The Wire with Nicholas

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced the government is considering removing election day voter enrolment. 

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission told 95bFM background information on what election day voter enrolment is including that:

Election day enrolment was introduced for the 2020 General Election, so there have been two elections when it’s been in place.

It means people can enrol or update their details, and then vote, on election day.

Before 2020, people needed to enrol by the day before election day.

In 2023, about 110,000 people enrolled or updated their details on election day.

Anyone who enrols or updates their details in the month before election day needs to cast a special vote.

Minister Goldsmith's reason for looking at abolishing election day enrolment included; that few countries have this ability and the electoral commission does not have enough resources to deal with these special votes. 

Opposition MPs, including Green Party Leader Chlöe Swarbrick has spoken out against removing same-day voting and enrolment, stating in a Press Release “any imposed barrier [to accessible elections] is rightfully open to serious criticism of voter suppression.”

Caeden asked political scientist at Victoria University Dr Lara Greaves (Ngāpuhi, Pākehā, Tararā) about the proposal and its resulting opposition.

They started by asking her to explain the issues with same day enrolment and voting.

Earlier this week, the government announced a plan to invest $1.9 Billion dollars into corrections facilities across Aotearoa, which would be used to recruit and train staff, provide rehabilitation for inmates on remand, and the expansion of 810 new beds at Waikeria prison, which had previously been damaged during a prison riot in 2020. 

For their weekly chat, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the party’s take on the corrections investment. We also talked about the central bank’s recent Financial Stability report, as well as the Remuneration authorities decision to increase pay for MPs.

In 2022, the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act amended the Human Rights Act 1993 to make conversion practices unlawful in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

A new study, ‘Conversion practices in Aotearoa New Zealand: Developing a holistic response to spiritual abuse’, highlights support needed for people wanting to escape conversion practices in faith-based settings. 

Led by Director of Kaitiaki Research and Evaluation and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University, Doctor Michael Roguski, the study identified interventions required to ensure those experiencing religious conversion practices have a “pipeline to safety”.

Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Roguski about the study, beginning the interview asking him about his research process.

She also spoke to Lived Experience and human rights advisor, Andre Afamasaga, about how Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, provides support to survivors of conversion practices and the importance of this [from 12:00]. 

She asked him firstly to introduce himself and describe what his role was at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata.

Conservation group Forest and Bird made a lengthy submission to the government regarding the Fast Track Approvals Bill, detailing the organisation’s issues with the bill and their recommended changes. The bill threatens to undermine existing conservation legislation in Aotearoa, allowing projects to legally infringe on environmental protections. Additionally, despite the inclusion of an expert panel process, ministers still have the final say on all consent processes.

Wire host Castor spoke to Forest and Bird’s Climate spokesperson, Geoff Keey, about the organisation’s main issues with the bill and possible solutions to better protect the environment.