Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

The defence of democracy is not for the apathetic.

The defence of democracy is not for the apathetic.


It is the stuff of conversation at the weekend barbeque, the cafe lunch, and after work drinks - "what the Government is doing to our country".

Thousands of hours are likely devoted to this topic, as hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders at any one time vent their spleens, one to another, on the state of our nation.

The topics covered by these conversations are myriad: tax; childcare; crime; family breakdown; welfare; health; education; business compliance; housing; Treaty of Waitangi; wages; immigration; legal sanctions; and youth are all common topics of layman discussion.

Yes, we kiwis are indeed great "talkers" - however actually making the decision to participate in "doing" something about the state of the nation? Then we are not so keen to speak up.

For many, the presence of representative democracy in New Zealand seems to mean that we elect representatives to Parliament every three years and then go to sleep. However, if democracy is to mean anything, it must also mean that we as citizens of New Zealand have a duty to take an active part in the democratic process - and in such a process, if we are unhappy about something, then choosing apathy as a response to an issue is not an option if we want to invoke change.

In the absence of active citizen participation, Democracy (or, rule by the people) becomes a representative void, a void most often filled by a well organised minority. It is not for nothing that minority Governments have become the order of the day in New Zealand, contributed in no small part by the majority voter endorsement of MMP in 1993.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

It is a relatively simple task to assess our own level of participation in democracy, especially in New Zealand. We may only need to ask some questions of ourselves or others at the barbeque, the cafe, or the workplace, questions such as:

How do I determine who I vote for every three years at election time?

Have I ever made a submission (written or oral) to a Select Committee on a piece of legislation I either agree or disagree with?

Have I ever written a letter to the editor of my local newspaper, actually stating my opinion in the public arena?

Have I ever made a time to meet with my local MP and discuss any concerns I may have?

Have I ever engaged in any form of legitimate protest?

Have I ever donated either time or money to a lobby group that represents your interests?

Have I ever organised a petition, or indeed signed a petition for presentation to Parliament?

Have I ever joined a political party, or stood as a candidate for election?

In short, "if I am not happy with the status quo, instead of just talking about it, what am I going to do about it?" becomes the empowering question for one to carefully consider.

The common denominator contained within the above questions is this: the people who are successful in securing legislative victory in New Zealand do all of the above, and much more besides. Their collective commitment to the cause (whatever that cause may be) is active, unwavering, and ongoing.

From a democratic perspective, "the cause" is also often in the minority, yet still legislatively successful - which makes somewhat of a mockery of true democracy.

It is clear that being active in the democratic process breeds results. It is equally clear that being apathetic in democracy breeds resentment when the "other side" wins - however, these are victories that have been most often have handed to "them" by default.


ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.