy, wet, Labour-lite, party of the status quo - National.
If they won't play ball or are fence sitting on this issue, then they do not deserve your party vote on election day.
Change the legislation and dump them now. Binding or not, just imagine how much worse the next three years will be with the people in these seats knowing they have nothing to lose from as much rort and disruption as they deliver?
Winston has been down this road before. He promises change “if you vote me in”… then Nada/Nothing/Zip. I don’t understand how his dyed in the wool voters don’t remember this.
I absolutely agree these seats should be removed. Yes, this coalition could do it, but if it’s a binding referendum and we the citizens vote to have them removed, then the likes of Labour (or National) can’t (or at least should NOT) turn around and bring them back.
But then again. Nothing would surprise me these days with politicians who completely ignore the voti g public. B’stards the lot of them!
Well said Matua. It MUST be binding.
If it isn’t binding, it’ll be a waste of time and money for everyone.
And while hes at it he can make english an official language of New Zealand!
Have read that one doesn't even need a referendum. Parliament can delete maori seats by removing one clause in the electoral Act. Unfortunately Luxflakes doesn't have the balls to try this.
We don't need a referendum. A parliamentary change has already been debated for decades, and it's certainly faster and cheaper to just do it.
What a current Parliament has changed, can be changed again by a future parliament.
A case for making the change a Entrenched provision perhaps?
You're right. There's no point if it's not binding.
The challenge will be to get enough New Zealanders to even understand that the seats are no longer fit for the purpose they were created for in the first place. That means thinking for themselves and not just blindly voting against it because they wrongly believe it's a racist concept to drop those seats.
It will be the foot stampers, the drama creators, the forever victims with their distorted perspectives, those stuck so deep in past grievances who'll get the biggest voice...they always do, by design.
They will want to shut down any conversation before it's even started.
That's the challenge...to get all sides heard. It seems to be the biggest challenge with the New Zealand public, they seem so easily swayed by the drama queen/king meltdown hissy-fit thrower mobs...they'll be more concerned about validating the feelings of the tanty-throwers than making a decision that's best for all of us. I don't know how you can fix that mentality.
Tina: “I don’t know how you can fix that mentality”… You can’t fix stupid, it seems.
Winston is on to it but must be a binding referendum with a clear outcome process attached to it and if the vote comes out on the retaining side so be it .If it results in abolishment ,well that’s what the citizens want regardless of the inevitable pre and post the referendum.Luxon and Seymour need to read the room ,commit and let the voters decide
Unfortunately Winston is just politicing. He hasnt said it was a binding referendum that I have seen. Shame on him if its not. :o(
And also make sure cheating isnt involved like it was with the tpb absolutely shocking
Why wait for a referendum. Surely NZF , ACT can persuade weak Luxon this is what the country needs. Imagine the votes Luxon would get back if he shows he has some balls. He lost 6 votes in my family at the last election because none of us trusted him. Has anything changed ?
New Zealand getting rid of the Maori seats in Parliament, would be the first step towards this country working together again, as one people. It can't happen soon enough.
The current Maori Party has been the gift that keeps on giving. NZFirst and Act hopefully will saturate the populace with the record of their outrageous and ridiculous claims and agenda (Including the claim now deleted from their website that Maori are genetically superior to other races) should sway many voters.
"Māori are not shut out of power. Māori MPs sit in every major party. Māori ministers have held major portfolios. Māori candidates win general electorates. Plenty have got in on merit, and Māori are over represented more than ever, which makes the claim that separate seats are still required harder to defend."
That is absolutely the key point and MPs in the coalition must be lobbied hard. I'm talking of course about the squishy, wet, Labour-lite, party of the status quo - National.
If they won't play ball or are fence sitting on this issue, then they do not deserve your party vote on election day.
Change the legislation and dump them now. Binding or not, just imagine how much worse the next three years will be with the people in these seats knowing they have nothing to lose from as much rort and disruption as they deliver?
Winston has been down this road before. He promises change “if you vote me in”… then Nada/Nothing/Zip. I don’t understand how his dyed in the wool voters don’t remember this.
I absolutely agree these seats should be removed. Yes, this coalition could do it, but if it’s a binding referendum and we the citizens vote to have them removed, then the likes of Labour (or National) can’t (or at least should NOT) turn around and bring them back.
But then again. Nothing would surprise me these days with politicians who completely ignore the voti g public. B’stards the lot of them!