WHO ARE THE PCP..
The(PCP)are a New Zealand political party.
The People's Choice Party.
Leader
Rusty Kane
Founded
May 14, 1999 by Doug Wilson and Rusty Kane
Foundation
The People's Choice Party was conceived in 1997 when its founding members collect 52,000 signatures for a petition calling for the then New Zealand Governor-General Sir Michael Hardie Boys to impose a snap election. The first ever people's petition to have been presented to a Governor-General of New Zealand.
The People's Choice Party was officially registered on 14 May 1999 after declaring 1172 financial members.
The People's Choice Party had 2504 financial members when it was de-registered in 2002.
It remained and stays active as a de-registered Political Ginger Group supporting its leader Rusty Kane on national and local issues. These include the Waitara Leaseholders Associations (WLA) fight with the NPDC and Maori to freehold Waitara land and his activities with CEPRA (Chemically Exposed Paritutu Association) to have New Plymouth's Paritutu residents and workers be recognised for being chemically exposed from living and working in or near the old Ivon Watkins Dow Chemical Plant now (Dow AgroSciences) at Paritutu.
The party encouraged its supporters to vote Labour in the 1999 general election, Then as a Political Ginger Group the New Zealand First Party in the 2002 election, The Green Party in 2005 and the National Party in the 2008 elections.
Accomplishments
The People's Choice Party was the first political party to be registered out of Taranaki.
It was the first political party to stand a Pakeha (non Maori) in a Maori seat (Te Tai Hauauru seat in 1999).
It petitioned to saved the Waitara to Lepperton rail line from being ripped up and sold.
In 2000-2001 it spearheaded the initial representation for the Waitara Leaseholders concerns for the free holding of Waitara land to the NPDC.
Policies and ideology
"Fair and true Democracy":
Citizens Initiated Referendums to be binding on the Government
New Zealand to become a Republic.
New Zealand having a new written constitution for all.
No separate Maori representation in parliament (Maori Seats).
Less MPs in parliament and less bureaucracy
The People's Choice Party also supports local body council rates never increasing more than the rate of inflation.
Elections
Although the party only stands in elections to make comment or have a particular issue aired, not to win elections. Its future goal is to gather enough financial members to support it in becoming New Zealand's fourth largest membership party.
The People's Choice Party have only stood twice in New Zealand elections:
Election
1999 general election
Reason
To help Labour win the 1999 general election at the same time
show its personal opposition to the MMP voting system and list MPs.
2009 Mt Albert by-election.
Reason.
The People's Choice wanted a political platform to show its support for binding Citizens Initiated Referendums. But because of Labour Party members concerns that the People's Choice Party candidate would take votes away from their own candidate. Rusty Kane agreed to pull their candidate. Stand himself in name only and not do any campaigning or contesting of the Mt Albert seat. Accounting them only 5 votes.
Presently.
The People's Choice Party are supporting the Labour Party President Andrew Little's bid to become a constituent Labour MP and future leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.
