Instead of being met or listened to with respect and dignity as citizens, the protestors, once again, were completely ignored and disregarded by all parties in parliament.
Helen Houghton, (Christchurch)
Co-Leader New Conservative
Ted Johnston, BSc BA LLB (Auckland)
Co-Leader New Conservative
New Conservative is very concerned that the Beehive’s elected representatives arrogantly turned their backs on ‘citizen’s rights’ protesters.
Thousands of protestors, opposing government mandates for vaccination, converged on parliament yesterday. They came to show the government, the other parliamentary parties, and the citizens of New Zealand, the strength of their convictions, and their deep disagreement and unhappiness with the Labour government’s abuses of power. And New Conservative was there supporting them and protesting also, including Co-Leader Helen Houghton.
These are ordinary people who are upset at the ongoing mandates restricting freedoms. Restricting freedom of movement, freedom of choice of medical procedures, freedom to worship, and freedom to assemble.
The protesters were galvanised by the government’s flagrant breach of s.11 of the Bill of Rights 1990, their right to refuse medical treatment and accompanying restrictions. The mandates force the treatment with possible losses of jobs, livelihoods, etc, if they do not obey. That is wrong. Especially given that many countries are now moving away from such mandates.
However, instead of being met or listened to with respect and dignity as citizens, the protestors, once again, were completely ignored and disregarded by all parties in parliament.
New Conservative, the protesters, and many other members of the public were disgusted by the lack of respect shown for average New Zealanders who have sacrificed much to raise their concerns with the current government and Members of Parliament.
Ted Johnston, Co leader of New Conservative, states:
“The worst thing is the lack of support from the non-government parties. It shows there is no real opposition in parliament.
“This shows parliament is in desperate need of New Conservative’s voice, with its strong values and corresponding convictions, to actually stand up for people’s rights and challenge the government when it is wrong.”
Whether you agree with these concerns or not, they are real to many many people. Yet when arriving in their masses at parliament, none of their representatives were willing (or brave enough) to leave the comfort of the beehive to meet and hear their concerns. The PM said in fact, she was not going to meet with them, and parliament was too busy.
It once again shows the attitude of the government trampling on the people’s rights.
This is not only with covid mandates, but also with their forcing radical and extreme ideological laws such as anti-conversion therapy, without proper public consultation, or support.
It is for this reason New Conservative has started a petition calling on the government to initiate a binding referendum to make the Bill of Rights Act 1990 supreme law. Please read it and sign it. Protests alone don’t work with this government and this parliament.
The goal of the petition and referendum is to rein in the unbridled power of parliament/government, and to protect New Zealanders’ rights and freedoms.
‘The more a government abuses its power, the more it and subsequent governments will increase their abuses,” Johnston concludes.
“Let’s turn parliament around to serve the people. Not just the ones they agree with, but. all the people.”