This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.
Summary: Peters Backs Conscience Vote (Press, 17 April 1989)
On 17 April 1989, Winston Peters, the Opposition spokesman on employment and Maori affairs, proposed the idea of using public referendums to decide crucial issues in Parliament, such as the A.N.Z.U.S. membership. Speaking to the Otumoetai Church congregation in Tauranga, Peters stated that it was time to reassess the relationship between the public and politicians, emphasising that the current political system favours politicians over ordinary citizens. He expressed concern that politicians tend to be "very wary of democracy," suggesting that some see public engagement as only appropriate every three years during elections. Peters' comments followed an announcement by the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, regarding the decision to not hold a referendum on proportional representation in the upcoming election. While Peters' referendum proposal was not officially party policy, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger, acknowledged that the matter had been discussed within the National Party's caucus, particularly by MP Graeme Lee, although he refrained from offering a personal opinion on the concept. Peters highlighted the Homosexual Law Reform Act as an instance where public opinion was largely overlooked, having received significant opposition through an 800,000-signature petition. He asserted that the public should have the right to determine issues on which conscience votes occur in Parliament, suggesting that a more direct involvement from citizens is necessary to reflect the moral landscape of the country. In his view, the existing mechanism of electing an MP every three years is insufficient for safeguarding political rights. He proposed that referendums could be initiated through petitions representing at least 5 percent of the electoral roll. He mentioned that referendums could help assess membership in international organisations like the European Community or NATO, proposing a similar approach for evaluating A.N.Z.U.S. membership. Additionally, Peters spoke critically of the state of the Church, citing a lack of unity and rising factionalism within it. He lamented that the Church's unified message is often ignored, leading to a decline in some congregations, while others flourish. He commented that the Church’s diminishing political influence has become increasingly evident and noted that political discourse from the pulpit tends to lack inspiration and significance. Overall, Peters' remarks indicate a call for greater public engagement in political decision-making alongside a critique of the current political and religious landscape in New Zealand.
Important Information
The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact
The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand