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The ACT Party on Family and Morals
When a bill to raise the legal drinking age from 18 back to 20 was before the House in 2006, both Act MPs voted against it, and an Act spokesman confirms that remains party policy.
The Act party supports gay marriage. Act MPs split their votes 5-4 (for-against) on the Civil Unions Bill when it was passed in 2004. Then-Act MP Stephen Franks said “We could have been extending to couples who have offered their communities a great deal, and continue to do so, the same legal treatment as has been extended to married couples for many years. Instead, we have what I believe is a consciously nasty piece of political strategy”.
When Parliament debated the Shop Trading Hours Act repeal (Easter Trading) Amendment Bill in May 2006, Act MP Heather Roy said, “ACT proudly supports this bill... I look forward to the day when businesses—like individuals—get to make choices about whether they open when the demand from the public and tourists is there”. Act continues to support lifting restrictions.
Act was the only party to have all its MPs vote against the amendment. While acknowledging the Acts “worthy purpose”, leader Rodney Hide said “I do not think it is Parliament’s role to say to mums and dads that if they lightly tap their toddlers on the bottom, they are committing a criminal offence, and that they should not do it. This bill says not only that parents should not do that but that they are committing a crime against the Crimes Act in so doing”.
Act is campaigning on cutting government waste by closing “unnecessary” government departments and opposes the retention of the Families Commission. When asked by the New Zealand Herald in October this year leader Rodney Hide said, “I just look at silly little departments and wonder just why do we have them?”. Asked which ones he would cull, he said, “Families Commission, Youth Affairs, every type of affair imaginable”.