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Electoral Reform

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Bryce Edwards Analysis – NZ elections are being Americanised with “dark money” flowing into campaign groups

February 27, 2024

  Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Elections in the United States are dominated by big money. But what isn’t commonly understood is that most of it is raised and spent, not by the political parties and candidates for office, but by special interest groups who run their own election campaigns to ... <a title="Bryce Edwards Analysis – NZ elections are being Americanised with “dark money” flowing into campaign groups" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/02/27/bryce-edwards-analysis-nz-elections-are-being-americanised-with-dark-money-flowing-into-campaign-groups/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards Analysis – NZ elections are being Americanised with “dark money” flowing into campaign groups">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: A Disappointing pick-and-mix approach to electoral reform

June 9, 2023

  Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Democracy in New Zealand could and should be improved in so many ways. So it’s a pity that the Government has yet again produced a review of elections that has delivered a disparate and incomplete package of recommendations. Few of the recommendations will ever see the light of day ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: A Disappointing pick-and-mix approach to electoral reform" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/09/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-a-disappointing-pick-and-mix-approach-to-electoral-reform/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: A Disappointing pick-and-mix approach to electoral reform">Read more</a>

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Keith Rankin Essay – Extending Democracy and the Age of Voter Entitlement

November 25, 2022

Essay by Keith Rankin. Earlier this week, in the wake of a decision by the Supreme Court of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Government announced it would draft a Bill which would extend the franchise in New Zealand to sixteen- and seventeen-year-old citizens and permanent residents. (See this press release on Scoop from the ‘Make it ... <a title="Keith Rankin Essay – Extending Democracy and the Age of Voter Entitlement" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/11/25/keith-rankin-essay-extending-democracy-and-the-age-of-voter-entitlement/" aria-label="Read more about Keith Rankin Essay – Extending Democracy and the Age of Voter Entitlement">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The High barriers to lowering the voting age

November 22, 2022

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: The High barriers to lowering the voting age Sixteen-year-olds aren’t about to get the right to vote anytime soon. Despite yesterday’s Supreme Court declaration that a voting age of 18 violates the Bill of Rights, there are still many barriers to get over before the voting age could ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The High barriers to lowering the voting age" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/11/22/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-high-barriers-to-lowering-the-voting-age/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The High barriers to lowering the voting age">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: No confidence in dire local govt elections

October 5, 2022

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: No confidence in dire local govt elections The “No Confidence” vote in local body elections could be as high as 60 per cent by the end of this week. That’s essentially what it is when only 40 per cent of the public choose to vote, which is what ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: No confidence in dire local govt elections" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/10/05/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-no-confidence-in-dire-local-govt-elections/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: No confidence in dire local govt elections">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Te Pāti Māori and vested interests

October 1, 2022

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Te Pāti Māori and vested interests Controversial Māori politician and president of Te Pāti Māori, John Tamihere, is in hot water over large financial donations relating to his 2019 Auckland Mayoral campaign and Te Pāti Māori’s 2020 election campaign. For him and his supporters, the allegations are “inherently racist”. ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Te Pāti Māori and vested interests" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/10/01/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-te-pati-maori-and-vested-interests/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Te Pāti Māori and vested interests">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Fighting for cleaner and fairer elections

September 15, 2022

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Fighting for cleaner and fairer elections From this week the public can provide input into the Government’s review of electoral laws – a process which is supposed to make elections cleaner and fairer. Hopefully, public submissions and pressure applied to both the electoral review experts and the Government ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Fighting for cleaner and fairer elections" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/09/15/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-fighting-for-cleaner-and-fairer-elections/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Fighting for cleaner and fairer elections">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Time to take political donations law seriously

August 3, 2022

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Time to take political donations law seriously There is no corruption in New Zealand. At least that’s what authorities want the public to believe. For decades now our system of political finance regulation has been portrayed as highly rigorous, ensuring our politicians cannot be bought. Unfortunately, that’s just not ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Time to take political donations law seriously" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/08/03/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-time-to-take-political-donations-law-seriously/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Time to take political donations law seriously">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: If the NZ First Foundation accused are not guilty, then who is?

July 23, 2022

Political Roundup: If the NZ First Foundation accused are not guilty, then who is? It’s shocking that the accused in the NZ First Foundation trial were declared “not guilty” in the High Court today. But it’s not actually surprising. There was always a strong chance that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) was not going to get ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: If the NZ First Foundation accused are not guilty, then who is?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/07/23/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-if-the-nz-first-foundation-accused-are-not-guilty-then-who-is/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: If the NZ First Foundation accused are not guilty, then who is?">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Public submissions on political donation reform released

July 21, 2022

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Public submissions on political donation reform released Is it ironic that the Government is reforming rules around secret political donations in a very secretive way? There has been overwhelming public demand for more openness about how politicians raise their money, but the Government and officials have been less than ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Public submissions on political donation reform released" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/07/21/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-public-submissions-on-political-donation-reform-released/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Public submissions on political donation reform released">Read more</a>

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Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National’s embarrassing donation scandal

February 20, 2020

Is the National Party off the hook over the Serious Fraud Office donations prosecution? That’s what the party is claiming, pointing out that no National official or MP has been charged. But of course, there was a National MP involved – albeit one no longer with the party – and he is being prosecuted. In ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National’s embarrassing donation scandal" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/02/20/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-nationals-embarrassing-donation-scandal/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National’s embarrassing donation scandal">Read more</a>