A democracy should give citizens many opportunities to participate in decision making and provide;
● checks and balances so that people with power cannot abuse it
● respect for the voices of the minorities as well as the majorities – the general public of the New Zealand people are the voice of the majority, yet are seen as the minority of class, as seen by the elite wealthy
● independent and impartial judges who treat everyone equally
● a free press
● access to official information – which shouldn’t be redacted
● protection of individual rights
● freedom from corruption
Unfortunately for the people of New Zealand, none of the above mentioned has been acted on in good faith by our present government, run by a financial investor, ex banker and embezzler, claiming himself to be the Prime Minister of this once great country. his Ministers are his dog soldiers, who help with the political manipulations operation, under a propaganda guise of lies as their mechanism of self-serving.
The New Zealand Politics Source Book
Edited by Stephen Levine with Paul Harris. Third Edition.
Fact: Rulings on standing and non-standing orders and proceedures.
Electoral Act 1993, s. 268
General
143/3
The House is bound by a statutory obligation, just as it is bound by every other provision of the law. The House and its member’s are not above the law, although certain laws do not apply in their full rigor in respect of parliamentary proceedings. It is the duty of the Chair to ensure that, so far as possible, the House complies with it legal obligations and in presiding over the House the Speaker will attempt to see that that is done.
Added to all this, is the;
Public service code of conduct: Officials’ relationship with Ministers and Government
2.62 The public service code of conduct […] is based on the following principles:
Principle 1. employees should fulfill their lawful obligations to the government with professionalism and integrity.
Principle 2. employees should perform their official duties honestly, faithfully and efficiently, respecting the rights of the public and their colleagues.
Chapter VIII
Contempt of House
The House may treat as a contempt any act or omission which –
(a) obstructs or impedes the House in the performance of its functions, or
(b) obstructs or impedes any member or officer of the House in the discharge of the member’s or officer’s duty, or
(c) has a tendency, directly or indirectly, to produce such a result.
Examples of contempts
Without limiting the generality of Standing Order 392, the House may treat as a contempt any of the following –
(a) the breach of one of the privileges of the House;
(b) deliberately attempting to mislead the House or a committee (by way of statement, evidence or petition);
(f) as a member, receiving or soliciting a bribe to influence the member’s conduct in respect of proceedings in the House or at a committee;
(g) as a member, accepting fees for professional services rendered by the member in connection with proceedings in the House or at a committee;
(k) reflecting on the character or conduct of the House or of a member in the Member’s capacity as a member of the House;
(l) misconducting oneself in the presence of the House or a committee;
(o) failing to attend before the House or a committee after being summoned to do so by the House or the committee;
(p) intimidating, preventing or hindering a witness from giving evidence or giving evidence in full to the House or a committee;
(q) refusing to answer a question or provide information required by the House or a committee;
(r) assaulting, threatening or disadvantaging a member on account of the member’s conduct in Parliament.
Just some of the rules of conduct in the House or a committee by any member of parliament. And there is so much more to cover, like our nuclear policies, the UN Charter, the UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Disnation against Women, Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and also the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
These are the sort of things that our government leaders, both nationally and internationally, need to be reminded of from time to time. And this also applies to reminding the UN of their charters and responsibilities being aired every so often.
So be aware all you politicians who think you’re above the law. You’re not a god, you are human, just like the rest of us. The law was designed to protect everybody equally – a law for one is a law for all. That is democracy, and that’s how democracy should be, applying to everyone, from all walks of life.