Grant Robertson’s comments this morning will leave Kiwis confused about Labour’s plans to change the nature of our democracy, National’s Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson told RNZ this morning, ‘No one is proposing a change to the way we elect our government’.

“Yet earlier this month, Labour enthusiastically supported the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill, which would give the 22,000 Māori roll voters in Rotorua three council seats, the same number as the 56,000 voters on the general roll.

“Each Māori roll vote would effectively be worth roughly two-and-a-half votes on the general roll. 

“That Bill, if passed, would change the nature of our democracy from one that is grounded on equal suffrage to one that is based on something else.

“The Attorney General found that the Rotorua Bill is discriminatory and breaches the Bill of Rights and Willie Jackson agreed with his findings. Yet Labour MPs are eagerly saying that this Bill is necessary and is just the start. 

“Labour is also supporting the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill, which alters voting rights in a different way. Under that bill’s provisions, 14 councillors would be elected democratically, then after the election Ngāi Tahu would appoint two more – by fiat, without even bothering with elections.

“Both of these Bills are equally inconsistent with our Bill of Rights Act and cannot be justified.

“Reasonable New Zealander will be rightly asking what this will mean for General Election voting rights down the line.

“The number of Maori wards should remain proportional to the population so every vote has equal weight and councillors should be elected, not appointed by iwi organisations. Grant Robertson should rule out further support for both the Rotorua and Canterbury Bills.”