Candidate Survey: Fifth Response

Mojo Mathers, the Green Party candidate for Rakaia. She goes into more detail than anyone else, and her views seem quite interesting.

If you could ensure the passage of one act on one issue in the next Parliament, what would it be?

I would like to see government pass a requirement that all lakes, rivers and waterways are maintained, or where necessary, restored to, contact recreation standard.

This would not only ensure that our rivers were safe for our children to swim in, but would have implications for the way we manage our land and hopefully it would provide greater impetus for the farming industry to redesign intensive farming systems to become both environmentally and economically sustainable.

We urgently need to move away from continually increasing production at the expense of our environment. There are real limits to the level of abuse the environment can take - the toxic algae blooms in the Rotorua lakes is an example of intensive farming gone wrong.

In one sense we could say that 'consumers' (and shareholders) are 'eating our rivers'. I want to find solutions to this.

What three other electoral candidates or sitting MPs do you think are most similar to you in their political views?

Now that's tough - I support all of the Green MP's (naturally!) but in terms of policy areas then I particularly admire the following MP's

Jeanette Fitzsimons - energy, resource management
Mike Ward - "buy local', Zero Waste
Sue Bradford - social justice
Sue Kedgley - Safe food campaign

MMP is about coalitions: What sitting MP who is NOT in your party do you think is most similar to you in their political views?

I have allot of respect for a number of the Labour MP's, including Marion Hobbs and Tim Barnett . There are also number of Labour MP's whom I have nothing in common with!

Do you support or oppose:

...raising the drinking age?

There is no doubt that there is a real problem with alcohol abuse among many young people. I believe that high levels of advertising is a major factor which is contributing to inappropriate underage drinking - I would like to see much greater controls on advertising of alcohol - especially advertising linked with sport.

An educational drive to encourage sports events to become 'alcohol-free' and a change in adult attitudes towards alcohol abuse is also necessary. Without such measures, raising the drinking age on its own will do little to combat the problem., and would be confusing for our youth.

...legalising marijuana (or pharmaceuticals based on it) for medical use?

Yes - for chronically or severely ill patients.

...decriminalising or legalising marijuana for recreational use?

Yes - as long as remains an offence to drive under the influence of marijuana, use is restricted to those over 18 years and the commercial cultivation of marijuana remains illegal.

...allowing same-sex couples to adopt children?

Yes

...amending the Marriage Act to allow same-sex couples to marry?

I support the state allowing Civil Marriage between same sex couples.

...allowing voluntary euthanasia or physician assisted suicide?

No. I have grave concerns that this would be abused, and may lead to greater pressure on our elderly to feel unwanted and a 'burden' to family and society. I would prefer to see considerably more funding for hospice-based and palliative care.

...state funding of integrated schools?

Yes -provided they do not require the payment of fees, and provide open access.

...the retention of sedition as a crime in the Crimes Act?

Yes

...the retention of blasphemous libel as a crime in the Crimes Act?

I'm still trying to find out what "blasphemous libel' is!- none seems to know!

Additional: I feel that a jail term is an over-the-top repressive response to religious irreverence. We send far too many people to jail as it is. I don't like to see any religion being mocked publicly, but making mockery a crime is ludicrous.

...further restrictions on hate speech?

Hate speech is difficult to define, restrictions can be used against people struggling for social justice. I have not seen the need for more restrictions.

...the use of indefinite detention without trial for those subject to a security risk certificate?

No. If there is enough information to issue a 'security risk' certificate then there is enough to allow a fair trial.

...restoring the death penalty for serious crime?

No.

...Georgina Beyer's Human Rights (Gender Identity) Amendment Bill?

Yes - intersex and transgendered people are entitled to the same levels of protection from discrimination as anyone else.

...Gordon Copeland's New Zealand Bill of Rights (Private Property Rights) Amendment Bill?

I am not quite sure of the implication of Gordon's bill - people already have the right to own property - does the bill mean that if property owners are required to allow public access along waterways then they must be compensated? That seems rather extreme. On the other hand if land is appropriated for development (.eg hydo-development) then proper compensation should be paid. I will need to find out more about it.

...entrenching the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act as supreme law?

Probably - but there are some omissions.

...New Zealand's participation in the International Criminal Court?

Yes

...lowering MMP's threshold from the present 5%?

No. Allows too many 'single issue' parties.

Finally,

With the benefit of hindsight, how should the government have handled the Ahmed Zaoui case?

Accept that he was a genuine refugee and let him stay in New Zealand as a free person.

As usual, Mojo's views are her own, and do not necessarily represent those of the Green party.

Update: Corrected the candidate's gender. I should know better.

Update 2: Added further response on blasphemous libel.