‘No party pressure’ over votes of conscience

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33579, 6 July 1974, Page 14

‘No party pressure’ over votes of conscience

The National Party caucus would never forbid a private member to bring in a bill on a matter of conscience, such as a homosexual law reform bill, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon) said last night.

The National Party would not use political considerations to override the right of a private member to bring in such a bill, he told a Rakaia electorate meeting.

“I cannot imagine that at a meeting such as this there would be a majority in favour of changes in the law relating to male homosexuality, and indeed Galluplpolls show that in the older age groups there is a significant majority against the proposal.” he said. “At the younger ages, however, there is a significant majority in favour of change, and it is these young people who were most indignant last week when it was revealed that the Prime Minister had said that he would refuse one of his members permission to bring a private member’s bill to Parliament on the matter, because the party was deeply divided, and it would cause division in the party caucus. “The logic of that remark is impossible to follow,” Mr Muldoon said. “If they are divided they are divided, regardless of whether the matter becomes public or not. “What is more important, and closer to the truth, is that the Labour Party is so embattled at the present time that they are afraid to see such a bill on the floor of the

House, even in the name of a private Labour member, in case that fact loses them just a handful of votes that they know they can no longer

afford to lose as far as the National Party is concerned. “Although private members’ bills are always discussed in the National Party

caucus, as they are in the Labour Party caucus, this particular bill is a matter of conscience, and the National Party caucus would never forbid a private member to bring in such a bill on a matter of conscience.

“If it comes forward it will be voted on on each side of the House according to the conscience of the individual members, and certainly we would not use party political considerations to override the right of a private member to bring in such a bill,” said Mr Muldoon.