Public Private Partnerships seem to be an obsession of the National Party but I think they would have more success if they concentrated on PPPs of another kind – ‘Put Party Politics’ aside.
Speaking in the House last night I congratulated National’s Jackie Blue for putting forward the Consumer Guarantees Amendment Bill.
Labour supports this Bill for being a sensible and fitting response to concern in the community over consumer protection. It is about protecting the consumer in the evolving, modern market-place we currently live in. Politicising aside, this is a common sense Bill which addresses real issues and concerns in the community.
My colleague Carol Beaumont also put forward a sensible and much-needed Bill.
Carol’s Credit Reforms (Responsible Lending) Bill, more commonly known as the ‘Loan Shark Bill’, aims to protect the most vulnerable people in our community by cracking down on loan sharks.
However, National was unable to put party politics aside and voted down Carol’s Bill in the House last night.
It’s a shame when pieces of legislation that will help the most susceptible people in society are voted down due to party politics. This is a bill that would have prevented many families from getting into mounting debt.
It’s interesting to note the contrast between Carol’s much needed Bill and National’s Paul Quin’s farcical Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill.
I want to congratulate the Attorney General on the opinion he expressed towards Paul Quin’s nonsensical and jumbled attempt at tackling the crime issue in New Zealand.
Mr Quin’s Bill sets out to prevent prisoners who have committed a minor crime the right to vote, if they are detained in prison on Election Day.
Currently, prisoners have to be detained for over three years before they are denied the right to vote. I didn’t realise that for Mr Quin it was such a burning issue in the community that this needed to be altered.
It is unsurprising that the Attorney General stated that Mr Quin’s Bill was inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act.
I want to tell Mr Quin that all New Zealanders are worried about the spiralling crime rate in New Zealand and this Bill is a slap in their face.
These are loud gestures that don’t tackle the real issue. The crime statistics make grim reading since National have taken office.
- There were 451,405 recorded offences in 2009, an increase of 20,002 from 2008
- Violent crime increased by 9.2 percent in 2009
- Domestic Violence increased by 18.6 percent in 2009
- 65 murders were recorded in 2009, 13 more than 2008
For all of the National and ACT’s tough talking, all we got is an increase in crime.
We need real policies, not empty rhetoric. Or we should tell National’s dear leader that PPP matters.