Aardvark Daily

Enough is enough!

I've had a raft of emails from readers, urging me to push this cyber-campaign to improve the standard of our MPs performance and behaviour in the debating chamber.

So let's do it.

Here's what need's to be done.

Draft yourself an email in pleasant yet stern terms that explains to the Speaker of the House that, as the employer of all the nation's MPs, you find their behaviour not to be of an acceptable standard.

Mention that you consider your email to be a written warning. According to information on one of the government's own websites, all warnings should have four elements:

1. The employee should be told by the person issuing the warning exactly what she or he has done wrong
2. The employee should be told how to do the job correctly (training should be given if the employee does not understand or cannot do the job correctly)
3. The employee should understand that her or his job is in jeopardy if she or he continues to act in the manner that brought about the warning
4. The employee MUST be given the right to speak in her or his own defence

Don't be rude or offensive, that would be hypocritical. Remember: you are the employer of these MPs. Through your taxes, you pay their wages and their job is to represent YOU in parliament. If they don't perform to your expectations then you have a right to express your dissatisfaction.

Remember also that it's the speaker's job to keep order in the house, something she seems unable to do of late. Remind her of this fact and demand that she improve her performance and ask for an explanation as to why she has failed, and how she intends to address this problem.

Some good suggestions can be found in the forums but I suggest you take the time to formulate your own wording for maximum effect.

Having listened to many of the rude and offensive comments made in recent days within the chamber, I remain appalled that my tax dollars are being used to fund these people who are treating their responsibilities to *us*, their employers, with contempt.

While a few witty quips are acceptable and help relieve the tensions associated with debating matters critical to the nation's future, the slanderous and seemingly endless assault of vitriolic slurs we've seen of late must stop.

If YOU don't take the time to contact your MP and the speaker of the house then you can't complain about poor value you get for your tax dollars or the rorts that continue to be exercised by those we employ to represent us in parliament.

So, use this form to deliver your message to The Speaker (or email her at margaret.wilson@parliament.govt.nz, and don't forget to CC your message to your local MP. A full list of MP's email addresses can be found in this PDF file.

Now tell your friends, families, co-workers and anyone else you can think of to do the same. You can direct them to this page if you want them to read this column with its instructions.

If you want to join the discussion on this subject, or share the written warning you've sent or are planning to send, then...

Have your say the forums.

And if you like lively discussion on matters political and technical, why not make Aardvark Daily a regular visit. It's published fresh each weekday morning.

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