This Bill is a direct assault on New Zealand democracy and contrary to the values of our open and inclusive society. Key parts of the Bill are reminiscent of voter-suppression tactics associated with anti-liberal and anti-democratic governments internationally. This has no place in Aotearoa New Zealand.
If passed in its current form, this Bill will disenfranchise a significant portion of the population and do long-lasting damage to New Zealanders' trust in the integrity of government and the electoral system.
Government parties do not have a mandate for these changes, as they have neither campaigned nor consulted on them. Officials have advised against key parts of this Bill, and the government's own Attorney-General has noted that key aspects are inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
Given this context, it is hard not to conclude that this Bill is a cynical attempt to suppress special votes, which have historically favoured the parties currently in opposition.
This submission comments on selected aspects of the Electoral Amendment Bill the NZCTU is highly concerned by:
- The new deadline for registration, which is an undue restriction on the right to vote.
- The reforms to the sections of the Electoral Act covering bribery and treating. The reforms risk criminalising perfectly legitimate activity and may negatively impact voter turnout.
- The loosening of political finance reporting requirements, which further reduce transparency on the issue of political donations.
- The disenfranchisement of the New Zealand prison population.
