ONLY BINDING CITIZEN’S INITIATIVES and REFERENDA WILL DO!

With an election coming up we the voter’s will be confronted by politicians and parties that we the voter, on finding their track record less than satisfactory and therefore their proposed future plans probably no better than their past record.

Our party system coupled with MMP gives the leader of a political party immense power, particularly if a particular party becomes the government. The leader, by now the prime minister decides who become ministers of the crown, what the pecking order of backbenchers is and with that power it could be said that he/she has the characteristics of a mild dictator.

No member of parliament can truly represent us with determination if their allegiance to a party and a leader is more important to them than their allegiance to voters of an electorate.

List members of parliament have even less need to take notice of voters. They have no electorate voters to be accountable to, only the party and the higher up the list the better for them, therefore they do what they have to do for a good place on the list. We, the voter do not matter, what matters to us becomes of little importance to the list Member of Parliament.

In recent years we have had the opportunity to directly vote using non binding referenda on subjects such as asset sales, smacking children and crime. The people spoke; however, the results were ignored by our elected representatives. To ignore majority opinions of voters is to create a climate of frustration, cynicism and a turning away from politicians and politics in general, hence the lower turnouts for elections at both local and national level.

What to do about it?

• We must persuade our politicians to understand the current situation whereby a great number of voters feel alienated from the current representative system.
• We as individuals need to discuss with our local members of parliament the need for Modern Direct Democracy to be part of electoral reform. Find out where they stand in relation to binding referenda. You might be surprised.
• Check out their party policies on the subject of Modern Direct Democracy.

If you as a voter believe that you should have more say or just more opportunity to have a vote that matters in a referendum rather than being cast aside, then a vote for XYZ party may be an option.

You will find many an argument put up by naysayers and none more so than current politicians who fear that their positions will be jeopardised. However, their arguments against Modern Direct Democracy Swiss-style can be demolished as self-serving.