New Zealand referendums 'hold lesson for UK'
Wednesday, 15 Aug 2007 08:29
The last UK-wide referendum was held in 1975
New Zealand's experiment with popular referendums could signal a way out of disaffection with Britain's politicians, a study suggests.
In research for the Centre for Policy Studies thinktank, Caroline Morris says the New Zealand experience may provide valuable lessons on boosting public trust in politicians and the political process.
In 1993 the New Zealand government introduced citizens' referendums, which take place on any issue attracting the signature of ten per cent of the elections.
Only three referendums have taken place so far and Ms Morris says the government did little to respond to them.
But she argues they were successful in improving public perceptions of politicians. Only 48 per cent said they believed that 'people like me have no say', compared to 63 per cent in 1993, according to the paper.
"As New Zealand's experience has shown, sometimes citizens' referendums achieve their intended purpose in unexpected ways," Ms Morris writes.
"Improving opportunities for direct democracy usually comes as part of a desire to close the democratic deficit and improve people's engagement, trust and interest in the political system.
"However, any direct democracy measure must obviously be carefully planned if it is to become a functioning part of a nation's constitutional design."
The last nationwide referendum to take place in Britain was 1975's vote on whether the UK should stay in the European Community, although smaller-scale referendums have since taken place in London, Scotland and Wales.