Opinion

Fixing democracy? There’s work to do

The 2022 local body elections have been and gone.

We have three new mayors in Wairarapa. Ka pai to mahi.

It’s been interesting watching the results pan out around the motu. Almost everywhere, leftist candidates were trounced. Voters weren’t keen on high-density housing, cycleways, or Three Waters. And Auckland voted in a mayor who celebrated his win by taking a helicopter ride to “survey the realm” [little tone-deaf, Wayne].

Aotearoa has spoken. Well, about a third thereof.

As it turned out, only 36 per cent of eligible New Zealanders cast their vote – a record low, and a little unsettling. The Spinoff reporter Hayden Donnell didn’t mince words: “If this is what passes for local democracy, it’s not worth the sodden, unopened ballots it’s written on.”

So – what’s going wrong?

Firstly – postal voting isn’t cutting it. For starters, a significant number of New Zealanders didn’t receive their voting papers in time.

For postal voting to be successful, you need the infrastructure. And NZ Post has been essentially gutted – now only running three days a week, and without the staffing to handle large amounts of mail. Postboxes are scarce in some parts of the country, particularly rural areas.

Plus, housing insecurity is at an all-time high. How reliable is postal voting when a chunk of the voting population doesn’t have a permanent address?

On that note, there’s a clear correlation between voter turnout and home ownership. Last year, a Stats NZ survey found 71 per cent of homeowners voted in the previous local election – compared with 47 per cent of renters.

In the past, New Zealand councils have been criticised for lack of engagement with renters. Local authorities have also come under fire for ignoring their mandate to improve rental conditions. Last year, advocacy group Renters United called councils out for failing to act on their powers under the Health Act to penalise landlords for mouldy homes.

Not to mention the Ratepayer Roll – which allows ratepayers to vote in every council district where they own property. In 2016, one landlord was able to cast a vote in seven different districts. This stacks the deck in favour of property owners – and, to quote Renters United, incentivises councils “to prioritise the views of landlords over those on low incomes and renters”.

And it’s not only renters who feel they don’t have skin in the game – young people and Māori are also disengaging from local government.

Could this be because they simply don’t see themselves reflected on the ballot? As of May this year, 40 per cent of council representatives were women, 13.5 per cent were Māori, and 14 per cent were under 40.

But you can’t vote for people if they’re not standing. And we know there are structural barriers at play. Politcal campaigns are expensive – and women, youth, and minority communities earn less. Remuneration rates for councillors are low. Plus, a recent LGNZ survey found almost half of local representatives have experienced racism or gender discrimination, and 43 per cent have experienced threatening behaviour.

And we wonder why diverse candidates aren’t standing – and those they represent aren’t turning up to vote?

In summation – it’s complicated. If we’re going to improve our local democracy, it’s going to take more than online voting. It’s going to mean ironing out plenty of systemic and structural kinks. But, if we want all Kiwis to have a voice in their communities, we’ve got work to do. Democracy is for everyone – not just those in the pretty, white, leafy suburbs.

I’ll end with another quote from The Spinoff: “Here’s to three more years of screaming into the void of local politics. And hoping it screams back”.

Young(ish), scrappy & hungry

Erin Kavanagh-Hall

PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

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The new councils of Wairarapa need to...

Karen Roberts: Start the conversation on an amalgamation to become one council with each town becoming their own wards.

Richard Alan Dahlberg:

Listen, be transparent, and get on with the job. Masterton District Council – put the Borman Plan into action.

Jean Cretney: Be upfront and honest at all times. Linda Voice: Get back to basics. Listen to and support local community groups and individuals doing the mahi. Curb expenditure on the unnecessary.

Andrea Longhurst:

Act! Talk is cheap – talking your way into a position of power to gain trust and respect without fulÿ lling your promises is manipulation. Jessica Parker: Think about the future for generations when making their decisions and not just focus on the now.

Jocelyn Konig: Learn how to communicate with their constituents.

Robert Mackenzie:

Stop talking about amalgamation. It’s been discussed before – we’ve had a referendum, and it was voted down.

Gaye Woodcock:

Build cohesive teams and deliver true democracy and practical outcomes.

Caryl Forrest: Be visionary. Think 10-50 years ahead. Work as a team, but accept that not everyone will agree on the same course of action. Get out there and talk to voters. Anticipate the questions residents will ask and answer them.

New Wairarapa mayors Ron Mark [Carterton], Gary Ca˜ ell [Masterton], and Martin Connelly [South Wairarapa]. PHOTOS/FILE

CONTACT US

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