Maryan
STREET
Associate Foreign Affairs Spokesperson
11 February 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT

New Speaker’s First Decision Too ‘Political’

Labour is calling on the Speaker to reconsider his decision to prevent West Papuan activist Benny Wenda from speaking at Parliament because the New Zealand Government and its officials are uncomfortable about it.

“Benny Wenda has been the guest of the UK Parliament, the EU Parliament and the United Nations but our Speaker has ruled he cannot speak here at the New Zealand Parliament unless he is hosted by a political party in their own caucus room,” said Labour MP and Associate Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maryan Street.

“The Speaker’s office took advice on this issue from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was told it was not appropriate for Benny Wenda to be hosted within Parliament unless his visit was owned by a political party which would host the event in their own area, where they could be as 'political' as they liked.

"But Parliament is not the Government. Parliament consists of government and opposition, and the government's sensitivities should not dictate who can air their views at Parliament and who cannot. It is the place where a range of views should be heard.

“As one of the MPs hosting Benny Wenda’s visit, I want the guidelines surrounding meetings held at Parliament to be revisited by the new Speaker. Such decisions should be made on the basis of principle, not on the basis of whether or not the Government feels uncomfortable about it," said Maryan Street.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>