Step up and help Kiwi democracy

people like me really value’.

Of course, if you ask MPs, they’ll say that they do care and they do listen. But, in any representative democracy, what you (as voter) really think is ultimately what matters on election day.

There will be more Stuff/ Massey pre-election surveys in 2020 asking about your political opinions. We’ll ask what you really think about the achievements of the Ardern Government, how you feel about life in Aotearoa/New Zealand today, and what you want from the next election.

Listening to public opinion is essential for democratic government. But what other things can we do to make elections and government better and more trusted? How can we prevent deep division and distrust of the kind seen in the UK and America?

Here are some suggestions. We could set some rules around government-formation processes following elections. At present, it’s all about bargaining power, and it’s done behind closed doors. One minority party that holds the balance of power can control negotiations to suit themselves. Surely there’s a better way to decide who governs us.

We could restrict party-political donations to reduce the impact of wealthy individuals and vested interests. It may sound unpalatable at first, but state funding of political parties would level the playing field.

We could consider increasing the number of seats in Parliament. The number of people per representative is now approaching 42,000. In 1996, it was 31,100. This means it’s getting harder for people to be heard by a local representative.

To address such controversial questions, we could hold a citizens’ assembly where a cross-section of the people get together for an informed dialogue, and then report back to the nation. This would take the debate away from the politicians, at least for a while. If ordinary citizens get a chance to think practically about the problems and debate them fairly among themselves, then widely acceptable suggestions are more likely to emerge.

So, don’t give up on democracy. Take part in it.