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"REFERENDUMS, HOPE OR HOAX, TRICK OR TREAT?"
Nearly twenty ago there was an especially dreadful child murder in Napier. A grief-stricken Nation was angry, outraged, and sought swift answers from our leaders. The National Party, opportunist in opposition, promised a referendum on capital punishment. The hang-‘em crowd were delighted. I opposed it and later gave the National Party in Government the charity of my silence. Passions cooled.
Appeasing and feeding the anti-politician forces, National passed into law the vague non- binding referendum process, and had a referendum on Proportional Representation. At the time I said the only way to beat it would be if Jim Bolger and I supported MMP.
It’s hard to argue against these changes if you are in politics. Being elected makes you guilty, and unelected advocates are seen as having no vested interest. I remember debating with Green co-leader, Ron Donald, who said "you politicians" were just in for the power. Unlike him, I pointed out, who couldn’t get elected to the City Council. He said he was not interested in power, just the people. He was clapped, I was booed. I said, even if 95% opposed his tax hikes he would still be in. He said he didn’t want to be a politician. An activist who opposed the anti-smacking legislation, liked some of the things I was writing on that special piece of nonsense. It was never going to stop the epidemic of child violence, nor was it going to imprison parents who gave a corrective pat. This was over-cooked by both sides. The campaigner denied he was politically ambitious. He is now in Parliament.
I believe in representative, parliamentary democracy, imperfect as it is. I like the idea of candidates knocking on doors, and MPs being accountable to local people. The local school committees, Plunket and footie clubs are worthy of their MP’s respect. That’s how they learn, understand, keep their feet on the ground, the better to serve and represent.
The great British Parliamentarian, Edmund Burke, who bravely supported the American Revolution against the views of his electorate but opposed the French Revolution, predicting it would end in tyranny and tears, said of an MP’s duties: "An MP owes the people not only their industry and diligence but their judgement."
An MP is not a delegate. A representative must balance many things, as will his constituents at election time. Most shining moments in history, courageous stands, have first been made from an unpopular minority position. Churchill, warning about Hitler, did not represent the mood of the people... then. Norman Kirk, arguing against a racist rugby tour, did not represent the majority... then. A referendum on Gay issues in 1965 would have given a different result than one in 2005. Majorities have been known to be unmerciful to minorities. A referendum on peace with Hitler, or an armistice during the American Civil War would have passed at a certain time. Civil union was controversial just a few years ago, now it’s accepted. The only people who seem to want to get married these days are gays. The introduction of GST, or privatisation of telecoms, would have been voted down at the time. I wonder how a vote on nationalising Telecom, immigration, or abolishing Treaty rights would go?
Most Opposition Leaders in the UK promise a vote on the European Union and then renege. I recall the anger about our closer economic relationship agreement with Australia. My party conference opposed it. Now it’s accepted but it took time to work.
These issues should be debated, the people should decide, and they do, based on all sorts of overall things, that’s what a general election is about.
Plebiscites were frequently used by villains like Pinochet, Mugabe and Napoleon, who made them an art form. They are popular at state level in the US. The powerful organise anti-tax votes, the teacher unions promote votes on more pay, and obviously, this doesn’t add up. These states are normally bankrupt.
The next step some frustrated people will do is to organise petitions to recall politicians they don’t like. It’s in force in some US states. This would be wildly popular, but one problem is that half our MP’s don’t have electorates. They have to be embedded firmly up the buttocks of the Party bosses to stay high on the List.
Before I’m accused of being arrogant and disregarding the people, I represented a marginal seat for over twenty years, holding out against massive swings. I enjoyed the pastoral work and serving the area. My polls showed that on many issues, I and my employers, constituents, disagreed. But if you are candid with the people, they will understand. When candidates asked me what to say about divisive issues such as abortion or gay rights, I tell them to say what they believe. Be honest. People are generous. They hate smarmy, sneaky politicians who tell them what they want to hear. Maybe I was wrong?
The best referendum we had was about abolishing 6 o’clock closing of our pubs, and giving us a four-year Parliamentary term. The people wisely chose to have longer drinking hours and a shorter Parliamentary term. Referendums are precious and should be used very rarely.
