Good news and bad

A couple of weeks away with Family Time from Ashburton, Wellington, Palmerston North, Tauranga and we came home to some demanding deadlines and a couple of bits of interesting news.
The first item was that an interview that I did some weeks ago become part of an open public challenge to Maggie Barry concerning her bias on the Justice Committee. I missed it on Stuff but our local paper while we were away gave a very full report - including Maggie's infamous invitation for me to "have a cup of tea" instead of listening to serious questions on my submission to the Committee in June. Other instances of her bias against submitters in favour of the Bill in various venues were reported including a moment I saw in which Maggie left the table to make herself a cup of tea while a submitter (in favour!) was presenting to her.
However, the Chairman's full reply was also published, claiming that all his members put aside their personal opinions when hearing submitters and no action is proposed. So the matter is going to go no further. But Maggie has heard what people think about her attitude.
The other bit of news was that the Presbyterian Assembly voted against supporting the End of Life Choice Bill. This should be no surprise since conservative theological thinking and Presbyterianism go pretty much hand in hand these days. The Methodist Church Conference appears to have not even debated the matter in the midst of what one friend described as a "shambles" of cultural celebrations. If the Methodists had voted, I'd have put my money on another vote Against. The fire of social justice burns faintly in Methodism these days, so perhaps it was a good thing that there was no vote.
The debate must go on. But it is going to need a lot more commitment from the general public before our Parliamentarians finalise their personal views and vote next year.