Committee Confirms Muzzling of Thousands of Submitters
MEDIA RELEASE
19 February 2013
Committee Confirms Muzzling of Thousands of Submitters
Family First NZ says that the chair of the Select Committee considering the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill has today disclosed in Parliament that there have been 21,533 submissions of which almost 3,000 are unique submissions, yet the committee has heard a little over 200 of them as they attempt to ram the bill through.
Family First also disputes the number of submissions considered ‘form submissions’. However, the committee will not front up and disclose how they determined ‘form’ submissions from ‘unique’ submissions.
“It is quite evident that this bill is
being rammed through and submitters are being censored,”
says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“This is a blatant breach of the democratic right of
NZ’ers to participate, and shows the arrogance of the
politicians desperate to get the bill
passed.”
“Other Members’ bills are not being
rammed through at such speed. Some of these bills are being
considered by the same Select Committee. The Parental
Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months' Paid Leave)
Amendment Bill was introduced a month before the
same-sex marriage bill, and yet the Select Committee report
is not due until August 2013. The Lobbying Disclosure
Bill also had its first reading a month before the
same-sex marriage bill, yet the report is not due until the
end of July. The Members of Parliament (Remuneration and
Services) Bill - a government bill also being considered
by the Government Administration Select Committee - has 12
months for the Select Committee to consider.”
“Yet
the same-sex marriage bill has just six months to consider
21,500-plus submissions, hear oral submissions, and report
back,” says Mr McCoskrie.
“This is a cynical
attempt to ram through a highly controversial law change
without due consideration.”
Last week, more than 200
submitters wrote an Open Letter to the Prime Minister John
Key, the Speaker of the House, and the Select Committee
considering the bill, questioning the speed with which the
bill is being pushed through, and asking for the right to
make an oral submission. Many more submitters have made
contact with Family First since being made aware that the
Select Committee was no longer hearing submissions. A number
of significant organisations have been excluded from the
opportunity to make an oral submission.
ENDS