“Political parties should pay their own MPs,” he said, adding that if elected as MP for Wairarapa he would draw up a private member’s bill to do just that.

“It is a kick in the teeth for people on low incomes to be forced to pay these turkeys ever-increasing salaries when they produce absolutely nothing of any worth,” he added.

“It should be up to political parties to pay what they feel their representatives are worth – why should I be forced to fund the salaries of people I detest, and why should they be forced to fund my salary in the event that I am elected?”

Dr McGrath suggested MPs only work part-time, with far fewer sitting days, and an emphasis on repealing restrictive laws that choke industry and reduce employment opportunities, rather than imposing yet more rules and regulations.

“This would allow them to work in the private sector to supplement what should be a fairly meagre income as an MP.”

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Dr Richard McGrath
Libertarianz Leader
Phone: 027 322 2907
Email: richard.mcgrath@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

“Looks like the Fun Police are out to shut down production again. But nobody really thinks they will make a dent in marijuana production. Cannabis is simply too popular; hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders use this enjoyable and relaxing recreational drug peacefully and safely.”

“If some growers have gang connections or guns, we can thank the War on Drugs. After all, you don’t see hop growers or tobacco farmers with illegal firearms or hidden plots.”

“It should be clear to all that the current system of harassing and arresting growers, sellers and users is a waste of police time and money. The only effective way to combat cannabis-related crime is to completely legalise cannabis. Libertarianz and the ALCP are the only political parties calling for this to happen.”

“This summer, if you grow or use marijuana, Libertarianz urges you to do so safely, on your own property, away from prying neighbours.”

“Kiwis who believe marijuana should be legal to grow, sell and consume should consider voting for Libertarianz in the upcoming election,” Mr Howison concluded.

Libertarianz Transitional Drug Policy key points:

• Legalise all drugs safer than alcohol
• R18 age restriction on drug sales
• Moratorium on arrest for simple possession
• Reduce other penalties

For more information see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Luke Howison
Libertarianz Drugs Spokesman
Phone: 027 314 3007
Email: luke.howison@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz – More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

“These people have stolen from a charity. This is not only fraud; it is also cheating on the rest of New Zealand.”

“Unfortunately however, the reality is that our government invented this charity out of thin air and turned it into a massive institution. We are left with a system that can only bring out the worst in people and this situation is a perfect demonstration.”

“We are now stuck with an over-bearing government and less control over our own lives. This means that instead of living in the real world we must endure an engineered world where the removal of opportunity is disguised as safety and fairness and where control is disguised as civility. They are neither.”

Osborne concludes, “Is any of this social engineering working? Depression and suicide rates are through the ceiling. Crime is inexcusably high. Domestic violence also. Nothing is improving, yet we fail to recognise the writing on the wall. How is this going to end?”

Libertarianz recognise that only freedom will put a halt to this madness. Humans are not designed to be herded or controlled. When we are, the results will always be adverse. We recommend that people go to our website to find the only viable way out of this mess.

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Peter Osborne
Libertarianz Spokesman for Social Welfare
Phone: 021 326091
Email: peter.osborne@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

As part of her election campaign, Hughes has arranged a meeting for the growing number of voters who feel let down by their elected representatives.

5.30pm Thursday 17 November
Northland Craft Trust pottery room
21 Selwyn Avenue, Whangarei

“I am the only candidate in Whangarei who is standing up for your rights. Libertarianz is the only party in New Zealand consistently advocating freedom and individual rights.” said Hughes.

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Helen Hughes
Whangarei Candidate
Phone: 021 15 222 44
Email: helen.hughes@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

As New Zealand’s youngest electorate candidate and first-time voter, I am appalled that one of New Zealand’s largest parties has such contempt for the New Zealand public to assume that such shallow bribes will win votes.

Having recently left secondary school I know that it is that attitude of the student, their family, and the school that determines success – not the number of toys provided by the government.

While Libertarianz embrace technology and online learning, the best way to increase people’s access to alternative forms of education is to remove the Government from the supplier and gatekeeper to students’ learning opportunities. Libertarianz education policies would open up a much wider variety of educational methods and providers, and would allow teachers greater ability to improve their income.

New Zealanders are getting tired of Labour’s never-ending class warfare and use of bribery as an election tool. This is illustrated well in a recent Libertarianz video at http://youtu.be/xYPnpSTnEfE

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Reagan Cutting
Libertarianz Candidate for Wellington Central
Phone: 027 478 5788

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

“This year ACT has chosen to not stand a candidate in the Ohariu electorate. This leaves a void for those who sympathize with the classical liberal / libertarian side of the ACT party.”

“I call on ACT voters from previous years to seriously consider giving me your electorate votes this year, even if you still intend to give ACT your party vote. There is simply no other alternative that is even remotely satisfying.”

Fitzpatrick points out, “ACT supporters will not want to see Chauvel or Hughes as their local MP. Dunne has openly bagged Dr Brash for his views on the economy, drug law reform and virtually everything else. Katrina Shanks is only campaigning for the list vote.”

“In short, the ACT voter who still wants their electorate vote to count for something this year really only has one choice: Sean Fitzpatrick of Libertarianz.”

“In similar fashion, the Aotearoa Legalize Cannabis Party is also not standing a candidate in Ohariu this year. ALCP voters can be assured that I back their view on drug law reform,” Fitzpatrick concludes.

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Sean Fitzpatrick
Libertarianz Deputy Leader
Ohariu Candidate
Phone: 021 1699 281
Email:sean.fitzpatrick@libertarianz.org.nz
Website: http://seanfitzpatrickonline.com

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

The footage consists of a series of four half-hour shows starting this Thursday at 8pm on Stratos TV (Freeview channel 21 and Sky channel 89).

By creating full length programs and broadcasting on the less expensive Stratos TV, Libertarianz hope to impart more information to potential supporters of their radical ideas.

The format of the shows is:

• Show 1 – Thurs 3 November - Welfare and Bribery
• Show 2 – Thurs 10 November - Christchurch Earthquake Special
• Show 3 – Thurs 17 November - The law of unintended consequences
• Show 4 – Thurs 24 November - The Economy

The shows will also be broadcast on The Libertarianz Youtube Channel where clips from the shows can be seen now:  http://www.youtube.com/user/LibertarianzTV

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Sally O’Brien
Libertarianz Vice President
Phone 021 02947850
Email: sally.obrien@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

“Getting beneficiaries, whatever their level of disability, into some form of sustainable work is an extremely positive move, and the government should be congratulated on this policy. One does, however, have to ask why these reforms weren’t wheeled out three years ago when National entered office.”

“The Libertarianz Party has a suggestion for an immediate change to taxpayer-funded sickness and invalid benefit eligibility: those on benefits related to the self-destructive consumption of drugs should have to undergo frequent random blood and urine drug testing, at their own expense, and if drugs linked to any existing health problems were found in their system, the benefit would be chopped.”

“Thus, people with respiratory disorders attributable to cigarette smoking would have their benefit cancelled if they continued to smoke. People with alcohol and drug problems who failed to engage in treatment programmes and adhere to the expectations of the programmes would also be tossed off public welfare.”

Dr McGrath said the days of ”unconditional, open-ended financial entitlements” were over and beneficiaries could expect to come under intense scrutiny in return for receiving money stripped from productive New Zealanders.

“The country can ill afford to continue with the welfare system in its current form,” he said. “There needs to be greater accountability by welfare recipients to justify their handouts, and consequences for people who abuse the system.”

“Asset sales could fund annuities linked to a particular individual, for the permanently disabled. It is bizarre Phil Goff should be opposing asset sales when the Labour Government in which he was senior minister sold billions of dollars worth of state enterprises in the late 1980s even after Roger Douglas was replaced as finance minister.”
For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Dr Richard McGrath
Libertarianz Leader
Phone: 027 322 2907
Email: richard.mcgrath@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

Dr McGrath, a provincial GP in one of the country’s largest medical practices, said this promise was made without consulting those who would have to provide the service: GPs and their staff.

“This is a blatant election bribe, that treats doctors as chattel and as workhorses who can be ordered to provide services day and night for no charge at the whim of the Minister,” he said.

“This is the same Tony Ryall who described the Clark regime’s management style as command-and-control. The reality is that the National Party government is no better than the one it replaced. It has equal contempt for general practitioners and their staff.”

“The Libertarianz Party would excise the State from the provision of health care services by abolishing subsidies, reducing taxes, and opening up orthodox practitioners to competition. We would allow more affordable options for people on limited budgets. And we would enforce the ban on human slavery, which Mr Ryall has conveniently sidestepped with extravagant election promises that would impose further obligations on already-overworked GPs.”

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Dr Richard McGrath
Libertarianz Leader
Phone: 027 322 2907
Email: richard.mcgrath@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS

“But don’t just lift the GST on lentils and cumquats, as Phil Goff suggests - take it off all goods and services, and instantly make them 15% cheaper,” he said.

“John Minto is quite correct in calling for ‘dramatic, revolutionary change in economic policy’ - but the change New Zealand needs is not the poverty and slavery of communism that he advocates, but the motivation and life-enhancing opportunities offered by free market capitalism.”

Dr McGrath also backed John Minto’s calls for a tax-free income band, but says the Mana Party are “wimps” for suggesting a figure of $27,000 whereas Libertarianz have always held that the first $50,000 of income should be exempt from molestation by the IRD.

He described the Mana Party’s backing of Labour’s $15 an hour minimum wage, and fixing it at two-thirds of the average wage, as “a cynical method of ensuring there would always be an underclass of jobless New Zealanders that the hard left could manipulate.”

“If minimum wage laws worked, then all the left-leaning political parties, including National, would be calling for $100 an hour as the bottom line. The fact is that minimum wage laws cause unemployment, particularly for the young and vulnerable who need jobs the most. That’s why Libertarianz wants such laws struck out.”

Dr McGrath described the rest of the Mana Party tax policy as “lifted straight from the Communist manifesto – which I’m sure comprises Mr Minto’s bedtime reading.”

For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:

Dr Richard McGrath
Libertarianz Leader
Phone: 027 322 2907
Email: richard.mcgrath@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz

ENDS