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BACKGROUND ISSUES

The Independent Constitutional Review has been established by the New Zealand Centre for Political Research in response to the Maori Party’s plan to replace our constitution with one based on the Treaty of Waitangi to give the tribal elite supreme power in New Zealand. Details of the government’s $4 million campaign to replace our constitution can be viewed here.

The NZCPR is a public policy think tank established in 2005 by former MP, Dr Muriel Newman. Each week our FREE weekly newsletter outlines public policy issues of concern. It is our rising concern, through this work, that has led to the establishment of this Independent Constitutional Review website. If we receive sufficient support, we will run a nation-wide public information campaign to alert New Zealanders to the threat to our future posed by the Maori Party’s Constitutional Review.

This page holds the NZCPR’s main articles written about constitutional issues – for your information. New information will be posted here as it becomes available. Radio interviews can be found at the bottom of the page. You can view the wealth of other material on the NZCPR website here.

NZCPR Articles on Constitutional Issues:

DateAuthorTitle
09/12/12Dr Muriel NewmanExtortion by a Thousand Demandshttp://www.nzcpr.com/extortion-by-a-thousand-demands/
09/12/12David RoundA Treaty of Waitangi Constitutionhttp://www.nzcpr.com/a-treaty-of-waitangi-constitution/
03/12/12Dr Muriel NewmanIllegitimate Constitutional Changehttp://www.nzcpr.com/major-constitutional-change-without-a-referendum-is-illegitimate/
03/12/12Prof James AllanWhat a Bastardhttp://www.nzcpr.com/what-a-bastard/
05/11/12Dr Muriel NewmanFocus on the Reviewhttp://www.nzcpr.com/focus-on-review/
04/10/12David RoundReport on "NZ's Constitution; The Conversation So Far"http://www.nzcpr.com/new-zealands-constitution-the-conversation-so-far-constitutional-advisory-panel-september-2012/
22/10/12Dr Muriel NewmanIndependent Constitutional Review Panel established ...http://www.nzcpr.com/independent-constitutional-review-panel-established/
22/10/12Prof James AllanA Written Constitution for NZ? ...http://www.nzcpr.com/a-written-constitution-for-nz/
24/09/12Dr Muriel NewmanOpen Letter to the Prime Minister...http://www.nzcpr.com/open-letter-to-the-prime-minister/
24/09/12Prof Martin DevlinConstitutional Advisory Panel...http://www.nzcpr.com/constitutional-advisory-panel-engagement-strategy-for-the-consideration-of-constitutional-issues/
19/08/12Dr Muriel NewmanStand up for New Zealand!...http://www.nzcpr.com/stand-up-for-new-zealand/
19/08/12David RoundWe get the government we deserve...http://www.nzcpr.com/we-get-the-government-we-deserve/
09/09/12Dr Muriel NewmanTime to challenge claims and claimants...http://www.nzcpr.com/time-to-challenge-claims-and-claimants/
09/09/12Dr Elizabeth RataAn argument against iwi claims to constitutional recognition...http://www.nzcpr.com/an-argument-against-iwi-claims-to-constitutional-recognition-and-public-resources/
19/08/12Dr Muriel NewmanA Declaration of Equality...http://www.nzcpr.com/a-declaration-of-equality/
19/08/12David RoundCharter...http://www.nzcpr.com/charter-declaration-of-equality/
22/07/2012Dr Muriel NewmanAre we one or two?...http://www.nzcpr.com/are-we-one-or-two/
22/07/2012Dr Elizabeth RataNew Zealand Constitution - why iwi have got it wrong...http://www.nzcpr.com/new-zealand-constitution-why-iwi-have-got-it-wrong/
08/07/12Dr Muriel NewmanOne battle ends - a new one begins...http://www.nzcpr.com/one-battle-ends-a-new-one-begins/
08/07/12Dr Hugh BarrOur foreshore and seabed - precious enough to fight for...http://www.nzcpr.com/our-foreshore-seabed-precious-enough-to-fight-for/
01/07/12Dr Muriel NewmanEquality for all...http://www.nzcpr.com/equality-for-all/
01/07/12Mike ButlerTurning around race-based policy...http://www.nzcpr.com/turning-around-race-based-policy/
06/05/12Dr Muriel NewmanHijacking our constitution...http://www.nzcpr.com/hijacking-our-constitution/
06/05/12Mike ButlerTreaty beliefs - in their own words...http://www.nzcpr.com/test-post-246/
01/04/2012Dr Muriel NewmanTime to look forward...http://www.nzcpr.com/time-to-look-forward/
01/04/2012David RoundThe biculturalism myth...http://www.nzcpr.com/the-myth-of-biculturalism/
5/03/12Dr Muriel NewmanRadical forces plan to replace our constitution...http://www.nzcpr.com/radical-forces-plan-to-replace-our-constitution/
5/03/12Dr Elizabeth RataMarching through the institutions...http://www.nzcpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Marching-through-the-institutions-The-Neotribal-Elite-and-the-Treaty-of-Waitangi.pdf
18/09/11Dr Muriel NewmanLeave our constitution alone...http://www.nzcpr.com/test-post-587/
18/09/11David RoundA slippery slope to ruin...http://www.nzcpr.com/a-slippery-slope-to-ruin/
23/08/09David RoundJudicial Activism - part 2...http://www.nzcpr.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=23878#p23878
13/08/09David RoundJudicial Activism - part 1...http://www.nzcpr.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=23655#p23655

BREAKING VIEWS Articles on Constitutional Issues:

“Breaking Views” is a blog run by the New Zealand Centre for Political Research – see here

DateAuthorTitle
18/09/12Mike ButlerThe hunger for a special Maori dealhttp://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/mike-butler-hunger-for-special-maori.html
18/09/12Mike ButlerConstitution 101 questions to ponderhttp://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/mike-butler-constitution-101-questions.html
18/09/12Mike ButlerAdvisors' 'rangatiratanga' errorhttp://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/mike-butler-sovereignty-error-in-booklet.html
21/05/12Mike ButlerNelson, Wairoa oppose Maori seatshttp://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/mike-butler-nelson-wairoa-oppose-maori.html
12/05/12Mike ButlerImplications of Treaty in constitutionhttp://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/mike-butler-implications-of-treaty-in.html
21/04/12Mike ButlerWhat Maori and non-Maori think about separate seatshttp://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/mike-butler-what-maori-and-non-maori.html
16/03/12Mike ButlerBe careful with the constitutionhttp://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/mike-butler-constitution-not-broken.html
11/03/12Mike ButlerBolivian constitution a model for NZ?http://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/mike-butler-bolivian-constitution-model.html

Other Information on Constitutional Issues:

RADIO INTERVIEWS

DateInterview WithRadio Show
18/10/12Dr Muriel NewmanLeighton Smith Newstalk ZB: MMP & Declaration of Equality...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Y_N_Vskzw&feature=relmfu
30/09/12Dr Muriel NewmanFree Access Radio 89FM: Declaration of Equality...http://youtu.be/XFox4dp75R8
25/09/12Dr Muriel NewmanFarming Show with Jamie Mackay: Declaration of Equality...http://www.farmingshow.com/player/ondemand/muriel-newman-declaration-of-equality

OTHER

DateYouTube VideoTitle
9/10/12Geoff ParkerDeclaration of Equality - STAND UP NZ! ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbLBZ8LrGKA
DateArticle - AuthorTitle
7/04/00Dr Roderick DeaneGlobalisation and Constitutional Development...http://www.independenteconomics.com/assets/papers/buildingtheconstitution.pdf


SUBMISSION GUIDE

below is a guide to the issues to assist you in your submission:

Number MPs/seats

Nominally 120 MPs but currently 121 because of the overhang created when a party wins ... more

Length Parliamentary term

Those in power would want longer terms and those out shorter. The question is how long ... more

Election date

Currently, the Prime Minister may set date for the party’s advantage. A fixed date would ... more

Number electorates

Currently there are 63 general electorate seats and 7 Maori seats, with 50 list seats ... more

Calculating electorates

The process for deciding the number and size of electorates is based on the South Island always ... more

Electoral Integrity Laws

Party hopping laws prevent MPs leaving a party and distorting the proportionality of ... more

Maori Electoral Option

The Maori electoral option gives New Zealanders of Maori descent the opportunity to choose ... more

Maori seats

Four Maori seats were established as a temporary measure back in 1867. They should have ... more

Local govt Maori seats

Separate Maori representation was established by legislation in 2001 at Environment Bay of Plenty ... more

Treaty of Waitangi

If Treaty principles were enshrined in a new written constitution, it would be a death blow ... more

Bill of Rights - property

The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 is a statute of the Parliament of New Zealand setting out ... more

Bill of Rights Entrenchment

The Electoral Act is the only New Zealand statute containing entrenched provisions ... more

Written constitution

If Treaty principles were enshrined in a new written constitution, it would be a death blow to ... more

Declaration of Equality

The Declaration of Equality states: We New Zealanders of all backgrounds having founded ..more

Change via Referendum

The only legitimate democratic way to enact major constitutional change is through a referendum ... more