Shortly after the horrific Charlie Hebdo attacks in France, Professor Anne Salmond, penned a powerful article criticizing the erosion of democracy in New Zealand and the unacceptable pressure that is brought to bear on journalists, media outlets, universities, Crown Research Institutes, independent statutory bodies and civil services.
Salmond wrote:
“While our leaders do not shoot people, they work with others to try to ruin the lives and careers of those who disagree with them. The means may be different, but the intent is the same. One way or another, their critics (however valid their points of view might be) must be silenced.”
The erosion of democracy by stealth in New Zealand includes the undermining of people’s right to self-determination.
The Law Society’s submission on the new Environment Canterbury Transitional Governance Bill, which proposes to suspend the return to full democracy for nine and a half years, contains the following quote from a letter written by Professor Josef of Canterbury University:
“Democratic decision-making in local government is ingrained in the national psyche and a legitimate expectation of the citizenry. Its suspension in Canterbury for a period in excess of three and a half years is, itself, a rule of law issue”.
In 2010, the Government decided to sack the democratically elected Environment Canterbury (ECan) officers over what they perceived as a poor management of water. The Law Society then expressed their concern that the Government’s reaction was not proportional because Ecan officers were responsible for more than just managing water in Canterbury.
The Government introduced the 2013 Ecan Amendment Act to extend the denial of Cantabrians’ democratic rights to six and a half years.
The new Ecan Transition Bill’s proposal of a 7:6 ratio means that almost half of ECan officers (6 members) will be appointed by the Government.
There is no justification for these appointments. Ecan has had plenty of time to prepare for transition which was the justification for suspension of ECan elections in 2103.
The submission by the Law Society on the Bill , in its conclusion, says: “Representative democracy is a fundamental principle that gives legitimacy to government and the exercise of state power. Lord Cooke of Thorndon identified it as one of the “unalterable fundementals of our legal system (the other being independent courts). The proposed further suspension of full democracy is inconsistent with one of New Zealand’s core constitutional values, namely a “free and democratic society”.”
Ecan Transition Bill is not the only rushed Bill that undermines people’s right to self-determination. Political scientist, Professor Bronwyn Hayward believes the new Christchurch Regenration Bill is a new social contract between Government, Business & Ngai Tahu that excludes citizens.
The disregard for citizens’ democratic right to participate in decision-making, also extend to other areas: asset sales (most recently the Christchurch City Council’s decision to sell 100% of City Care), the TPPA, child poverty, deployment of troops to Iraq, flag change, GCSB spying etc.
The list of bills passed under urgency that effectively shortcut the democratic process, are mind-boggling.
In the first two years alone, National pushed 17 laws through without allowing public submissions. Where submissions are allowed, the time frames are not always practical. My own experience of submitting to Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill, and ECan Transitional Governance Bill, are perfect examples of this.
December is one of the busiest times of the year especially for working mothers.
I was informed of my time slot to speak to the Select Committee on the ECan Bill only the day before.
I opened my submission by criticizing the time frames around submission and reporting back to the House. I continued by saying:
“This government claims that they know what we need. They want us to trust them to deliver what’s best for us. This sounds awfully familiar to me. It sounds familiar because I’m originally from Iran where pretend democracy reigns supreme.”
Select committee member Paul Foster-Bell, previously a First Secretary and Consul in Iran, mentioned that others had also made references to undemocratic societies and asked if extreme comparisons were helpful.
I responded by pointing out that those of us who had lived under dictatorship, unlike many New Zealanders, did not take democracy for granted. We realised that democratic erosion happened gradually and there was a need for people to stay vigilant and defend their democratic rights at all times.
I value living in one of the most open and democratic societies in the world but New Zealand’s democracy is under attack.
I believe that Prime Minister John Key and his Government’s most toxic legacy will be their systematic undermining of free speech, freedom of thought, and democratic rights of people.
As the year draws to a close, I hope we can all work together to bring the attack on our democracy to a halt.
Thank you Donna. Many Kiwis whose families have been here for several generations like myself, are worn out opposing the tyrant Key. we are ignored, denigrated and ostracized by our friends and families for being vigilant. My staunchest allies these days are young people. I would give everything I have to get some of their energy.
Hear Hear Donna Miles!! +100
Totally on the mark in particular…
“I believe that Prime Minister John Key and his Government’s most toxic legacy will be their systematic undermining of free speech, freedom of thought, and democratic rights of people.
As the year draws to a close, I hope we can all work together to bring the attack on our democracy to a halt.”
I also hope this includes Labour too as well as more effort from the Greens with more active disagreement against National on our democratic structure which is being undermined. i.e. Walk outs, legal action, co operation, demonstrations, anti TPPA action, etc
In addition to the toxicity of the political arrangements, we should note that the air, soil, lakes, rivers and sea around NZ have never been in a worse state than now, natural resources have never been as depleted as now, and the national sustainability level has never been lower.
Key’s policies are geared to enriching the few in the short term at the expense of the many in the present and future, and fooling the many for as long as possible.
Fooling the many is what Key, with great assistance from his corrupt corporate media friends, has excelled at.
However, like all political performances founded on lies, Key’s is in danger of being exposed, which is why we must expect the level of repression to increase.
All true and well said.
How would you know the lakes and rivers were in worse condition?
Until National managed to bring in a national water standard there was no common means of water quality measurement.
Thank you Donna Mills. A thousand upvotes for that article, that everyone should read.
Thanks. Nice to know someone else is after Key on National’s record of passing Bills with urgency, often for no good reason.
Did you know that they surpassed the nine year total of Labour in under two years?
Passing laws to suit themselves…should be a huge warning right there!
Do we wait until so called ‘election time’ to do something…maybe it’s time the people of New Zealand passed their own laws too…upon this government.
WHY ON EARTH ? DID YOU DECIDE TO NOT PUT UP OUR COMMENT HERE AND WHEN ASKED, YOU DECLINED TO GIVE US A GOOD REASON ????????????
So we will submit another and hopefully someone else will be screening the comments this time.
====>>>> Again — example of biased journalism ?
National’s control of MSM in this country is so obvious it is not funny?
NZ the most corrupted country in recent history by a raft of National party corporate bought stool pigeons.
Each one will be recorded as criminals against the NZ state and all as deserters of her people in future history lessons by a reformer Government.
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