Message for Annette

I just been told Annette King had a go at me in Parliament, claiming what I am saying is rubbish. Well of course Annette can and would say that, but what is interesting is she has been refusing to cite anything to back up her answers.

We saw the same from Mark Burton. National sent a letter to voluntary groups which basically just quoted from the Bill – specific clauses. Burton sent a letter full of lies which just said hey National is scaremongering and didn’t even refer to a single clause in the Bill. We now know Burton was wrong – even the Greens have said the original Bill was “appalling”.

King is doing the same thing. She attacks the messenger and dismisses it. But what the Minister has not done, and in fact no one has done, is make a clear concise argument based on the statute that one does not need names and addresses on placards (for example).

The Greens have agreed with me on the megaphone law. Steven Price has agreed (on radio this morning) on the placards (but pointed out existing law required disclosure on some third party advocacy also).

So my challenge to Annette as Minister of Justice is to provide a clear statement to the NZ public based on the EFB that explains how placards which advocate for or against a party do not fall under the definitions of publishing an election advertisement, and hence need a name and address on them.

Either that, or start work on a Supplementary Order Paper.