Last year I visited France and stayed with my old exchange student that lived with us for a year. During my time there I noticed that the French were much more passionate about what was affecting them. They would discuss politics and current events with their fiends, parents, shop keepers etc. It seemed everyone was much more clued up compared to our country. My friend could name the heads of state for almost any country I asked and had strong options on all the current issues affecting our planet.
As mentioned in another thread... The Electoral Enrolment Centre survey of New Zealanders has shown an abysmal lack of general knowledge of our political system.
The survey of 524 people showed 55% of Pacific people, 45% of Asians, 41% of Maori and 53% of young people did not know that an election would be held this year.
I think that this alludes to the fact that so many in our society have little idea of what is going on around them. It seems people are more interested in following the tabloids than current events.
I realise that the people using this web page do not fall into the category of oblivious New Zealanders but how many of you can go to work and bring up some of these topics and get an informed response?
Anyone can point out these problems but who has some solutions?
Lets force people to pay attention.
I think that instead of getting rid of the Maori seats lets add one additional seat next election. This seat will be not be elected but will be staffed by every voting New Zealander. Just like this web page, or your secure bank web page, every registered voter will have access to a secure account. On it will be all the topics being debated in parliament. There will be links to relevant information. Forums like this discussing all the current issues. You will be able to cast your vote on up coming bills in advance and log back in and change your mind right up till the deadline. This will give an accurate opinion poll (eliminating media bias and propaganda). You will also be able to check previous votes to maintain integrity of the voting system.
People will be forced to pay better attention to the issues that affect them. The government will also be forced to be more transparent as we will all be looking into every detail of what they are doing and what is passing through legislation. It will also show how accurate the politicians are at doing what is in everyones interest. If the peoples seat votes for something like say GE legislation with 90% disapproval but the government approves it by 60% then they will have a lot to answer to at the next election.
I realise that if people don’t even know that it’s election year then how can we expect them to bother voting on every little detail. My argument is that we have to start somewhere. Someone has to start developing this kind of technology and work out the teething problems. America certainly isn’t going to do it, or do it with integrity! Estonia already casts votes via the internet so there is a framework out there.
The webpage would have so much potential. The more it is used the more effective it becomes. Census data could be obtained and collated easier. All the advertising could be for NZ products. NZ artists could put up their wares for all to see. It could become New Zealands answer to facebook. And like it or not Facebook is the way of the future. Worlds youngest billionaire! Even people that hate the internet get sucked in by their mates.
Access to the internet will be an issue but as the dinosaurs die off and we all start to embrace the internet as the most fundamental tool at our disposal we need to have this ready. We can show the world the future, a society that is clued up and actually listens to everyone instead of just lobbyists.
Is this idea worth pursuing?