We would welcome Right of Reply by Ron Mark or Mahesh Bindra of New Zealand First Party
Phil Goff
If politicians wonder why they are not well thought of by the public often, they should examine their own behaviour.
There have been two examples of poor behaviour in Parliament recently.
The first was by Ron Mark (New Zealand First), who told MP (National) Melissa Lee to ‘go home to Korea.’ He disagreed with something she had said and instead of arguing the issue, he attacked the person.
Unacceptable behaviour
Was he really saying she had no right to say something that differed from his view solely because she was not New Zealand born? That was how it came across.
I am sorry, Mr Mark, people who come here to make their lives in New Zealand have the same right as every other to express an opinion.
The key point about democracy is freedom of speech and Parliament is the place where people should challenge and test the views of others.
But do not disparage a person’s views on the basis of where they come from.
That is utterly unacceptable, especially in Parliament.
Political dishonesty
The second example involved Prime Minister John Key, who told others that by challenging Australia’s detention policy, they were backing ‘rapists and murderers.’
That’s nonsense and a cheap political shot. No one in Parliament backs rapists or murderers and Mr Key misled the public because when the facts came out that no Kiwi held in detention on Christmas Island was either a murder or rapist.
Mr Key also contradicted his own comments. He had said earlier on a TV Breakfast show that ‘New Zealanders who may have committed horrendous crimes such as murder and sex offences – I have still been standing up for them and getting them a better deal’.
MPs like Kelvin Davis, who have campaigned strongly for years against sexual and family violence, had every right to feel aggrieved at the political dishonesty in the accusations made against them.
The Speaker should have pulled up the Prime Minister immediately on his comments.
Parliament should be a place where you debate and argue for what you believe with vigour and passion. Disparaging your opponent with false claims as to their motivations however ought to have no place in the chamber.
The Prime Minister’s comments were deliberate, to take pressure off him from what has been seen as a fairly timid response to Australian treatment generally of New Zealanders.
Detention Policy
The detention policy is just one of those.
Leaving aside human rights arguments, my main criticism in this area of Australia is that many of the New Zealanders being sent ‘home’ are in reality Australians. They have been raised, educated and have worked in Australia almost all their lives.
Many were taken to Australia by their parents as pre-schoolers. Many of their spouses and children are Australians.
Sending them ‘back’ to a country they do not know and where they have no support structures, is wrong and unjustified.
Australia is loading its problem on to us. The chances of those people reoffending in New Zealand will be much higher because they do not have the networks of families and friends to support them here.
If a New Zealander goes as an adult to Australia and commits a crime, of course send him or her home, that person is our responsibility.
But Australia should live up to its responsibility for those who are in effect Australians.
Powerful issue
The more powerful issue for me however is the one I raised directly with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull when he was in Auckland recently.
I asked him to explain why New Zealanders who are living permanently in Australia, working hard and paying their levies under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, are denied the right to payments if they suffer disability. What insurance company would be allowed to take your premiums but not let you claim under the policy?
If you work hard and pay your taxes (and Kiwis pay the Australian Government over $2 billion a year in taxes), why are you also denied benefits that those taxes pay for like sickness or unemployment support if you run into hard times?
Mr Turnbull said that that the reason was fiscal. What that means is that they want Kiwis’ taxes but not to give them reciprocal rights.
The treatment of New Zealanders living permanently in Australia who are decent and hardworking taxpayers and members of their community is unfair. That is the issue Labour Party Leader Andrew Little and I will rise next fortnight in Canberra as we appear before their Parliamentary Committees.
Phil Goff is former Foreign Affairs, Trade and Justice Minister and has been Member of Parliament for almost 35 years. Elected from Mt Roskill, he is today Labour Party’s Spokesperson for Ethnic Affairs and Auckland Issues.
