Murray Edridge, Chief Executive of Barnardos New Zealand, has called on Sheryl Savill, the instigator of the petition that gathered over 300,000 signatures to pull the referendum, and "save" the country 9 million dollars.
Over 300,000 signatures makes for a compelling reason to proceed with a referendum. Actually, it's the law. Asking Savill to can the referendum disrespects all those people that signed. They signed to force the issue. They signed to ask the question.
It might be 9 million dollars, Mr Edridge, but it's tax payer dollars - it came largely from the pockets of those signatories. Let your taxes fund those pointless alcohol advertisements. You are actually telling us to save OUR money, not yours and not the government's.
Anyway, it's not Savill's referendum. She did it for the people of NZ, well, at least over 300,000 of them. It belongs to the people.
Remember that Murray Edridge.
If democracy is not as important as money, will we see Mr Edridge suggest we cancel the next general elections?
That would save huge amounts of money - perhaps hundreds of millions!
Maybe John Key can announce in advance he's not going to pay any attention to the outcome of the elections anyway...that's what he's already decided about this referendum.
Let's tell him what we think anyway.
The question is NOT "Should smacking be discouraged?"
The question is NOT "Should child abuse be illegal?"
The question is NOT "Can a judge recognise unreasonable force if it hits him on the head?"
The question actually is not any of those things.
It comes pretty close to "Should smacking be illegal?"
If the people of New Zealand agree with the politicians, who made a change to section 59 and made ALL forms of discipline technically illegal, do we round up and jail their parents first? At the very least, the Police need to investigate each and every one of them. Starting with Sue Bradford's folks.
And let's not make this about money. You've already cheapened democracy enough with your little outburst.
Barnados wants to save some of OUR money for us
Family First offer them that chance
UPDATE: Looks like I've disagreed with Murray Edridge before - Barnardos Put Politics First
Over 300,000 signatures makes for a compelling reason to proceed with a referendum. Actually, it's the law. Asking Savill to can the referendum disrespects all those people that signed. They signed to force the issue. They signed to ask the question.
It might be 9 million dollars, Mr Edridge, but it's tax payer dollars - it came largely from the pockets of those signatories. Let your taxes fund those pointless alcohol advertisements. You are actually telling us to save OUR money, not yours and not the government's.
Anyway, it's not Savill's referendum. She did it for the people of NZ, well, at least over 300,000 of them. It belongs to the people.
Remember that Murray Edridge.
If democracy is not as important as money, will we see Mr Edridge suggest we cancel the next general elections?
That would save huge amounts of money - perhaps hundreds of millions!
Maybe John Key can announce in advance he's not going to pay any attention to the outcome of the elections anyway...that's what he's already decided about this referendum.
Let's tell him what we think anyway.
The question is NOT "Should smacking be discouraged?"
The question is NOT "Should child abuse be illegal?"
The question is NOT "Can a judge recognise unreasonable force if it hits him on the head?"
The question actually is not any of those things.
It comes pretty close to "Should smacking be illegal?"
If the people of New Zealand agree with the politicians, who made a change to section 59 and made ALL forms of discipline technically illegal, do we round up and jail their parents first? At the very least, the Police need to investigate each and every one of them. Starting with Sue Bradford's folks.
And let's not make this about money. You've already cheapened democracy enough with your little outburst.
Barnados wants to save some of OUR money for us
Family First offer them that chance
UPDATE: Looks like I've disagreed with Murray Edridge before - Barnardos Put Politics First