ACT - The Lucky Party!

Rodney Hide

8 December 2005 Press Releases - Treaty of Waitangi & Maori Affairs

ACT Leader Rodney Hide has declared the ACT party "the lucky party", with the entire caucus having their Members' Bills pulled from the Ballot today.

"Of the three Bills to be pulled out of the Ballot, two were from ACT.

"The first is Heather Roy's Bill which removes PHARMAC's exemption from Part 2 of the Commerce Act. The second is my Treaty of Waitangi (Principles) Bill that sets out the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi to assist with interpreting the many statutes that refer to them," Mr Hide said.

"The courts have been given no guidance over the Treaty's principles and have had to make them up.

"It is desirable that there is certainty, and that Parliament sets out the Treaty principles.

"The three principles in my Bill are quite simple - that the Crown exercises sovereignty over Maori and non-Maori New Zealanders, that the Crown has a duty to uphold property rights, and that all New Zealanders have equal rights and responsibilities before the law.

"ACT MPs had a hundred per cent strike rate in today's Ballot. Once again, ACT is doing the business in Parliament," concluded Rodney Hide.

ENDS

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