Value Your Vote

One way or another, the elected politicians will influence
your family. So before you vote for them, wouldn't you
like to know if they share your values?

Over the past twelve years there have been a number of law changes voted on by our politicians specifically impacting the welfare of kiwi families, and the role of parents and marriage.

Some of these laws – like the anti-smacking law, the Care of Children Bill and the ‘parental notification’ law relating to teenage abortions – have undermined the important role parents play in their children’s lives. The highly controversial same-sex marriage bill rejected the obvious cultural and natural characteristics of marriage and the subsequent creation and care of children, and made marriage about partnership only. How soon will it be before the next attempt is made to redefine ‘marriage’ to allow, for example, group marriage or polygamy?

Other laws – such as the decriminalisation of prostitution and residential brothels; attempts to decriminalise euthanasia and marijuana, and to liberalise Easter trading laws; and Parliament’s refusal to raise the drinking age – have failed to take into account what is best for the welfare and safety of families. However, attempts to protect families and keep communities safer through bills around ‘Three Strikes’ and bail should be applauded

Most concerning of all has been the inability of MPs to hear the clear wishes and concerns of New Zealand families – for example, surveys show that up to 75% want the drinking age raised to 20, up to 87% oppose the anti-smacking law, 66% of New Zealanders want brothels banned from residential areas, and almost 80% believe that parents should be informed if their pregnant daughter under 16 seeks an abortion.

This app allows you to see how your local MP and each political party has voted on these important social issues. Many of them are conscience votes allowing an MP to vote according to his or her conscience rather than along party lines. However, in many cases, there seems to be a ‘party conscience’.