Retiring Act Party MP Heather Roy participated in Otago University Vote Chat today. Interestingly, she appeared to be the most liberal guest to date. For example, she expressed a belief in validity of gay marriage, favoured the gradual legalisation of drugs, doesn’t want the drinking age raised, and pondered whether New Zealand needs a drinking age at all. Her opinions on the ideological state of the Act Party were somewhat more guarded, but she diplomatically expressed disappointment that the party had become so socially conservative. In this guest blog post, James Meager provides an account of the discussion with Roy. [Read more below]
This week's Vote Chat was destined for controversy as the architect of voluntary student membership, Act's Heather Roy, made a rare appearance before students of the University of Otago. But perhaps surprisingly for Roy, the reception was warm and the questions around her Freedom of Association Bill reasonably muted as interviewer Dr Bryce Edwards pressed her on a wide range of subjects.
The conversation was animated and lively as Roy was initially pressed firmly about Act's supposed demise and their place in government. She expressed disappointment in what she saw as a drift away from what she envisioned as an economically and socially liberal party towards the "soggy centre". She maintained a belief that there is a place in the political spectrum for the kind of party Act should stand for, but when pressed on whether personalities got in the way she was obviously slightly more reserved on the matter. This was clear towards the end of the chat when, despite some firm probing by Edwards, Roy stayed away from bitterness and finger pointing, instead preferring to reaffirm her support behind Act and their core principles.
Clearly the main topic on the mind of the audience was voluntary student membership, and although that debate has almost come and gone, she was confident of seeing it through in this term of Parliament, and was adamant that there was a place for student unions in society, but that students shouldn't be forced to join one in order to study (striking analogies with unions in the workplace).
Unsurprisingly (or perhaps surprisingly for some) Roy was probably the most liberal guest we've had to date. On gay marriage she steered the debate towards the discussion about the state getting out of the job of regulating marriage, but when pushed said that she would indeed vote for same sex marriage rights. On drug use was was in favour of gradual legalisation of drugs for medicinal purposes, and when given a utopian hypothetical seemed to indicate that there shouldn't be any controls on what we put into our bodies. On alcohol she noted that it is strange why we don't include alcohol in the wider drug debate, but stated her support for the status quo, and raised whether we should have a discussion over whether we need a purchase age for alcohol at all. She hadn't given much thought to a voting age, but thought that for the moment some consistency in keeping it 18 (as with marriage, drinking, fighting wars) had merit.
As for Roy's relationship with former leader Rodney Hide, the tension was noticeable and she was honest that they no longer have the best relationship, but noted that this is just what happens in life, and sometimes people just don't get along. She put it more down to differences in political strategy than any attempts at an outright coup - differences which lead to perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this Parliamentary term, losing her Ministerial portfolios.
But what can you say about Heather Roy as a person? I would think the media has painted her as a shrewd politician who was positioning herself for greater things and came unstuck at the last hurdle, but I believe what we actually have is a very strong willed person with views that are far more credible than most give her kudos for. She represents I think what the Act party thinks it is, and it's a shame that her departure will only push Act closer and closer to retirement (both in terms of their personnel and their fate).
So where to now for Roy? She says a family holiday is well overdue, but having only been unemployed for about one and a half days of her adult life, I'm sure it won't be long until she finds her place on a few significant boards, alongside Jenny Shipley and the like in promoting women in the board room. Who knows - perhaps even those students associations who despise her the most at the moment could ask her to put her principles to the test and help them develop successful and relevant organisations under a voluntary environment. She thinks they could flourish, I wonder if they'd extend the olive branch and give her the opportunity to prove herself right.
What we do know is that until November 26, Roy will be doing her best to return Act to Parliament so they can continue to fill that socio-economic liberal space that she says nobody else fulfills at the moment. Whether or not she'll be successful given those in the leadership positions remains to be seen.
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A further account of Heather Roy’s Vote Chat session can be viewed here.
[James Meager, Heather Roy, Ashley Murchison - all other photos above by Ashley Murchison]
