A constitutional review to be led by the Government and the Maori Party is undemocratic and should be boycotted by all New Zealanders, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says.The three-year constitutional review was announced yesterday, and would spe
A constitutional review to be led by the Government and the Maori Party is undemocratic and should be boycotted by all New Zealanders, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says.
The three-year constitutional review was announced yesterday, and would specifically examine electoral issues, the role of the Treaty of Waitangi, and whether New Zealand should have a written constitution.
Mr Peters said he was concerned that the review was being overseen by politicians rather than judges or constitutional experts.
"This is a shameful blight on this country's proud tradition of sticking to the rules of democracy and ensuring that every citizen has the right to participate in the process of electing governments in a fair and open way," Mr Peters said.
"Although National has, until now, always supported proper constitutional principles, the Maori Party has always had a warped perspective on majority rule and believes that some fictional Treaty notion allows some form of minority rule.
"This politically-motivated review should be stopped in its tracks and we urge all New Zealanders to boycott it."
In launching the review yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said he felt the constitution was not about the opinions of experts or judges.
"The views of constitutional experts have been canvassed for some time and they are reasonably predictable," Mr English said.
"This is a review around the constitution, run on the belief that the constitutional arrangements belong to the people... we are here as facilitators of it."
Other parties raised concerns about the terms of reference being applied to the review, noting that the possibility of New Zealand becoming a republic had not been included.
United Future leader Peter Dunne said he was "bitterly disappointed" it was not there.
"You cannot have a credible constitutional review without specifically looking at the republic issue, and to try to pretend otherwise would be farcical," he said.
"I think New Zealanders are ready to have that discussion, and rather than sweep it under the carpet the review should address it up front."
