A 'spiral of inequality'

In case you have managed to miss it, it’s an election year. Not long from now, the campaign will start, babies will be kissed, promises will be made, and at least one politician will do something embarrassing. 

Much is made in election years about voter turnout – it has been dropping in New Zealand for many years, most markedly in those under 30. An 18-year-old now is much less likely to vote than someone the same age 20 years ago. And that has got people worried. 

Photo: Ryan Bird

Last week, I attended the Electoral Commission’s Valuing Our Vote conference. I was there to talk about media and the internet, but I spent much more time listening. Professor David Farrell spoke of a “spiral of inequality”. Politicians don’t court those less likely to vote – young people, the less well off or less educated, Maori and migrant communities. And because of that, policies aren’t directed at those groups, widening gaps that already exists, he suggested. 

Another speaker called it a “cycle of mutual neglect”. And it’s especially important when it comes to people under 30 – almost half of whom are having no voice in decisions that are being made on their behalf, and which will affect the rest of their lives. That assumes, of course, that voting in a three-yearly election is the only way that people have to create change or work towards causes they are passionate about. But it’s a cycle some people are hoping to arrest. 

Heather Smith from the US organisation Rock The Vote told the conference that encouraging voter turnout means making the uncool cool. She said it means creating “cultural norms” around voting, and as much as possible, showing people that their voice matters, and that goverment needs to be accountable to them. 

Justice Minister Judith Collins told the conference that voting is what we as New Zealanders do as a community. Later in the day, I suggested that maybe what we should be doing is asking communities what they do, and working with that. That’s what we as The Wireless will be doing, as much as possible, with our election coverage. 

Today is the first day of our new theme: Influence. This week, we’ll be looking closer at voter turnout - why voting is important, what stops people doing it, and efforts to get people to cast a ballot. We’ll also be talking to some of the younger politicians who are hoping to convince people to give them their vote. We’re going to host a panel discussion with people who have arguments for and against voting. And we’ll be asking you what you want to hear from politicians and other groups in the months before September 20th. 

This month, we'll also look at lobbying, the influence of the internet on our lives, shopping malls and their place in Christchurch. We talk to New Zealanders caught up in Thailand's military coup, Elle Hunt goes to church to look at the influence of religion, and Uther Dean vists a hypnotist. If you're keen to hear more, or get involved, email or tweet us, or comment below.