Gordon Copeland and
Larry Baldock, United Future MPs and the promoters of a
petition concerning the Prostitution Act today issued an
update on progress.
“We require approximately 273,000
signatures (10% of the electoral roll) by 10 January 2005 to
ensure that a referendum on the repeal of the Prostitution
Reform Act 2003 will be taken concurrent with the 2005
general election, ” said Gordon Copeland.
“We lodged
144,000 signatures with the Clerk’s Office in Parliament on
29 October and have had a further 66,000 signatures
collected or pledged since that time, moving the total up to
210,000. Accordingly the task is now straightforward if we
wish to see a referendum on this controversial subject as
part of next year’s general election. We have about five
weeks to go and an additional 63,000 signatures to collect.
Based on progress to date that is achievable.”
The MP’s
said “People will recall that the Prostitution Reform Act
became the law of the land in June 2003 on a vote of 60 for,
59 against, and one abstention – the closest possible
result! We believe that all New Zealanders should, in the
light of that effective dead heat, be given an opportunity
to have their say on this matter via a national
referendum.
“We are pleased with progress to date and
remain hopeful that the target number of signatures will be
secured by the 10 January cut off date.”
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