referendum

Assisted dying law in New Zealand and the UK

Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 6:05 am, December 9th, 2020 - 65 comments

There is now growing recognition internationally that the right to a dignified death is a fundamental human right. Assisted dying is not about reducing health care costs or pressuring those who are frail, old or disabled to end their life prematurely. It is about allowing those with a terminal illness the choice to die rather than face a period of significant physical decline and suffering before the end of their life.

Rerun reeferendum

Written By: lprent - Date published: 3:46 pm, November 6th, 2020 - 33 comments

One of the other results from the final results on was the reeferendum. The loss was minuscule in the final results. If I was the yes campaign, I’d be considering pushing this to another referendum soon. It was so close, that the result was mainly due to being run with Covid-19 in the background of the campaign, a unreadable proposed bill, and a surprisingly well funded No campaign.

The reeferendum fails

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:46 pm, October 30th, 2020 - 207 comments

The referendum seeking to decriminalise cannabis appears to have failed narrowly although special votes are still to be counted.

The Votesafe campaign

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:44 am, October 2nd, 2020 - 35 comments

A well funded organisation has emerged from nowhere and is potentially having a significant effect on one of the referendum topics this year.

Bouganville and Brexit

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:19 am, December 12th, 2019 - 2 comments

The island of Bouganville has just had a vote towards independence from Papua New Guinea.  The result has interesting similarities with the Brexit vote.

The Green’s electoral law reform petition

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:47 am, March 4th, 2019 - 389 comments

The Green Party’s launching of a petition to seek changes to the electoral system has met with some Trumpian style rhetoric from the right.

Cat Among the Pigeons

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:56 am, March 14th, 2017 - 94 comments

Nicolas Sturgeon to seek the authority of the Scottish Parliament to agree the details of a Section 30 Order that will allow the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum.

What the Swiss voted on (UBI proposal)

Written By: weka - Date published: 11:47 am, June 7th, 2016 - 13 comments

Some context for the debate.

Flagpole Sitta

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 5:56 pm, December 11th, 2015 - 138 comments

John Key’s $26 million dollar flag flop bores it’s way to the halfway line tonight. The first referendum closes at 7 PM, first results at around 8.30. $26 million … that’s a lot of cancer drugs, child care centres and elder care we won’t be getting because the PM wants a signature legacy his dreary leadership doesn’t actually deserve.

NRT: Meh

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:06 pm, September 1st, 2015 - 92 comments

Today the government announced the four candidates for John Key’s vanity flag referendum: three ferns (one of them the logo of Immigration NZ and the Companies Office) and a koru. And really, all I can say is “meh”. So how about defining a good way of doing a informal or invalid vote on this stupid first referendum on selecting John Key’s underwear..

Where would you spend $26 million?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:25 am, November 3rd, 2014 - 52 comments

If you were the NZ government, with $26 million to spend, what would you spend it on?

September 18th

Written By: Bill - Date published: 7:36 pm, April 8th, 2014 - 46 comments

The 18^th of September 2014 is a big day.

On that day, people living in Scotland will decide if they want to become citizens in a nation that will have reclaimed its sovereignty.

Polity: Turnout in the referendum

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:57 pm, December 16th, 2013 - 72 comments

Rob Salmond at Polity has had a look at the effectiveness of National’s deliberate strategy to discriminate against Maori and Pasifika in the asset sales referendum. National chose a postal ballot for the referendum knowing it would disproportionately disenfranchise Maori and Pasifika communities. I hope they’re proud of themselves. Here is a chart of turnout […]

At least 225,000 Nats said “No” to asset sales

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:19 am, December 14th, 2013 - 90 comments

Rob Salmond runs the Polity blog and has given us permission to syndicate his posts. Long time readers will remember him from the brilliant posts on 08wire.org during the 2008 campaign, so expect us to often find something of interest.

Like this post looking at who voted No on the referendum. That number of previously National voters must be scaring the National party at present.

Last day to vote

Written By: lprent - Date published: 7:11 am, December 12th, 2013 - 43 comments

This is the last day that you can vote No in the referendum on asset sales. So dig that form out, mark it and send it. This referendum vote is a clear way to send a message that even a self-serving delusional National MP can understand. Being able to form a government is not a mandate to do whatever you feel like with our assets.