•   Text Size
• Print
• Email
• Share

Kiwi Party seek the spotlight

---

One of the country's newest political parties is holding its inaugural conference in Auckland on Saturday, hoping that it will be a late chance to enjoy the spotlight before the election.

The Kiwi Party is the brainchild of former United Future MPs Larry Baldock and Gordon Copeland.

They are promoting themselves as a family party, and have attracted most attention for their resolute bid to overturn the so-called "anti-smacking" law.

Baldock says this August is a key month for the party, given they are barely registering in the polls.

However, he says people are getting on board, and he hopes numbers will grow with about 15% of voters still undecided.

However, Baldock admits the party is finding it a big challenge to get traction, so close to an election.

Tough road ahead

The Kiwi Party has had an acrimonious birth and launch .

The Section 59 repeal last year first spurred Copeland, currently the party's only MP, to resign from his former party and act as an Independent.

In September 2007, he suggested he was to be the co-leader of a new conservative Christian party with Richard Lewis, leader of the Destiny Church's political wing. But after several bungled press conferences and miscommunications, Copeland announced he would not work with Lewis.

In January 2008, the party finally registered under its current name and Copeland relinquished leadership to Larry Baldock so he could concentrate on his parliamentary duties.

But registration came too late to qualify for taxpayer funds for advertising, and so the party is having to rely on donations from supporters.

Nevertheless, Baldock believes the party will find support from people who want to see something different in politics.

" Smacking" number one

The Kiwi Party has its sights firmly set on the Section 59 Amendment, saying its repeal is the party's top priority.

Leader Larry Baldock has told the party's national conference in Auckland his number one pledge is to stop the criminalisation of good parents, and claims it is the most anti-family socially destructive legislation Parliament has passed in a long while.

Baldock believes the 390,000 signature petition handed to Parliament in June is valid and can force a referendum.

He is disappointed it will not be held at the same time as the election, but insists there will be a referendum and people will have their say.

Organisers of the petition find out by the end of the month whether a referendum will be held on the issue, but Prime Minister Helen Clark has said that if a referendum is to go ahead, it will be by postal ballot in 2009 - not during the 2008 general election.

Baldock's party also pledged to make radical reforms to the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act, lowering the required thresholds for a successful petition and making all Private Members' Bill subject to referenda before becoming law.

It also wants raise the minimum wage and the drinking age.

It would then turn to investing in marriage preparation and relationship courses, by funding faith and iwi based charities.

---

•   Text Size
• Print
• Email
• Share