Dear Member of Parliament, (Sent to all MPs)
With your successful election to our House of Representatives, you have undertaken the duty of maintaining our democracy and protecting the rights and needs of all NZ citizens.
Along with many others, I am concerned at the many improper events that have occurred in recent years, with respect to misuse of power, inappropriate influence, failure to follow established Parliamentary conventions, protocols and House rules, as well as failure of some (especially Ministers) to respect and require the highest professional standards of the civil service and of themselves as our Elected Representatives.
Individual freedoms of citizens are at risk through poor laws relating to our ‘security services’ and the lack of scrupulous, effective and impartial monitoring of these services, together with some very doubtful misuse of their personnel by Members of the Executive and by overseas agencies.
I earnestly believe that for the sake of all New Zealanders and our country, all Members of Parliament need to vote for:
- Establishing a non-partisan Royal Commission toreview the current constitution (or lack of it); the established Parliamentary conventions, traditional protocols and customs relating to Parliament, together with Standing Orders of the House, and to identify and make recommendations to deal with any abuses or practices which have eroded these matters over the last 10-15 years.
- The Royal Commission to be charged also with the tasks of identifying any additions to our constitutional base which are needed to ensure and enshrine the rights of citizens and to protect them from any attempts by Parliament to remove any of their basic rights, including the freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (In reviewing these matters and making of recommendations, the Royal Commission shall be entitled to study the constitutions of other nations.)
- The Royal Commission to also examine and recommend improvements which will protect NZ citizens with respect to their privacy and freedom from secret surveillance while also ensuring that all NZ and foreign surveillance organisations operating in NZ are required to act in ways which are not prejudicial to the privacy, freedom of expression, freedom of information and freedom to protest and assemble and in conformity with NZ law.
- With regard to 3 above, to particularly ensure that all academics, academic institutions, community groups and leaders, and citizens generally, are entitled to speak out publicly without fear of any governmental, police or security reprisals or intimidation.
In particular, the law should ensure that that there can be no financial consequences imposed on universities, schools or individuals as a result of their statements or publications, nor should any form of government or official intimidation be lawful.
It is my view that the establishment of such a Commission is urgent if our country is to revitalize and protect our democracy and to stop the erosion of people’s freedoms which are under constant pressure from a variety of sources and for a variety of reasons.
As our representatives I believe you must act sensibly, honestly, and with honour on behalf of the people who have put their trust in you.