Worth Richard: General Debates 
Worth Richard: General Debates 
[Volume:615;Page:11107] 
RICHARD WORTH (National—Epsom) 
: 
 Around 200 years before Christ was born the Roman soothsayers would read the entrails of chickens and pigs. They would look at the heart the liver and the lungs—critical organs in those animals. The modern and more sophisticated equivalent of that of course is to track the reputable pollsters. So it was on the One News Colmar Brunton poll on 14 February that we saw these results: National 45 percent Labour 38 percent New Zealand First 6 percent the Greens 5 percent United Future 2 percent ACT 1 percent with a margin of error of 3.2 percent. If I could adapt a phrase used by Lord Dawson the king’s doctor as King George V lay dying: I believe that the life of the Labour Government is moving to a close. 
There are a number of reasons for that. Here are three of them. First some of the Government’s spin is being unmasked and reported by the media. That is new because the media has generally been hugely uncritical of the Government and at times fawning. 
 Second despite what the previous speaker has said economic events are moving against New Zealand. Some pundits pick with the rise in the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar that the New Zealand dollar may hit 80c. It is now about 70c. That has a huge impact on exporters and particularly on small businesses which are less likely to hedge. In addition the Government has imposed wayward immigration policies that instead of encouraging migrants who would make a contribution to our society permit migrants to enter New Zealand who have no such intention at all. 
Third United Future—an alleged centre-right party that props up the Government on issues of confidence—is looking increasingly shaky on issues like the Families Commission Act and the foreshore and seabed legislation. How a centre-right Christian party can support a godless and unprincipled Government beggars belief. This is a Government with an agenda that has fallen out of alignment with the views of New Zealanders. It has a social agenda that is actively undermining the tradition of the family and the institution of marriage. It is an agenda that pursues policies designed to prefer—despite what the previous speaker has said—ethnic groups rather than targeting individuals in need. It is an agenda that is reckless as to the consequences of the importance of our relationship with the United States and Australia. It is sad that those relationships at present are at historic lows. 
It is an agenda that increasingly suggests a headlong rush to republicanism and we saw that well illustrated today with the press announcement by the Minister of Justice in respect of oaths and affirmations. There is a litany of events that indicate there is a plan to take New Zealand along the republican route. Here are some examples: the revamping of the honours system; the abolition of the Privy Council; clamour from some Labour politicians to scrap the parliamentary prayer which refers to the Queen; the plan to abolish Queen’s Counsel in the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill; the decision not to award the Golden Jubilee Medal to New Zealanders. There is a plan to move New Zealand to that republican state. 
There is also an agenda that tramples over human rights. I think it is astonishing to look at the record of the Attorney-General in that regard. Under Standing Order 264 of the current revision of the Standing Orders she is required to certify where legislation breaches the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. If one counts up her record in that regard it is to be seen that no fewer than 19 bills have infringed that statute. 
The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.