Issues such as cost of living, health and education and other pre-election topics is hiding the biggest issue in the increasing loss of democracy under the increasing autocratic rule of recent governments says Helen Houghton, leader of the Conservatives Party.
“Undeniably the loss of democracy underpins cost of living, health, education, environment or whatever issue that goes before parliament,” she said. “And it’s simply because of an increasing arrogant dictatorial attitude by governments that in fact, stretches way back for decades.”
Helen Houghton said records showed the current coalition government has broken all records for using urgency to bypass the select committee process, on 33 occasions.
However two other governments were close runner-up with Labour under the leadership of Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins (2020-23) and National led by John Key on 28 and 29 occasions respectively, fully guilty of using urgency to shun democracy and thereby ignoring any public input.
“The loss of democracy been aggravated over decades, as shown by the National government (2008-11) under prime ministers Jim Bolger and Jenny Shipley which used urgency on 20 occasions”.
She said when today’s Labour Opposition figures like Kieran McAnulty criticise the current coalition government rushing bills through late at night without proper consultation, it is hypocrisy at its worst and a case of the “pot calling the kettle black.”
But that doesn’t excuse the current government when ministers like NZ First’s Shane Jones and National’s Chris Bishop, defend the practice of “urgency that dodges democracy.”
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In August, the current government was warned by former Labour prime minister and attorney-general Sir Geoffrey Palmer who said the coalition government’s use of urgency was not about coping with large volumes of legislation but was more about “avoiding the scrutiny of select committees”.
Helen Houghton said the Law Society had consistently warned successive governments about continuing to rush policy and legislative processes, reduces transparency and accountability and can lead to unclear or poorly drafted law.
Helen Houghton recently completed a law degree and professional legal studies and recently was admitted to the High Court in Christchurch as a Barrister and Solicitor. She is currently progressing toward obtaining a Practising Certificate.
