Democratic right / civic duty

My grandmother always said that voting was our duty as citizens. If we couldn't be bothered making the minimal effort to choose our representatives for the next three years, then we had no right to complain about anything the politicians did.

This will be the 7th election since I was old enough to vote. Most of my votes have been cast at the Old Blackpool School on Waiheke, an old schoolroom where I attended Brownies as a child, and outside of which I learned to ride a bike. I once voted early at the Tamaki Campus, literally one floor downstairs from my office, and once at the High Court in Auckland Central, just up the road from my apartment. It's always been very easy and quick.

This year, I'm voting from overseas. As I expected, the Electoral Commission has made this an easy process too - I downloaded my voting papers and a declaration form, and when I've filled them in, I can scan them and upload them.

But this year, for the first time, I'm still undecided. I've always given Labour my party vote (my first election was the one that introduced MMP). Labour usually got my electorate vote too, except for that first election where I voted for incumbent Waihekean Sandra Lee from the Alliance party (she lost).

I've never wanted to vote National, NZ First or (god forbid) ACT. I don't think selfishness is a good principle to adopt when electing the people who set policy for a whole country. Although I (being white, well-educated and financially comfortable) would likely personally benefit from right-wing policies, it would be at the expense of others who were less lucky/privileged. I think we get a better society when we try to make things better for everyone, and if we are going to benefit some more than others, we should be trying to benefit those who have it the hardest, not those who already have the best of it. I'm not impressed by National offer of tax cuts next year - people like me don't particularly need an extra few bucks a week. I'd much rather that money went to something like improving education.

I can't point to anything in particular that Labour have done to lose my confidence though, just that they certainly haven't done anything much to inspire it during these years in opposition. All of the messy leadership infighting has taken up time and energy and hasn't really achieved much. I don't mind David Cunliffe, but I think maybe it was a little too soon for him to take over (not that I have any better ideas).

At this point I'm choosing between Labour and the Greens, although I know that if either of them forms a government, it will be in a coalition together. But the Greens seem to have a better articulated vision for the future of the country, whereas Labour's message just seems to be "we won't be as bad as National". Which is a good thing of course, but it's not enough. Just saying "vote positive" doesn't actually make me feel positive about them.

I'm a bit out of touch though, not having seen any of the debates over here. I still have a bit of time to inform myself before I have to make the choice.