“The Government’s proposed electoral law changes will promote a slobocracy”, ACT Leader David Seymour says.
“The Electoral Commission spent $58 million last election year, but 1 in 5 New Zealanders still couldn’t be bothered participating in our democracy. Now the Government is lowering the bar to say you don’t even need to follow the law and register to vote.
“It is a legal requirement for adult New Zealanders to be registered to vote. Registering with the Electoral Commission and showing up on election day is neither time-consuming nor difficult.
“Instead of promoting the fundamental importance of freedom, personal responsibility and democracy, the Government is telling voters that these ideas don’t really matter.
“If someone can’t be bothered enrolling to vote, why should they be allowed to show up at the very last minute and tell responsible, law-abiding New Zealanders how much tax they should pay or how they ought to live their lives?
“While the people of Hong Kong are in the streets fighting for freedom and democracy, our Government is lowering the bar so that people who break the law by not enrolling can show up at the very last minute and vote.
“These changes will not promote an engaged, responsible electorate. They will instead create a slobocracy.
“New Zealanders will lose respect for the importance of freedom and democracy when they are trivialised.”