*Update - 28 September 2020: Following the change to Covid-19 Alert Levels and the delay of the election to October 17 there have been changes to all the Election Forums we are involved in. We are updating the information below as plans are revised. *
The 2020 General Election will be held on 17 October. This year there are also two referendums that you can vote on - the Cannabis legalisation and control referendum and the End of Life Choice referendum.
If you haven't already, now is a good time to enrol to vote. There is information about how to vote in accessible formats.
If you need help to vote there are options which include voting with help from a support person or the phone dictation service. Find out about the options for help/alternative ways to vote.
You can find out more about the referendums at referendums.govt.nz. Referendum information has also been put together in accessible formats.
Election Forums
DPA has been collaborating with various other organisations around the country to organise Election Forums - meetings focused on disability issues where you can hear from candidates and ask questions.
- Christchurch -Cancelled
- Waikato - 24 August (cancelled - questions to be asked of candidates remotely)
- Wellington - 1 October (new date - also livestreamed)
- Auckland - 29 August (now online only)
- Dunedin - 29 September (cancelled)
Christchurch Election Forum - cancelled
This forum was to be hosted by DPA and the Deaf Society of Canterbury
Waikato Election Forum - cancelled
Plans are currently for questions to be emailed out to candidates and either written or videoed responses shared via Zoom at a later date TBC.
When: 1 October, 4pm
Where: Wharewaka Function Centre, Taranaki Wharf, 2 Taranaki Street, (waterfront) Wellington
(This forum was originally planned to be held on 26 August and has now been moved forward to 1 October. It is possible some of the political panel names may change, but we hope to be able to update soon once the panel for the new date is confirmed.)
The candidates on the panel are Greens MP Jan Logie, Alfred Ngaro from National, Labour’s Greg O’Connor, Erika Harvey from New Zealand First and Simon Court from ACT.
Our six areas of focus for this election are education, housing, employment, the health and disability review and proposed restructure of disability support services, improving wellbeing for disabled people and welfare reform and ensuring infrastructure and transport is accessible for disabled people in the COVID recovery.
Please register to attend or for details of the livestream event
This event is hosted in partnership: DPA, CCS Disability Action, IHC, Deaf Aotearoa, NZDSN and People First
This event was live streamed and you can now watch a recording.
My Voice Matters held the election forum online to inform you on disability issues before the General Election.
The panel included: Minister Carmel Sepuloni from New Zealand Labour Party, Ms Golriz Ghahraman MP from Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, Mr David Seymour MP from ACT, Hon Maggie Barry MP from NZ National Party, and Mr Robert Gore from New Zealand First.
The candidates were asked a range of disability-related questions on topics like housing, education, employment, transport, accessibility laws, and the health and disability review.
This event is a My Voice Matters New Zealand collaboration with Blind Citizens NZ, Blind Low Vision NZ, CCS Disability Action, Cerebral Palsy Society of New Zealand, Complex Care Group, Deaf Aotearoa, Disability Connect, Disabled Persons Assembly NZ - DPA, Epic Studios, Lifewise, Manawanui, The Muscular Dystrophy Association of NZ, New Zealand Disability Support Network - NZDSN, People First New Zealand, Vaka Tautua and YES Disability Resource Centre.
When: Cancelled
Where: Blind Low Vision NZ Rooms, 458 Hillside Road, South Dunedin
New Zealand Sign Language interpreters will be present.
Representatives from all of the main parties will be present. Chair/MC: John Marrable, Disability Information Service.
If Covid-19 Alert Level 2 or above, this forum will be held online via Zoom
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available after the forum
Enquiries to Chris Ford at 027 696 0872 (including text), email: chris.ford@dpa.org.nz
This forum has been organised by: Disabled Persons Assembly, Disability Information Service, People First, Otago Deaf Society and Blind Citizens New Zealand Otago Network
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