Rock the Vote in New Zealand

So what's to be done to ensure these apathetic teenagers will go into the election with enough political knowledge to make a sound decision regarding the running of our country? Ideally, political studies and voting systems would be a compulsory aspect of the High School curriculum, if not standing on its own then through Social Studies or History.- Georgina O'Reilly


Politics, voting, elections, parties. These are not things with sexy titles. These are hardcore issues. Some would say essential to the future. My fear is that Georgina O'Reilly is right, but not just about her peers but the general public at large.

She ponders what would kindle the flame of interest in such issues.

The reality is that politics in New Zealand is dry and dull. John Campbell, Mark Sainbury and even Guyon Espiner can do there best but honestly, it never sounds that interesting at the best of times let alone for the 17 year olds.


Mail drops and flyers are hardly the most engaging media for today’s society.
What New Zealand lacks is two things:
A quality drama that engages and touches on political issues. – Similar to these offerings perhaps?
A top quality, comedian with an eye on the political arena – A Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert after all America “hangs on their every word and statistics show that a great number of people in North America actually get their daily and political news from these comedians.”
The pool of politicians is small in New Zealand, they all can’t have affairs, spit on babies accidentally or have their cars totalled by a flash mob of angry farmers and their John Deere…
New Zealand as a whole needs waking up to politics. There is far to much of the ‘it doesn’t impact on me”. But the reality is that it ALL impacts on you.

Just from today (pdf):
Smoke-free Environments (Controls and Enforcement) Amendment Bill – This Bill seeks to over turn previous legislation which banned smoking in public places.
Airports (Cost Recovery for Processing of International Travellers) Bill – This Bill is a move by lobbyists of International airlines to shift payment of ‘administrative roles’ from the Airport tax they have to pay squarely on Auckland/ Wellington and Christchurch rate payers.
Child and Family Protection Bill- The success of this Bill will mean that Fathers who have sole custody of daughters will have to be subjected to frequent and random visits from CYS workers even if they have no prior convictions of domestic violence or child abuse.
New Zealand Security Intelligence Service Amendment Bill – This Bill will give the Security Services unrestricted right to bug and monitor any person or persons within New Zealand whom they deem to be ‘persons of interest’.
Television New Zealand Amendment Bill – This Bill has been written to reestablish the need for TV licences in New Zealand. As Freeview becomes the primary delivery system of TV broadcast to lower income homes licencing will ensure the future of New Zealand OnAir.

These are items which appeared on todays ticket for debate and consideration in Parliament. How I described those Bills, is that what they are really about? I don’t know. Can I find out? Not easily. Have I the time to put into investigating these Bills? Probably not. Have I voted in persons who I think can best represent my view? Yes.

The point is we have to have our say at election time or we have no right to winge and moan about the news for the next four years... or is it three??

VOTE and have VOICE

ROCK the VOTE!


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