by Cimino | 29 Dec 2016 | Campaign Finance Reform, Corruption, Term of office
The sixth point of the Chartist’s six-point plan is sublimely simple. To counter parliamentary corruption and bought elections, simply hold far more frequent elections, so that, with the many times more votersif, of course, rather than call for ‘A vote for every...
by Cimino | 24 Dec 2016 | Democracy index, Election turnout, Representation, Term of office, Youth voting
Four-year term terminal for turnout long-term The need for Aotearoa to have a codified constitution is self-evident. Despite that, the initiative of constitutional lawyer Dr Andrew Butler and former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, launched in August, has failed to...
by Cimino | 11 Dec 2016 | Agricultural emissions, Climate mobilisation, Coalition democratisation, MMP
Loyal opposition reaches oblivious conclusion It was a stroke of unintended brilliance, which has blighted democracy ever since. When John Cam Hobhouse coined the term loyal opposition, in jest, he could’ve had no inkling he would help dignify 190 years of two-party...
by Cimino | 11 Nov 2016 | Climate action, Election turnout, Regional governance, Youth voting
From Day One he’s wanted a better slogan than ‘the World’s most liveable city.’ For his trouble, and even before hearing what that slogan might be, Mayor Phil Goff is being rubbished and ridiculed for wanting to replace the city’s tragically generic branding, with...
by Cimino | 7 Nov 2016 | MMP, Sea-level rise
His timing is impeccable, and his mission merciful. Immediately mocked by the mainstream media, Gareth Morgan’s launch of a party dedicated to eliminating poverty and closing the inequality gap is a cause worthy of wholehearted support, even by the mean-minded....
by Cimino | 19 Oct 2016 | Election turnout, Youth voting
Voting in schools works, or would, if more students were involved. With participation rates so low, the only intervention proven to address the worldwide decline in voter turnout is being relegated to little more than tokenism. Of the nearly 500 intermediate and...
