Wedge issues

The usual ballot for private members bills was held today, and two new ones have been drawn for consideration by the House. And as seems usual for private members' bills these days, both deal with highly divisive "wedge issues".

The first is Ken Shirley's bill to amend the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987 to allow nuclear-powered ships into New Zealand waters. This is pretty much an anathema to most new Zealanders, and I expect it to be voted down in short order by Labour, the Greens, Progressives, and probably (judging by their defence policy) NZFirst. But they're not the real target. As can be seen from Shirley's press release, the real target is National. While Don Brash famously promised that the nuclear ban would be "gone by lunchtime" if he were to become Prime Minister, he has since backed down, declaring that he would not change the anti-nuclear policy "at this point". Meanwhile, despite holding a review, the National Party has refused to adopt a formal position on the issue. This bill will force them to jump one way or the other, and no matter which way they choose, ACT will be able to score points with those who believe that our role is one of subserviance to the US, either by claiming to have led opinion or to be the "purer" (more subserviant) party of the right.

The second is Sue Bradford's Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill, which will (as ought to be obvious from the title) repeal section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961 and effectively outlaw child-beating under colour of parental authority. Given the recent acquittal by a jury of a woman who beat her child with a horse whip, I think the law is sorely in need of changing - you only have to read the woman's long history of violent abuse of her children to see that the law is being used to shield outright abusive behaviour. Unfortunately, I'm not sure the numbers are there, and authoritarian conservatives will make hay from the issue. And on the griping hand, nothing changes unless you try, and if this bill fails, we'll just have another go in a couple of years.

Both bills should probably get their first reading around July 27th, so if you care about the issues, start lobbying.

Update: Added links to bills on Knowledge Basket.