Headline: Speaker needs to consider allowing conscience vote on Skycity legislation
The Speaker of the House David Carter needs to consider allowing a personal vote on any changes to relax gambling law in SkyCity’s favour so that all MPs can vote with their consciences, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.
Legislation has been introduced to Parliament to enact a deal signed between the Government and SkyCity to build a convention centre in Auckland. This legislation will allow SkyCity to operate far more pokie and gaming machines. Today the Green Party wrote to the Speaker of the House David Carter requesting that this legislation be treated as a conscience issue, and that the Speaker permit a personal vote instead of a party vote.
“Gambling is one of the few issues that New Zealand MPs have generally voted with their conscience on in our parliamentary history,” said Mrs Turei.
“John Key, by forcing his MPs to vote for the SkyCity deal, is forcing these MPs to vote for an increase in the social ills that will flow on from this deal.”
Prime Minister John Key last week dismissed the idea of allowing a personal vote that would have allowed MPs to vote with their consciences on this legislation.
“If John Key won’t allow Government MPs a chance to exercise their conscience then it is up to the Speaker to permit a personal vote on this matter,” Mrs Turei said.
“MPs with moral concerns regarding the social ills of gambling need to consider crossing the floor and stopping the harm that this deal will cause.
“Government MPs and the Government’s support parties need to read the regulatory impact statement that came out this week before voting for this dirty deal.”
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