DO NOT LET THE NZ POLICE FORM A POLITICAL PARTY
PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE - THIS IS VERY, VERY, VERY BAD - YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE
Ok the search and surveillance bill is bad enough right? Allowing the Pork Board to break into our homes and plant bugs and spy cameras on us with the barest of legal oversights is despicable and we must fight to stop the State having this power - but this new move by the National Party has an even worse outcome, National have just cleared the way to allow the Police to create a political party that will be able to stand at local council elections.
Cue shocked horror look now...
Bill will allow Police to serve in local govt
A Bill allowing Police staff to serve as members of local authorities was introduced to the House today by Police Minister Judith Collins. The Policing (Involvement in Local Authority Elections) Amendment Bill seeks to remove restrictions within the Policing Act 2008 which prevent Police staff serving on local authorities. Under the Act members of Police wanting to stand for local authorities must be placed on special leave during the campaign period, and required to resign from Police if they are elected. "The current legislation is undemocratic in excluding Police staff from serving their communities in local government," Ms Collins said. "This Bill will ensure that Police employees are not treated any differently to other state servants who are not prevented by legislation from standing for election and serving on local authorities. "Police are respected members of their communities. Allowing Police to serve in local government can only build on the strong relationships between Police and community groups, and further contribute to the safety and well-being of those communities." Police internal policies would be reviewed and updated to ensure any actual or perceived conflict of interest was managed appropriately. Removing restrictions on Police from holding office was a pledge by National at the 2008 general election. Ms Collins hopes for cross-party support for the legislation to ensure it is passed in time for the upcoming local government elections.
...okay let's just think about this for a fucking second shall we? The bloody cops will be allowed to form their own political party and run in local elections - wtf? They are cops, they have immense power, they CAN'T run as a political party because they area branch of the Government! We can all imagine scenarios where cops could easily muscle other candidates out of the race with all sorts of dirty tricks. They are the branch empowered to act on behalf of the Government - THEY SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO BE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT!
This is the legal framework for a police state, it must NOT be allowed to pass. The Police HAVE TO BE apolitical, they can't form their own fucking political party and start passing legislation!
National are building tomorrows coalition partners today. This is ugly and deeply disturbing, the Cops HAVE to stay out of politics, there is no way this can be allowed to pass.
posted by Bomber @ 9:47 am
14 comments
14 Comments:
The Teachers Union is virtually a political party who lobby and have a huge influence over govnt policy.
If you were to ban the police from political activity on the basis that they work for the govnt then to every other public service worker would have to banned from the same kinds of activity.
You are comparing the Teachers union to the bloody Police Force? Are you drinking meth or smoking meth Anon?
Ano makes a good point though
He's doing both!
What a mental idea, I'm so sickened right now I never thought we would stoop this low, jesus!
wtf? the teachers union?
hahahaha
the police association is already THE lobby group for cops.
Our police are there to enforce our democratically elected Government's laws. When the police themselves start making the laws you get into very dangerous waters. It's called being a police state. Police and government should always be kept separate.
Don't be a moron Anon. (1).
The police force is responsible for enforcing laws.
The teacher's union is responsible for ensuring that teachers have good pay and working conditions.
It makes a bloody big difference if police are making laws. As others have said that is the definition of a police state.
As to your other point, I always thought that there *was* something about being a public servant that meant that you could not stand for public office. My employment contract prevents me from standing for council or parliament, without resigning/going on special leave. I thought that was pretty standard in government / pseudo-governmental departments.
Not that this move from Collins surprises me particularly. I don't really think that she wants to create a police state --- it is just like most national policies, she/they haven't really thought through what they are doing. And they don't seem to care to think it through either.
It's the same thing with ECAN, I think. National wasn't trying to overthrow a democratically elected body. They were trying to sort out the water issue (ideally in favor of their mates/voters), and (maybe) send a bit of a message that they are tough on cracking down on needless bureaucracy, etc (and !PC!, of course). I believe, that they are just so cack-handed and unthinking that they just don't know or care what it is they are actually doing.
"The Teachers Union is virtually a political party who lobby and have a huge influence over govnt policy."
Yea WOW, Look at the pay rise their influence has got them this year... 0%,,,
This is an Evil bill.
Never credit with conspiracy, what you can achieve by cack-handed stupidity - even if the results are the same.
So - the current Nats are either so clever they have organised conspiracies all over the place, or are so fucking stupid, they barely know what day of the week it is!
I prefer the latter - which also tells a lot about the average NZ voter!
Thank fuck I left the country 4 yrs ago - I don't think I'll be back as soon as I planned!
JonL
"Thank fuck I left the country 4 yrs ago - I don't think I'll be back as soon as I planned!"
Awesome news. Last thing we need is another labour supporter blighting our dole queues.
"and required to resign from Police if they are elected"
So in reality they wouldn't be police any more if elected. Nice straw man though.
"and required to resign from Police if they are elected"
So in reality they will not be responsibly for enforcing the laws if they are making the laws. Also it is local authorities not national government.
Nice straw man though.
Thank you for your comment Anon. The rule about being forced to stand down from the Police to act on the Board is the CURRENT protection, the move National are attempting is to REMOVE that protection. Do you get it now?
Local authorities != National government.
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