Labour Party conference 2009
It’s nearly that time of year again. The Labour Party is to hold its annual conference in two weeks time at the Rotorua Events Centre. I’m looking forward to the three-day event (September 11-13), my first as leader and Labour’s first in Opposition since 1999.
We have a busy schedule planned and have invited some interesting (and surprising!) speakers.
The conference will show that Labour is in good heart, is taking onboard the lessons of defeat and is working hard towards taking the fight to the Government through to 2011.
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Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil
It’s only nine months since the election and, like the three wise monkeys, this government has tuned out.
After telling Aucklanders to make submissions on Maori seats for the new super city council and that he would listen, John Key has pre-empted the process by ruling the seats out.
This follows him breaking his promise to consult on the super city Royal Commission report, National’s ramming through under urgency of super city legislation – denying the chance for people to have a say, and its secret, highly undemocratic proposal to carve off half of the Rodney District.
It is worrying that a trend is developing that this government shows scant regard for Kiwi democratic processes.
National caught out on health claims
Health Minister Tony Ryall’s false claims about his party’s supposed gains in health delivery finally caught up with him this week.
As justification for cuts to the health budget, which are affecting services right across the board, he has repeatedly claimed credit for a rise in elective procedures.
Sorry to put the facts in the way of a good story Mr Ryall, but information belatedly released from your office confirms that you inherited these results.
The year in which Mr Ryall has been boasting about the 12,000 additional elective surgeries was the last financial year (July 2008-June 2009), a year in which Labour set the budget and he was only minister for the second half (of which he took one month off).
Smacking Bill
Labour will not vote for the Act Party Bill on smacking, selected from the ballot in Parliament this week.
Labour has always said that no good parent should face criminal sanction for lightly smacking their child.
We believe that the current law appears to be working. Police aren't laying charges against good parents but it is important to provide reassurance to parents. The law is going to be reviewed at the end of the year and we will wait to see the outcome.
I believe that it is time the country focused on the real problem New Zealand confronts in this area – the more than 12,000 children that CYFS finds are abused and neglected each year. Our goal must be to give every child a decent start in life, in a stable and caring environment.
Last chance to submit on banking inquiry
The Multi-party Banking Inquiry is now gaining momentum. Submissions are coming in steadily as the submission deadline of 31 August approaches.
Anybody can make a submission and most submissions are being made on-line at the Inquiry website www.bankinquiry.org.nz.
You can find out more about the inquiry and about making a submission on the website.
The Multi-party Inquiry wants to hear from you. Your submissions will make this inquiry a success.
Last word
It was good to catch up with Kevin Rudd and his family last weekend while I was in Sydney for the Aus-NZ leadership forum. As a former Minister of Foreign Affairs it is great to have an Aussie PM who is a strong supporter of a close relationship with New Zealand.
The forum ended with delegates attending the Bledisloe Cup game in Sydney. According to the Tui Brewery billboard, the game was never in doubt!
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