THIS WEEK ON BACK BENCHES: Watch Wallace Chapman, Damian Christie, the Back Benches Panel and special guests discuss the week’s hottest topics.
POLITICAL ROUNDUP: This week has been full of political hot topics…the state of the parties, the state of their donations and dealings with the police. The Government is still riding high in the polls? So are the Greens. Meanwhile, Labour is trying to make a dent in their approval ratings. Do they have a problem of style vs. substance? Meanwhile, ACT’s John Banks is in hot water for campaign contributions. Do we need full disclosure over contributions to politicians and/or political parties? Is it a matter for police?
SEX OFFENDERS REGISTRY: Does New Zealand need a sex offender registry? Will a registry prevent new sex offenses? Or will a list merely stigmatise people who have served their time? In recent weeks, we’ve seen stories about convicted sex offenders—one a teacher, the other a school bus driver. Would a registry prevent that? Are we just naming and shaming? Are sex offenders different—do they ever serve their time? Does the proposed sex offenders registry go far enough? Do we need full public disclosure? How would you feel if a paedophile moved in next door?
A TIME TO DIE: Should we be able to decide when it’s time to die? New poll shows more of us support voluntary euthanasia. Labour’s Maryan Street as a “End of Life Choice Bill” would allow Kiwis to say when and how they die. But opponents say allowing euthanasia would lead to abuse. The bill has failed to pass twice before—but are we now more open to change? Should there be limits on who can determine their death? Perhaps reserved for the terminally ill?
Live pub politics from the Backbencher Pub: Wednesday, 2nd of May, 9:05pm and on TVNZ7.
The Panel: Green Party MP Denise Roche, Labour MP Phil Twyford, Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell and National MP Maggie Barry.
I dunno either way about the sex offender registry. I do know that people have been munters not having stringent enough safety guards in place to prevent them from teaching kids!
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Euthanasia, damn good topic!
Go Phil!
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Need to be incredibly careful with the sex offenders registry. In countries where this operates, even secretly, there are massive issues when 15 year olds get stuck on it for what went on behind the bike sheds at school and then it turns up in a police check 30 years later when a married couple are trying to adopt a child/get mosd approval to care for their grandchildren etc.
As the police already collect this and suspected offence information anyway, I sway towards thinking a registry is populist nonsense at the top of a slippery slope that ends in many US states, which have public and also frequently inaccurate registries.
Thanks for mentioning this sex offender registry we really need Mr Mallard,also address the victims to make sure they don’t get left in the gutter like the Invercargill lady rape stalker victim,police did nothing,no current law protects her.Compensation measures should be addressed to provide relocation on a permenant basis for anyone in the same boat not just to a part time agency designed to not assist the victim.
Good summary Trev. There are many discussions that are represented by misleading snippets on the news.
Other topics of massive concern are neglected.
http://www.alternet.org/environment/155283/the_worst_yet_to_come_why_nuclear_experts_are_calling_fukushima_a_ticking_time-bomb/?page=entire
There are other independent report on this fiasco also, where the public seems to be shielded from information unless it is made a political issue.
Where does our Govt stand on this impending disaster and the widespread threat of other potentially global disasters with a nuclear energy generation industry for profit but without future responsibility.
As NZ is declared Nuclear Free we have no local vested interests in Nuclear so should be vocal about the dangerous situation being deliberately manufactured as Nuclear plants amass spent waste with no solution to deal with that.
Our impending TTPA secret agreement may restrict NZ ability to oppose this Nuclear nightmare.
Are we waking up yet
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-robertson/trans-pacific-partnership_b_1476261.html?ref=world&ir=World
Finally the terrifying incapability of mankind to address this potential end game, has reached media in NZ with a panelist coming out with it, unrehearsed, live on air during the National program this afternoon.
Who is controlling our media that this news is kept so quiet.
http://www.alternet.org/environment/155283/The_Worst_Yet_to_Come%3F_Why_Nuclear_Experts_Are_Calling_Fukushima_a_Ticking_Time-Bomb/?page=entire
This is not a source is would normally quote but there are many views on this.
http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2012/05/02/fukushima-primed-for-world-wide-disaster