Bill Stance ‘concerns Voters’ (Press, 7 June 1986)
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Summary: Bill Stance ‘concerns Voters’ (Press, 7 June 1986)
In Te Atatu electorate, West Auckland, concerns are mounting among voters regarding their MP, Dr Michael Bassett's support for the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. The Coalition of Concerned Citizens revealed that over 74 per cent of the 320 respondents to their questionnaire expressed dissatisfaction with Dr Bassett's voting on the bill. Barry Reed, the coalition's national spokesman, indicated that this information has prompted the group to consider similar questionnaires in other North Island electorates to exert pressure on politicians who backed the bill. The Coalition targeted Te Atatu for their initial survey due to their belief that Dr Bassett, who serves as the Minister of Realty, had diminished the connection between homosexuality and A.I.D.S., which they viewed negatively. The obtained questionnaire was distributed in areas that had previously seen a petition opposing the bill last year, allowing the coalition to assess whether attitudes had shifted among those who originally signed the petition. The results of the questionnaire indicated an even stronger opposition to the bill compared to earlier sentiments expressed in the petition. Specifically, while just over 51 per cent of the 601 people surveyed had signed last year's petition, an additional 35 per cent indicated they would be willing to support a new petition against the bill. This suggests a significant rise in opposition since the earlier campaign. Dr Bassett, who currently enjoys a majority of 4,991 votes in his electorate, faces this escalating dissent, particularly as 11,336 individuals in Te Atatu had signed the petition the previous year, showcasing a substantial portion of the electorate's discontent with his stance on this issue.
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