Letter to the Editor, Thursday September 10, 2015

Democratic choices

Whilst upholding the sentiments Ken Orr expressed (Letters, September 3), his comments about David Seymour brought up another worrying factor.

As Ken stated, Mr Seymour gained 15,966 votes in the Epsom Electorate and his ACT Party won a paltry 1023 party votes. How is it, that in our democracy, one MP (holding a seat by default from National) is allowed to have so much influence? Mr Seymour is, for whatever misguided reason, attempting to give to mere humans, the power to play God in deciding on life or death for vulnerable people.

The other major change which ACT was allowed to instigate was the introduction of Charter Schools, many of which continue to rely on thousands of extra funding dollars to exist, into the New Zealand Education system. That was the price paid by National to gain the support they required from ACT at the time.

Is it morally correct that changes such as these are able to be brought about by such a minority party?

Further on the subject of 'one-man-bands' ... John Key's determination to be remembered as the Prime Minister who had the flag changed is another case. He started making noises about this many years ago, brought it up now and again as a side comment, is spending $26m of our taxes on his 'pet', set up a committee to choose four flags for us then had that committee's decision ratified by Caucus. How typically arrogant and rude of Mr Key and his National Party to deny our democracy the right to firstly vote on whether we even wanted our flag changed. Once again, one man's wishes to be pandered to. A prime example of the arrogance shown by a party in its third term of power.

Members of Parliament are OUR elected representatives. Anyone elected on to any committee has the responsibility to be sure to represent the choices/wishes of the people they represent. Unfortunately, many of our Members of Parliament have lost sight of the reason they occupy their seats and instead are on a "power" high for their own purposes.

How do we restore New Zealand to a true democracy?

MARGARET MATTHEWS

Doubtless Bay