Winston Peters was dressed immaculately as usual, at the Electoral Finance Bill protest, Queen St Auckland New Zealand November 17, 2007.
Winston was heard to say that he is only voting for the bill because his baubles of office told him to.
When asked by a TV3 Journo what his baubles had to do with anything Peters replied, "I didn't get where I am today without large baubles".
Peters got up and addressed the crowd but finished quickly when he soon realized that there were no TV cameras trained on him and everyone was under 40 anyway, so there were no votes to be had.
When asked about the fact that the bill, if passed, would stop free speech in an Election year Peters first blamed the journalist for asking such a profound question, then said the question of free speech for the general public wasn't a problem because he spoke for all New Zealanders and knew what they wanted anyway. He added, "what was really important was that he had free speech in an election year and what is more important than that?"
Going back to the bauble question, Winston was asked where he put them for this momentous occasion because they were not at first obvious to the casual glance.
Oh, Winston curtly replied, like the mongrel of old, "Helen has them in a vice back in Parliament".
With that, his tail between his bauble less legs Winston slinked off more like a lap dog than the mongrel of yesteryear.
C Political Animal 2007
Well, my first political or any protest for that matter went off without a hitch today. No violence, no spitting, no guns, no hakas but plenty of well placed anger, at Helen Clark and the Sisterhood who want to pass the anti democratic Electoral Finance Bill, that will allow unrestrained spending of taxpayer dollars by Labour Pollies in Election year but the ability for private citizens to do likewise will be limited, otherwise the slammer for you buddy.
About 5000 protested the bill as they marched down Auckland's Queen St, not the 2000 reported in the NZ Herald. "1,2,3,4 we don't want your fascist law" rang out as the crowd centered down at Britomart after the half mile trek from the Town Hall.
Old people and young people alike got together on a sunny hot Saturday to protest what could be illegal next year.
I was expecting around 2000 but the crowd was at least double that.
There were banners that read "fascist" anti Clarke banners,a stuffed Winston Peters(how appropriate) New Zealand flags and individuals who symbolically had their mouths taped.
Speeches at Britomart included the organiser John Boscowen who mentioned a letter to the editor from Peter Davies, Helen Clark's Husband, who refuted that the bill was an anti democratic piece of filth and noted he was from the sociology department of Auckland University but had neglected to mention his relationship to the big cheese. My man Leighton Smith from Newstalk ZB was there, his first political protest too, he added that he didn't usually like to get involved in such things but felt so strongly about the cause that he just had to.
Touchingly there was also an 80 plus year old veteran from WW2 and Boscowen reminded the crowd what it was he had fought for and of course it was the same reason we were all there today.
Freedom and democracy.
C Darren Rickard: Images & Content
Just a gentle reminder of the march against the anti democratic Electoral Finance Bill, which will stop free speech in election year and also allow the incumbent Government, in this case Labour, to spend taxpayers money to advertise in election year while others will be capped.
In 2005 Labour stole over $800,000.00 taxpayer dollars to buy the election, it was illegal and they got away with it by changing the law and were not punished. In 2008 it will be legal if this Stalinist bill is passed this month.Those wishing to participate should assemble in Aotea Square from 10.00am with the march to leave at 10.30am and culminate at the bottom of Queen St at Britomart.
Rain or shine. Photos from the protest will be posted here.
C Darren Rickard 2007
