Electoral Amendment Bill passes first hurdle
The House heard spirited speeches for and against the controversial electoral law changes today.
The Electoral Amendment Bill claims it "makes a range of systems improvements to support the timeliness, efficiency, integrity, and resilience of the electoral system".
It makes a suite of changes including ending same-day voter enrolment, banning prisoner voting, changes to "treating" (such as offering free food) on Election Day and expanding anonymous political donation limits.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the system was strong but needed "constant maintenance".
"Confidence in the Electoral Commission has fallen in recent years, and we know the system has come under significant strain.
"This bill overhauls a number of our dated and unsustainable electoral laws. The package of amendments will strengthen the system, helping to deliver timelier election results, manage the costs, clarify rules, and provide more efficient services to voters."
Same-day voting did make it easier for some people to vote, but it also removed the incentive for people to get enrolled before the election, he said.
"We had the Electoral Commission, on one hand, with one message saying, 'Get enrolled; get enrolled', and they were funded with many millions of dollars to encourage people to enrol, which the law says you should do; but, on the other hand, they were also saying, 'By the way, don't bother, because you can just rock up on election day and vote'.
"More people heard the second message than heard the first message. As a result, more and more people were turning up and enrolling when they voted. That's led to more and more special votes and pressure on the count."
Goldsmith said he had received advice that the final count, which took three weeks in the 2023 general election, could take even longer in future elections.
Labour's justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said it was a dark day for democracy, arguing the changes would make it harder for people to vote.
"Politicians should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. That's how we make sure that everybody's voice is heard, that everyone gets a say, and that this democracy - this Parliament - is truly representative.
Webb pointed to Attorney-General Judith Collins' report that found the proposals were inconsistent with people's rights as further reason the legislation should be scrapped.
"The Attorney-General, frankly, slated this bill. I have never seen an Attorney-General's report which is so bluntly vicious and damning, saying things like 'freezing registration earlier in the voting period has the potential to harm confidence and trust'."
ACT Party justice spokesperson Todd Stephenson said shifting the enrolment deadline from the day of the election to 13 days before was a "modest change".
"Voting in a democracy such as ours does come with some responsibilities, and it's one of those responsibilities to actually be on the electoral roll - that's a legal requirement.
"If you can't be bothered doing that within a short period before an election, you've really got to question whether you have a commitment to being a participant in our democracy."
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said it was already clear the bill would not achieve what its proponents were promising.
"This bill proposes the exact opposite of a modern and robust, effective democracy, because it intentionally seeks to deny entire groups of people and communities from having easier access to be able to enrol and to be able to vote, while at the same time it is shifting the threshold for donations to be declared."
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the changes were cynical.
"It's not a coincidence that the very communities who would be silenced are the same communities that wouldn't vote for this government, and probably the same communities that made up the netballers on the weekend.
"They say they're fixing democracy, but let's remember: this is the same government that has abolished Māori wards, introduced the Treaty Principles Bill, dismantled co-governance, Te Aka Whai Ora. And we know, again, why they do not want to see 16-year-olds voting."
The legislation is now off to select committee, having passed with support from coalition partners National, ACT and New Zealand First.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
an hour ago
- Otago Daily Times
‘Old Baldy' falls foul of the ominous gender gap
"They booed him." "'Booed who?" Hannah, the bar manager, couldn't help overhearing the banter of her two favourite Boomers, right-wing Laurie and left-wing Les. She paused in her rounding-up of empty glasses and dirty plates to listen. "Luxon, Laurie, the prime minister turned up to the netball final, and the crowd booed him. Since when did New Zealanders start booing their prime ministers at sporting fixtures?" "Oh, come on, Les, your memory's not that bad. Jacinda Ardern wasn't our prime minister that long ago." "And if I recall rightly, Laurie, she received more abuse than any other New Zealand prime minister. But, it was only a certain sort of Kiwi who came after her. And, the hate they had for her was out of all proportion to her actual conduct as their prime minister. There was something quite deranged about Ardern's enemies' animosity. Looking back, I reckon she wasn't vilified on account of who, or what, she actually was, but on account of the huge event she was conflated with — the Covid-19 pandemic." "Spoken like a true Labour man, Les. But, you try running that line on those who were kept from the bedside of a dying parent. Or, the people who lost their jobs because they refused to be injected. Tell it to the retailers who watched their life's work sicken and die. Tell it to the schoolkids fretting alone at home. Truthfully, Les, I think Jacinda's 'actual conduct' merited quite a lot of animosity." "I think you've just proved my point, mate." "Touche Les. But Ardern still isn't the only New Zealand prime minister to have been monstered by her fellow citizens. Have you forgotten the 1984 incident when David Lange was set upon by a mob of Otago cockies? His driver and protection officers had to throw him into the back of the prime-ministerial limousine and power away before the furious farmers could tear the nation's new leader limb-from-limb." "Hell's bells, Laurie, I'd forgotten all about that. It was just after Roger Douglas had announced the abolition of all agricultural subsidies. Some cockies faced economic ruin." "Not happy chappies, Les, that's for sure." "And it reminds me of an even earlier incident — 1977, I think it was — when Rob Muldoon's limousine was dented all to hell by the boots of a dozen or so sturdy Dunedin cops trying to hold back an angry throng of Otago students and trade unionists calling themselves 'The July Front'. The constables had turned their backs to the crowd, linked arms, and, bracing themselves on the prime minister's car, expedited his entry to the Dunedin Town Hall — where the National Party was holding its annual conference." "Let me guess, Les, you were there." "Might have been, Laurie. It was a long time ago. As you say, my memory's not what it was." "Proves my point though, doesn't it? Luxon's very far from the first prime minister to be poorly received by the voting public." "OK, but it also proves my point, Laurie. Ardern, Lange, Muldoon: they all came under fire from aggrieved minorities. Victims of the Covid regulations. Farmers stripped of their state support. Students and unionists venting their left-wing spleens at Rob's Mob. But, being booed by the audience at a netball game? That's a bit different, isn't it? I mean, these were just ordinary Kiwis out for a night of sport. They hadn't come to protest, they'd come to cheer. But, when they saw Old Baldy they just saw red — or, in his case, blue — and started booing. That's got to mean something, surely? "Could mean a lot of things, Les. It could mean the fans were just pissed off at Luxon trying to muscle-in on a sporting fixture which, were he not the prime minister, he'd never dream of attending. Maybe they were annoyed at being used, quite cynically, as the backdrop for yet another National party photo-op." "Yeah, well, when you put it like that." "And, I'll offer you another explanation, Les. It was a netball final." "So?" "So, who follows netball — mostly?" "Women and girls." "Exactly. And who, by a scarily wide margin, favour Labour over National?" "Women and girls!" "Old Baldy, as you call him, was booed by the Gender Gap." "Go it in one, mate", muttered Hannah. ■Chris Trotter is an Auckland writer and commentator.
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Time For Labour To Back Down On Disastrous Oil And Gas Stance
ACT is celebrating ahead of the expected passage of the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill, and calling on Chris Hipkins to put to rest Labour's opposition to oil and gas exploration. 'Repealing the oil and gas ban is a crucial step toward energy security, lower power bills, and more high-paying jobs for Kiwis trying to keep the lights on and the heaters running," says ACT Leader David Seymour. 'Labour's 2018 ban – backed by New Zealand First and the Greens – was some of the most reckless economic vandalism this country has ever seen. It sent a message to the world that New Zealand is a politically volatile place where investment isn't safe. New Zealand First has since changed its stance, and it's time for Labour to follow suit. "In introducing the ban, Labour didn't consult the public, they didn't ask the experts, they didn't even take it to Cabinet. They simply stood at a podium, banned offshore oil and gas exploration, and declared victory. 'As I said at the time,' The intention is we lead the world in environmental policy. The outcome is the world thinks we're foolish idiots in a kind of banana republic that can't make laws in a predictable, principled, or stable way '. "And it did send a clear message to the world: New Zealand is a risky, politically volatile place to invest. Investors who had already committed to our country were blindsided. And for those considering long-term, billion-dollar investments, Labour's reckless ban would certainly make them think twice. Meanwhile, Labour was happy for power companies to import dirty coal for our energy needs. 'Labour made the announcement to get international headlines. But they never stopped to think about the real-world consequences for New Zealanders' livelihood. 'Unlike wind, solar or hydro, gas is there when you need it, not just when the sun shines or the rain falls. It's a critical part of a reliable, affordable energy mix. Most importantly, reliable gas keeps our bills down. It powers the factories, heats the homes, and fuels the economy. "Kiwis can rejoice that we've shrugged off the legacy of Jacinda Ardern and are replacing ideology with a practical approach to reliable, affordable energy. "Now, Chris Hipkins needs to prove Labour has matured under his leadership. Regardless of how his party votes today, he ought to confirm Labour backs stable, pro-investment settings – not see-saw changes that would only serve to further damage New Zealand's attractiveness as a place to invest and be productive."
1News
4 hours ago
- 1News
Auckland mayoral race static as more than 350 vie for council positions
Few big surprises have emerged as more than 350 candidates file nominations for Auckland council positions ahead of tomorrow's deadline for local elections. Wayne Brown faces eight opponents for the mayoralty, but no strong challenge from the right, with his deputy, Desley Simpson, deciding against entering the race in June. Contesting him from the left, his strongest opponent appears to be councillor Kerrin Leoni, who was standing down from her Whau seat after one term to target the mayoralty. Leoni previously told 1News her campaign would ramp up closer to the time of the election. Others nominated include former New Conservatives leader Ted Johnston, the executive president of the Animal Justice Party, and multiple other independent candidates. ADVERTISEMENT Auckland mayor Wayne Brown speaks to 1News. (Source: 1News) This year's mayoral race contrasts starkly with the multi-way match-up voters encountered three years ago. As of 4pm, 358 nominations had been received for candidates running in the local elections from the local board level upwards. Among the hundreds of candidates is disgraced former National MP Jami-Lee Ross, making a foray into local government. Two councillor wards attracted only single candidates at the time of the update — incumbent Greg Sayers in Rodney and deputy mayor Simpson in Ōrākei. Voters in Howick and Whau would have new faces on council with long-time councillor Sharon Stewart retiring and Leoni running for the mayoralty. Auckland Council billboard near Dominion Road couraging people to stand as a candidate in the 2022 local elections. (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT Running under his new political ticket, Fix Auckland, Brown earlier teased that additional candidates could join him around the council table. Brown-affiliated candidates now include Simpson and others in the Albany and Manukau wards. In Albany, Gary Brown and Victoria Short appeared to be angling against incumbents Wayne Walker and John Watson. Meanwhile, in Manukau, Vicky Hau and Luke Mealamu were registered to take on Labour-affiliated candidates Alf Filipaina and Lotu Fuli. The ACT Party was also mounting challenges at council with candidates nominated at both the councillor and local board level. Local board contests drew the bulk of the hundreds of candidates reported, with some featuring notable names, including former MP Jami-Lee Ross, who is standing for the Howick Local Board's Flat Bush subdivision. Ross and six others went on trial in late July on charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office. (Source: 1News) In 2018, Ross left the National Party in an explosive moment for then-leader Simon Bridges. He later started a short-lived political party, Advance NZ, which partnered with Billy Te Kahika's New Zealand Public Party at the 2020 general election. In 2022, Ross was found not guilty of electoral donations fraud after charges by the Serious Fraud Office. ADVERTISEMENT Nominations for local body elections close at noon tomorrow, with voting papers to be sent to households from September 9 ahead of the final day for votes on October 11.
