democratic participation

Categories under democratic participation

NRT on submitting on the End of Life Choice Bill

Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, December 16th, 2017 - 259 comments

“If you care about the bill, I encourage you to speak up about it.”

Making official Information flow again

Written By: - Date published: 2:08 pm, December 4th, 2017 - 31 comments

“Ministers realised they had a device through which they could reduce the surprises they suffered. And, as it went on, the surprises ministers no longer wanted to experience became greater in number and smaller in significance.Increasingly, it placed on the public service a political imperative which it had never had to shoulder. “

Labour and rural voters

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, November 6th, 2017 - 94 comments

In recent years Labour has allowed National to dominate rural politics. Maybe it is time for Labour to think about reaching out to rural voters and suggest to them that a progressive vote is in their interests.

Remember, remember!

Written By: - Date published: 9:03 pm, November 1st, 2017 - 8 comments

Sunday the 5th of November from 12 O’Clock onwards, by the bandstand in Dunedin’s Botanic Gardens.

The new government and the TPPA-11

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, October 28th, 2017 - 150 comments

An update from Professor Jane Kelsey on the TPPA-11, a look at the issues for the new Labour-led government, and reasons why we still need to be concerned.

Begone, capitalism! You don’t own me

Written By: - Date published: 7:39 am, October 25th, 2017 - 73 comments

Do we want to be owned by capitalism and stay in its trap of wage and debt slavery, or do we want to boldly go to post-capitalism, whatever that might be.

This coming digital war

Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, October 21st, 2017 - 68 comments

This is the first Labour Government of the digital age.  How progressives respond to social media attacks may be crucial to its success.

“Reporters”.

Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, October 17th, 2017 - 56 comments

“Once upon a time, in a world far away” we had these people called “reporters”.
An honourable profession, who considered it their job to keep the public accurately and completely informed.

Austria and Europe

Written By: - Date published: 2:07 pm, October 16th, 2017 - 20 comments

Europe is showing a worrying trend to the right as anti immigration parties are voted into office. Austria provides the latest example.

Facebook and democracy

Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, October 16th, 2017 - 27 comments

A long and interesting read in The Atlantic. “The very roots of the electoral system had been destabilized.”

First Past the Post nostalgia

Written By: - Date published: 11:22 am, October 12th, 2017 - 33 comments

A timely reminder that we replaced FPP for very good reasons.

There is hope

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, October 4th, 2017 - 22 comments

Anarchism and democracy.

We need a new version of MMP

Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, October 1st, 2017 - 124 comments

This guest post looks at the ways that the national governments in Scotland and Wales operate. Their functional systems are effectively MMP, but they break up their list into regional areas which makes it easier to gain the voters to put regional issues into the wider debate.

Peters campaigned against the Nats – his party wants him to do the right thing

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 27th, 2017 - 170 comments

Peters campaigned hard against the Nats, and for a change in government (check out the speech and video). To keep faith with democracy and with his party members he has to go with Labour Green (check out the feedback and polls). If Peters goes the other way NZF will implode.

Some election night notes

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 pm, September 23rd, 2017 - 15 comments

The timing of this election’s results, how NZ governments are formed, and election stress.

Election night coverage

Written By: - Date published: 1:18 pm, September 23rd, 2017 - 13 comments

Some places for lefties to follow the counting and take part in the talking.

Today is the last day to enroll – and you should

Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, September 22nd, 2017 - 34 comments

Today is the last day you can enroll to vote in the election. Historically far too many people in the 18-24 age group have not enrolled. The same again would suit the Nats very well indeed.

Update: Newsroom: “A record turnout of early voters suggests a youthquake in action – and the polls might be wrong.”

Update: If you are trying to enrol and the queues are long, here are the other ways you can do it, including online!

Update: you can enrol up until midnight Friday online, and then vote at a polling station on Saturday. Details here.

This is how you change the Government – enrol and vote at the same time*

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, September 17th, 2017 - 14 comments

* option only available before election day.

I’m off to vote today

Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 75 comments

Voting has opened for advance votes and the expectation is that it will be pretty heavy prior to polling day over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be out there voting today for Jacinda Arden as my local MP, and for the Greens as my party vote.

This is how you change the Government – electorate vote Goldsmith if you are on the Epsom roll

Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 32 comments

For progressive Epsom voters the best way to change the Government may be to give your electorate vote to Paul Goldsmith.

The election of truth vs lies

Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, September 10th, 2017 - 77 comments

Even those who have supported National in the past must see that this current bunch have lost their way. National needs to renew itself, some time in opposition will do them good. Don’t vote for liars.

Challenging the divine right of kingmakers

Written By: - Date published: 12:40 pm, September 1st, 2017 - 123 comments

23 days to go. We’re now this close to changing the government, and have a real chance at a truly progressive government with a Labour/Green coalition. For that we need strong Green representation.

This is how you change the Government – Enrolments

Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, September 1st, 2017 - 6 comments

The first of what will be a series of posts on practical steps that people can take to elect a progressive Government.  In this post the importance of getting as many people enrolled as possible.

How to vote from anywhere

Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, August 30th, 2017 - 3 comments

The Greens have produced a video on what you need to do to vote internationally.

What will the next Labour caucus look like?

Written By: - Date published: 1:32 pm, August 18th, 2017 - 74 comments

Early days but Labour’s surge should result in an outstanding array of talent entering Parliament.

Do you?

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, August 11th, 2017 - 69 comments

In the interests of keeping it simple, an obvious fact or two and a basic proposition.

#LeftwithEnough

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 31st, 2017 - 14 comments

Mary St George writes about participatory democracy in this year’s election and the new twitter chat #LeftwithEnough.

The language of electioneering

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, July 23rd, 2017 - 127 comments

Turns out TOP might help form a 4th National government.

The Catholic Church is urging its parishoners to vote

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, July 21st, 2017 - 29 comments

The catholic bishops of Aotearoa have released a pamphlet urging parishoners to vote. And apart from conservative positions on euthenasia and drug liberalisation the policies they support have a decidedly progressive bent.

Who are the real enemies of the centre left?

Written By: - Date published: 11:22 am, July 15th, 2017 - 80 comments

Simon Wilson recently claimed that left wingers and party members are problems for and enemies of Labour and the Greens.  This is why I think he is wrong.

This Bloody Vote.

Written By: - Date published: 11:53 am, July 7th, 2017 - 212 comments

Disentangling the veritable plate of spaghetti that’s been set before us this election.