Caroline Morris (Wellington, Victoria University): New Zealand's introduction of direct democracy in the form of citizens' initiated referendums could have valuable lessons for politicians looking for cures for the problem of democratic disengagement in the UK. In a 1993 survey, when the direct democracy legislation was brought in, 63% of respondents agreed with the proposition that "People like me have no say" and 66% said that "Politicians don't care what people think". By 2005, these figures had fallen to 48% and 44% respectively.
The New Zealand Citizens Initiated Referenda Act allows for the holding of a referendum on almost any subject, provided 10% of electors sign a petition asking for one to be held. Only three referendums have been held under this system in fourteen years: on firefighter numbers, the criminal justice system, and the appropriate number of MPs. The result of any referendum is not binding and the government response has been muted in each case. So why the improvement in feelings of engagement?
Two reasons. Firstly, it appears New Zealanders are not necessarily concerned that their voice is not acted on - what matters is the opportunity to voice those opinions in the first place. Secondly, instead of being used to create law, there are also signs that the system is being used by ordinary people to place items on the policy agenda. Earlier this year, the government was forced to negotiate with the opposition and adjust proposed legislation outlawing the smacking of children when public concerns about the blanket nature of the ban were channeled into a citizens' referendum petition that amassed half the required signatures in only six weeks. Other proposals, such as a code of conduct for Members of Parliament, have also had their origins in the referendum process.
The New Zealand model does have flaws, and should not be adopted without careful consideration of what it is hoped might be achieved with direct democracy. Nonetheless, as our experience has shown, citizens' referendums can achieve their intended purpose of improving engagement - even if it is in unexpected ways.
"Lessons in Direct Democracy from New Zealand" is published by the Centre for Policy Studies, and is available for download or order here.
