Awaiting Arrest: Offence under the New Zealand Electoral Act.

5pm, Tuesday, March 9, 2009 - Awaiting Arrest.

The following emails are self-explanatory: the first email is from the Chief Electoral Office to myself on March 8, 2009, in response to my email to the Office on the same date, which is the second email.

Mr Ravlich
 
Thank you for your e-mail explaining your reasons for not providing a return of your electorate expenses and donations for the 2008 general election.
 
Failing to file a return is an offence under the Electoral Act.  If the Chief Electoral Officer does not receive your return by 5pm tomorrow, the Act requires that he refers the matter to the police. 
 
Yours sincerely
 
Kristina Temel
Chief Electoral Office

Attention: The Chief Electoral Office

I was a candidate for Auckland Central standing under the banner of the Human Rights Party (unregistered).
Two other candidates stood under this banner - one in Epsom and the other in Mt Albert. Anthony van den Heuvel stood in the later - he paid my fee to stand. I received no other monies apart from that minimum requirement

However although legally required to I have decided not to fill out the required forms  i.e. the 'Return of Election Expenses and Donations' and swear before a JP, as a matter of principle (see below). I consider our policies were discriminated against by the mainstream media and as a consequence we received no publicity. My book (released prior to the elections), 'Freedom from our social prisons: the rise of economic, social and cultural rights' (Lexington Books, Rowman and Littlefield Pub) described the ethical position of the Human Rights Party which is really an Ethical (for all) rather than a Political Party. The reason why I consider we were discriminated against on ethical grounds is because our party emphasizes addressing the human right violations of the most disadvantaged with respect to civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights (although the latter are not yet in law). For instance freedom of speech and democracy requires that the most disadvantaged have a voice of their own in the mainstream media so they are able to influence the democratic process (this is the principle upon which I am taking this action). The mainstream media and the establishment are able to discriminate against the poor because non-discrimination with respect to social origin (contained in the covenant on civil and political rights) has been excluded from the Human Rights Act 1993 and the NZ Bill of Rights. This also prevents affirmative action to be applied to the most disadvantaged as well as enabling the mainstream media to discriminate against the poor and marginalized.  

Prior to the elections I contacted a number of media outlets. However, my book, which spells out the ethical base of the Human Rights party, was ignored by the mainstream media and they also gave no publicity to the party.  I also provided them a list of top human rights experts who provided significant support for my work.  If the people are not informed how can they make an informed vote. In a democracy the media have a duty to inform people of matters important to the their interests. Because this did not happen apart from the ballot paper on election day in terms of policies the Human Rights Party may as well not even have existed.

 It seems the media as with the establishment, in general, are more concerned not to give parties policies they perceive as a threat to their interests any credibility in the eyes of the people. I have little doubt that should this action result in a court appearance the media will show very little to no interest in it but this will also prove the point I am making about the media's discrimination also remembering that the latter includes both private and public media.  

Since 1991 I have been promoting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights focusing on economic, social and cultural rights which are not in law. No mainstream employer has been prepared to employ me so I have lived in poverty mixing with beneficiaries and the underclass. The book, which involved 15 years research and two years of writing,  provides a more democratic, 'bottom-up' human rights plan (a far more just world in my view) which initially promises to considerably civilize neo liberalism. In terms of the right to development, for example, unlike the present parties in parliament, who emphasize big business, we emphasize empowering people through small business as a way of addressing the economic crisis. For example, microloans have empowered millions around the world  and the money is nearly always paid back.We also intend to empower people through human rights education which is necessary in a democracy and a 'human rights world'. Televised human rights debates would be an excellent way of getting people up to speed with human rights. This effective place the control of the human rights agenda in the hands of the majority not simply a liberal elite which is presently the case. In addition, it includes the need to immediately address core minimum obligations e.g. eliminate homelessness, children going to school hungry, the use of food banks, serious cases on the hospital waiting list etc. with respect to both civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights (the whole approach includes both these set of rights). In addition present human rights law (which now given the gap between rich and poor almost solely benefits the middle classes) are still protected by non-retrogression (any curbing of civil liberties requiring a high democratic standard) although there will be a need to ensure that the core minimum obligations of these rights are emphasized. The former empowering rights will help ensure that economic, social and cultural rights will eventually gain equal status to civil and political rights so human rights will be fair on everyone. And also that core minimum obligations are included in human rights law to make sure States do not simply focus on the human rights of elite groups. We want to empower people not socially control everyone.

Apart from my occasional meetings with Rosslyn Noonan, Chief Human Rights Commissioner, I am virtually persona non grata in New Zealand. And although there is very little likelihood of mainstream media coverage I intend to let her and others know of my action.

thankyou,

Anthony Ravlich
Chairperson
Human Rights Council Inc.
10D/15 City Rd.,
Auckland City.

New Zealand.

ends

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