Thursday 23rd June 2022
Page 8
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Democracy is the central pillar of our society. Daily I hear concerns from people across Canterbury that our democracy - as we have come to know it - is slowly, but surely, being eroded by the Labour Government. Just recently, we have seen the Government ploughing ahead with its plans to confiscate water assets and infrastructure of councils and merge them into mega-entities. We here in Canterbury will lose our assets - and 22 South Island councils will be merged into Entity D. The representation of those 22 councils will be stripped down to seven unelected ‘representatives’, as well as seven mana whenua representatives, without us having a say in who any of those representatives will be. One of the core tenets of a democratic society is, of
course, equal voting rights. There are at least two other deeply concerning situations occurring right now, where the Labour Government is ignoring those rights. While it currently appears to be reluctantly walking back its support for the undemocratic Rotorua District Council Bill which would have swept away the principle of equal voting rights for all New Zealanders in the district - it is still pressing on with the equally undemocratic Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill. They didn’t really have a choice on the Rotorua Bill, after their own Attorney General pointed out that it is discriminatory and in breach of the Bill of Rights. But, under the Ngai Tahu Bill, which has passed its second reading, the people of Canterbury would elect 14 councillors. Everyone gets a vote - Māori, Pakeha and everyone else. And then something extraordinary happens. Ngāi Tahu appoints two more councillors. No voting and no election. This, despite less than 100 submissions out of 1,600 favouring the idea. I am a big fan of Ngai Tahu. They are a true New Zealand success story, and I applaud the Runanga for its vision and its ambition and the crucial role they play in the Canterbury culture, society and economy. But these two seats are not Māori wards, allocated proportionately to the population, they are an appointment by an independent entity - Ngāi Tahu.
This is a dramatic and radical change to the way we choose our Government in New Zealand. The idea of equal suffrage equal voting rights, regardless of gender, class and ethnicity - has been a pillar of our democracy for over a century. All New Zealanders should have an equal say in who governs them; an equal say in appointing the people that make the decisions that affect their lives. These concepts - equal voting rights and accountability at the ballot box - are basic to our democracy, and they are precious. Why this Labour Government thinks they can casually move away from these principles without discussion by supporting a Local Bill is beyond me. If we as a country no longer think that equal voting rights apply at one level of government, pressure will build for change in national elections. I can’t think of a more divisive agenda for any government to run. We recognise the burden of history, but no past injustices are fixed by undermining something that makes this country the great place it is - preserving the pillars of our open democracy. If Jacinda Ardern and her Government Ministers no longer think that Kiwis should have equal voting rights, then they should make the case and ask New Zealanders whether they agree. Nicola Grigg, Selwyn MP.
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