The NZ First Party led by the Hon. Winston Peters, which romped back into parliament with eight MPS and gained 7% of the vote on election night, scored highly ( second highest at 80%), along with the Conservative Party (90% top “value”) , in a “VALUEYOURVOTE” election guide published by Family First NZ . See www.valueyourvote.org.nz (“One way or another, the politicians you elect will influence your family … So before you vote for them, wouldn’t you like to know what they stand for?”)
Tens of thousands of the guides were distributed throughout the country by Family First NZ, a charity registered with the Charities Commission; assessing the political parties based on their responses and/or lack of responses to questions on their respective policies on moral and conscience issues considered by the charity to be highly important to prospective voters. Such issues included:
1. Define marriage as one man and one woman
2. Policies promoting marriage
3. Unborn child has right to life
4. Informed consent for women seeking abortion
5. Parental notification for teen pregnancies
6. Abstinence and parental-based sex education
7. Legalisation of surrogacy
8. Same sex adoption by non-biological adults
9. Decriminalisation of euthanasia
10 G-rated billboards
11. Decriminalise non-abusive smacking
12 Raise drinking and purchase age to 20
The pamplete stated: “The leaders of the Labour, National and Maori Parties refused to complete the questionnaires.” Points were awarded to responses (Yes/No) which were in line with Family First NZ position. Where possible the charity analysed these three partys’ voting record and public statements on these issues, but was only able to provide guidance on the policies relating to a small small number of the 30 questions/issues raised.
NZ First NZ and the Conservative Party (the latter received 2.8% of the vote, fifth in ranking ahead of their closest rival the Maori Party, which only scored 1.3%) were real ‘winners’ on election night. ‘Winners’ in the sense of wooing a significant block of voters (almost 10%), based on a firm, unequivocal policy stance taken on 30 values issues – with answers in harmomy with Family First NZ position – while leaders of the National, Labour and Maori parties who refused to respond ‘failed’ in the “value” assessment. The Greens scored poorly in the Family First NZ guide at 23% – well below Act at 43% and United Future at 37%.
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