Boscawen Has Cosgrove In His Sights
John Boscawen MP, ACT New Zealand
Thursday, September 17 2009

ACT New Zealand MP John Boscawen today demanded to know how Labour's Clayton Cosgrove could claim to be an adequate electorate MP for the people of Waimakariri when, in relation to the Anti-Smacking referendum, he has completely ignored his constituents' overwhelming call for the law to be changed.

"Waimakiriri generated 27,071 'No' votes in the Anti-Smacking Referendum –the most out of all Labour seats. That's far more than the 16,360 people who voted Mr Cosgrove in as their local MP," Mr Boscawen said.

"That's 16,360 people who are probably feeling pretty ripped off right now. After all, New Zealanders expect their electorate MPs to be their voice in Parliament – what the people of Waimakariri got was an MP who tries to run their lives and tell them what to do.

"This is no longer solely about the smacking referendum results but, rather, the bigger issue of democracy – something Mr Cosgrove clearly doesn't understand, otherwise he would be listening to his constituents and supporting a change to the law.

"It's time for Mr Cosgrove to front up. Next week I will be holding a public meeting on the results of the Anti-Smacking Referendum – the second of a series to be held throughout the country and designed to maintain pressure on politicians about this issue.

"This meeting will be held in Mr Cosgrove's Waimakiriri electorate and I challenge him to come along and face his constituents, to explain why he knows better than them how they should live their lives and raise their children," Mr Boscawen said.

Public Meeting On The Anti-Smacking Referendum, Monday, September 21 2009, 7.30pm, St Bedes College, 210 Main North Road, Papanui, Christchurch

For further information on the public debates schedule please visit http://www.act.org.nz/events

ENDS

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