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Source: ONE News -
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The MP known as the mother of the Anti-Smacking Bill has said goodbye after a decade in parliament.
Sue Bradford gave an emotional farewell speech on her last day in parliament on Wednesday, saying her most important achievement in a decade in Parliament was to never sell out.
The Green Party MP announced in September that she would leave the party and says while she is sad to be leaving her "green family at parliament" she feels liberated.
Bradford, 57, says she will remain a member and supporter of the Green Party and will remain active with community groups and unions.
"I'll always be politically active and parliament is just one vehicle for political change. I'll be going back to the grassroots," she says.
In her swansong speech to Parliament the long-time activist acknowledged she would go down in history for her controversial bill amending section 59 of the Crimes Act which divided the country.
The so called anti-smacking bill removed the defence of reasonable force when an adult was charged with assaulting a child.
The bill, for which Bradford received death threats, was her most significant achievement and she thanked supporters for backing it.
She also acknowledged Prime Minister John Key and the National Party for not buckling under pressure to repeal the change.
The debate would continue to rage but Bradford said she was sure in future people would look back on it and wonder "why on earth our country tore itself apart over whether there should be a legal defence for assaulting children or not".
Bradford thanked her colleagues and party members, former Speaker Jonathan Hunt for mentoring her and former Labour leader Helen Clark.
Bradford has been on the front lines of the protest movement and joined the Green Party in 1990. She contested the 1998 Auckland mayoral election as the Green candidate and was first elected to parliament in 1999.
She won a fourth term last year and announced her decision to quit at a joint press conference at parliament in September.
She will be replaced by Aucklander Dave Clendon, a sustainable business adviser of both Maori and Pakeha heritage.
See a full transcript of Sue Bradford's valedictory speech
here
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentphilipmcc said on 2009-09-25 @ 21:51 NZDT: Report abusive post
People like seeare and peteredw are saying much more about themselves than Sue. I have been working closely with human beings all my life and Sue is one of the most compassionate and principled people I have ever met. Her life is spent in the service of others. I wonder if seeare and peteredw have the courage to look into their own hearts and see what drives them. If they can't recognise compassion when they see it I feel sorry for them. They sound like very angry and bitter men.
Tinks said on 2009-09-25 @ 21:45 NZDT: Report abusive post
Sue Bradford....she has certainly made her mark in history, but unfortunately society will ultimately pay the price for her misguided worldview. Although personally I would never choose to 'hang out' with her, and am pretty much her polar opposite, I do have respect for any member of parliament of this country and hope for her all the best.
Bevan white said on 2009-09-25 @ 19:41 NZDT: Report abusive post
I accept her contributions but in her time I thought she was a bit harsh on our police and exaggerated against things that seemed to be fair action. she was too me anti authority weather be police employers or parents Her ideals were similar to a greedy union. Ideas such as allowing imprisoned mothers to go outside jails to see their children was too much for me. Sure it sounds nice but should that be easy grounds to let our convicts out of jail She gave in to some who actually needed tuff love.
KES said on 2009-09-25 @ 18:56 NZDT: Report abusive post
Sue has made an immense contribution to NZ politics. She is a rare breed - a politician with integrity. She was not afraid to stand up for what is right unlike most of the populist politicians we have at the moment. They just try to appeal to the lowest common denominator and will say whatever they think will get them elected. Good on you Sue and thanks.
frankly said on 2009-09-25 @ 18:36 NZDT: Report abusive post
There are hundreds of thousands of us out here, just like Sue. We're armed by her example that even without 'hard power' we can bring real change. In moving sideways she's making room for others of us to rush forward with fresh enthusiasm. I've no doubt her encouragement and advice will be available.