Peters Winston: Electoral Finance Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
Peters Winston: Electoral Finance Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
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Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 Nicky Hager did not write any book; he compiled a list of emails and correspondence all handwritten by the National Party and then he assembled it in a book—and none of those members can deny that. I understand the National Party’s position. It is that there is no more democracy in New Zealand no more freedom in New Zealand— 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I am sorry to interrupt the member but I remind the members on my left that they may like to look at Speakers’ ruling 57/3. Interjections are to be “rare and reasonable” “relevant” and restrained. If members wish to make a contribution to the debate they can do so with a 5-minute speech. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: According to the National Party there is no more freedom in New Zealand and no more democracy. People cannot exercise their right to speak and they cannot vote. That is what National has argued alongside the  
New Zealand Herald 
 that brilliant bastion of democracy and freedom that tremendous watchdog of the people which every now and again every two decades finds an issue and surfaces. 
The truth is that National claims that the bill prevents free speech except that those members cannot tell us which person in New Zealand is not free to speak now. I ask them please to tell me which New Zealander is denied free speech right now. Of course they cannot tell us that because no New Zealander has been denied free speech by this legislation. 
The second thing is— 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: The bill’s not through yet. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: OK OK! Let us imagine it is 1 January and the bill is through—because it will be through—so can members tell me now which New Zealander on that date will be denied free speech? You see they cannot name one person yet they talk about the  
New Zealand Herald 
’s coverage of the bill and about a campaign when 5000 people marched up Queen Street. For goodness’ sake! I have had more people in one of my audiences than that— 
Hon Tau Henare 
: When was that? 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: —and I did not get carried away as a result of that. But there are 5000 people and all of a sudden we have the difference between the free world and the Iron Curtain. It is extraordinary! Tau wants to know when that audience was. It was when we took him hopeless though he was and put him in Parliament. It was when he was hopeless and we put him in Parliament. 
You know which New Zealander on 1 January 2008—[ 
Interruption 
]; no members should answer the question—or in this coming election will not be able to have his or her say? I ask members to name one. Well they cannot. 
John Carter 
: Garth McVicar. 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: Garth McVicar can campaign and we will campaign alongside him unlike the “soft on law and order” boys and unlike the convenient “we’re your friend tomorrow” boys. Ron Mark of New Zealand First and Winston Peters will be campaigning with Garth McVicar because what we say we mean. And will Garth be able to vote? Of course he will. Will he be able to advertise? Of course he will. 
The next question is this—[ 
Interruption 
] With that member it is “Sir” OK? It is not “Winston” to him; it is “Sir”—OK? He has been here only 5 minutes so he should learn some respect. You see this bill ensures that we will know who is campaigning and participating at the next election—not some shadowy figures like the Exclusive Brethren and not some group that does not want anyone to know about its registered office its place of domicile its name or above all what it paid over to the National Party and why it did so. No one pays a million dollars to a political party without asking for something. Members should ask Michael Fay about that. He paid the National Party a million dollars did he not? And this was the deal: “You bail me out from the BNZ and you get me into State asset sales and I will get a return of three to one. I will put on that million dollars for you and I will get by the freedom of policies $300 for every dollar I put down.” That is National; that is its record. 
Those ignoramuses can scream and shout but I know about that. I was there and I saw what was done. I saw how National was prepared to compromise some hard-working lady down in Gore or some poor guy in Kaitaia who were making cakes organising hoedowns and picking up membership for the National Party. But National was prepared to put all those people aside for the sake of the few or the very few—or as Roosevelt put it those over-mighty subjects. That is why the National Party—no no Mr Chairman; I am speaking to clause 3(d) of this bill. 
Rodney Hide 
: Mr Chairman— 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS 
: I gave him 10 minutes— 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member’s time has expired.