Agree with Greens but should have happened earlier

The Herald reports:

The Green Party has called for the whole issue of election funding and parliamentary spending to be sent to a “Citizens’ Assembly” based on a Canadian model so ordinary citizens can make a decision.

Now I agree with this. But what a shame the Greens did not demand Labour do this back in 2006 and 2007 rather than support their draconian and anti-democratic Electoral Finance Bill which was developed secretly with no public input and no bipartisan parliamentary input.

If the Greens had insisted on this, then we would be having the debate we should be having.

Luckily John Key has said that after the EFB is repealed (if National wins) that replacement legislation will be developed with public participation and in a bipartisan manner.

The Greens are now saying:

“I agree the first version was appalling and I just can’t believe the minister let it through.”

What a pity that at the time they never said this. Instead they supported it all the way, claiming only minor changes were needed. And now the Greens are going to vote this new revised Bill into law without letting the public have any say on it – something the Human Rights Commission explicitly asked for.