Thursday, October 16, 2003
Unbridled arrogance
The government’s arrogant use of power this week to push through a major constitutional change by the slimmest of margins is well documented. (That the government seems to be able to outrage the electorate and yet retain its unbelievably high popularity is a continuing mystery.)
Chris Trotter – a left-wing journalist who seems to be having a lot of second thoughts about where his sympathies lie – has a cutting analysis of the roots of the government’s arrogance. And Simon Upton – living in exile in France – provides us with some penetrating comparisons between European upheavals over a new EU constitution and the situation in New Zealand. There are some lessons to be considered here as the government continues to push NZ towards a republic. For instance, who’s going to write the constitution? Would you really trust the man who brought us the wonderful new Prostitution Reform Act that’s now giving hernias to city councils up and down the country? Well, he’s the one the Attorney-General has appointed to head an enquiry into the constitution. Be very afraid.
And isn't it a strange irony, that the closest Labour can find to an intellectual, former Prime Minister (now Sir) Geoffrey Palmer, once wrote a book extolling the virtues of a written constitution, entitled (wait for it!) Unbridled Power.
The government’s arrogant use of power this week to push through a major constitutional change by the slimmest of margins is well documented. (That the government seems to be able to outrage the electorate and yet retain its unbelievably high popularity is a continuing mystery.)
Chris Trotter – a left-wing journalist who seems to be having a lot of second thoughts about where his sympathies lie – has a cutting analysis of the roots of the government’s arrogance. And Simon Upton – living in exile in France – provides us with some penetrating comparisons between European upheavals over a new EU constitution and the situation in New Zealand. There are some lessons to be considered here as the government continues to push NZ towards a republic. For instance, who’s going to write the constitution? Would you really trust the man who brought us the wonderful new Prostitution Reform Act that’s now giving hernias to city councils up and down the country? Well, he’s the one the Attorney-General has appointed to head an enquiry into the constitution. Be very afraid.
And isn't it a strange irony, that the closest Labour can find to an intellectual, former Prime Minister (now Sir) Geoffrey Palmer, once wrote a book extolling the virtues of a written constitution, entitled (wait for it!) Unbridled Power.
