Referendums in New Zealand
Table of petitions and referendums
The following table lists those petition questions lodged with Clerk of the House from 1993 to 2014. The 1999 referendums were held in conjunction with the 1999 general election, which is likely to have played a role in the high proportion of voters.

Referendums in New Zealand

Section Title: Table of petitions and referendums
Table Section Text: The following table lists those petition questions lodged with Clerk of the House from 1993 to 2014. The 1999 referendums were held in conjunction with the 1999 general election, which is likely to have played a role in the high proportion of voters.

Date proposal received by Clerk of the House	Sponsor / name of proposer	Question Proposed	Question Determined	Date determination of question gazetted	Date signatures to be collected by	Result of petition

1993	Royal New Zealand Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals	Should the production of eggs from battery hens be prohibited within five years of the referendum?

1993	Christian Heritage Party	Should a judge sentencing a person convicted of murder to life imprisonment be empowered to order that the person be imprisoned for his or her natural life and not be eligible for parole?

1993	Michael Laws MP, Hon Winston Peters MP, Geoff Braybrooke MP	Should the size of Parliament be reduced from 120 members of parliament to 100 by reducing the number elected from party list?

1 February 1994	Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals	Should the inhumane practice of battery egg production be phased out within five years from this referendum?	Should the production of eggs from battery hens be prohibited within five years of the referendum?	28 April 1994	28 April 1995	Petition lapsed

28 March 1994	Christian Heritage Party	Should a judge be given the power to decide whether life imprisonment for murder should mean a prisoner will be imprisoned for his/her natural life?	Should a Judge sentencing a person convicted of murder to life imprisonment be empowered to order that the person be imprisoned for his or her natural life and not be eligible for parole?	23 June 1994	23 June 1995	Petition lapsed

25 May 1994	Michael Laws MP, Hon Winston Peters MP, Geoff Braybrooke MP	Should the size of Parliament be reduced from 120 Members of Parliament to 100 by reducing the number of “list” MPs from 55 seats to 35 seats?	Should the size of Parliament be reduced from 120 Members of Parliament to 100 by reducing the number elected from the party list?	18 August 1994	18 August 1995	Petition lapsed

20 June 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	All New Zealanders should have access to a non-profit public health service which is fully government funded and without user charges.	Question withdrawn by proposer, on 16 September 1994

20 June 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	All new Zealanders should have access to non-profit education service that is fully government funded and without user charges, from pre-school to tertiary level.	Question withdrawn by proposer on 16 September 1994

20 June 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	The central goals of government economic policy should be full employment at liveable wages and, for those not in the paid workforce, an income based on what it actually costs to live.	Question withdrawn by proposer on 16 September 1994

20 June 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	New Zealand's military budget should be reduced to half its 1994 level by the year 2000 and the savings allocated to health, education, employment and conservation.	Question withdrawn by proposer on 16 September 1994

20 June 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	The Employment Contracts Act should be replaced with laws that deliver pay equity and are consistent with the International Labour Organisation's conventions and the United Nations’ International Bill of Human Rights.	Question withdrawn by proposer, on 16 September 1994

20 June 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	Any increase in New Zealand's electricity demand should be met from energy conservation and from sources that are environmentally sustainable, and do not produce carbon dioxide (CO2).	Question withdrawn by proposer on 16 September 1994

29 August 1994	William Maung Maung	Do you want a Constitutional Enactment to enable the enforcement of political accountability?	Should there be a legally enforceable requirement that political parties observe their constitution and their manifesto promises?	17 November 1994	17 November 1995	Petition lapsed

11 November 1994	New Zealand Professional Fire-Fighters Union	Should the number of firefighters employed in the New Zealand Fire Service be reduced?	Should the number of professional fire fighters employed full-time in the New Zealand Fire Service be reduced below the number employed on 1 January 1995?	9 February 1995	9 February 1996	Petition successful—presented to House on 30 May 1995; select committee report on 22 June 1995; referendum held on 2 December 1995.

30 November 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	Should all New Zealanders have access to public health services, which are fully government funded, and without user charges?	Should all New Zealanders have access to comprehensive health services, which are fully government funded, and without user charges?	23 February 1995	23 February 1996	Petition lapsed

30 November 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	Should all New Zealanders have access to public education services, from early childhood to tertiary level, which are fully government funded and without user charges?	Should all New Zealanders have access to public education services, from early childhood to tertiary level, which are fully government funded and without user charges?	23 February 1995	23 February 1996	Petition lapsed

30 November 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	Should full employment with wages and conditions that are fair and equitable be the central goal of government economic policy?	Should full employment with wages and conditions that are fair and equitable be the primary goal of government economic policy?	23 February 1995	23 February 1996	Petition lapsed

30 November 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	Should all New Zealanders on income support and benefits get an income based on what it actually costs to live?	Should all New Zealanders on income support and benefits get an income based on what it actually costs to live?	23 February 1995	23 February 1996	Petition lapsed

30 November 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	Should increases in New Zealand's electricity demand be met from energy conservation and from the use of resources that are environmentally sustainable?	Should increases in New Zealand's electricity demand be met from energy conservation and from the use of sources that are environmentally sustainable?	23 February 1995	23 February 1996	Not delivered to Clerk - lapsed

30 November 1994	Next Step Democracy Movement	Should New Zealand's military budget be reduced to half its 1994/1995 level by the year 2000 with the savings spent on health, education, conservation and the promotion of full employment?	Should New Zealand's defence expenditure be reduced to half its 1994/95 level by the year 2000 with the savings spent on health, education, conservation and the promotion of full employment?	23 February 1995	23 February 1996	Petition lapsed

19 December 1994	One New Zealand Foundation	Should the laws of New Zealand apply equally to all New Zealanders irrespective of ethnic origin?	Do you agree that the laws of New Zealand should not discriminate against or give preference to citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand on the basis of their ethnic origins?	23 March 1995	23 March 1996	Petition lapsed

15 September 1995	Companion and the Voluntary Euthanasia Society (Auckland) Inc	Should voluntary euthanasia be legalised for persons 18 years and older?	Should people aged 18 years and over who are terminally or incurably ill be permitted to have their lives ended if they request this, in a humane manner and in accordance with procedures to be established?	14 December 1995	14 December 1996	Withdrawn on 6 May 1996

15 April 1996	Jim Anderton MP	Should the Forestry Corporation's plantation forests, mills, and rights in perpetuity to 188,000 hectares of Crown land, remain in New Zealand public ownership?	Should the forestry licenses to 188,000 hectares of Crown forest land which are currently held by the Forestry Corporation of New Zealand Limited remain in state ownership (subject to the determination of any Treaty of Waitangi claims)?	13 June 1996	13 June 1997	Petition lapsed

23 July 1996	Nga Kaitiaki o Te Waonuia Taane o Aotearoa	Should there be a law passed banning any further destruction of the native forests of Aotearoa to preserve the last remnants of our national heritage (pursuant to the Treaty of Waitangi)?	Should all tree felling and clearing on any indigenous land (except in plantation forests and already protected conservation areas be prohibited, unless such tree felling or cleaning is in accordance with Maori customary use?	31 October 1996	31 October 1997	Petition lapsed

17 March 1997	Mark Whyte	Should the Treaty of Waitangi, being an outdated document, be set aside and replaced with a national constitution which guarantees the equal rights of all New Zealanders without favour or discrimination?	Should there be a Written Constitution, taking precedence of the Treaty of Waitangi and all other sources of law, which guarantees the right of all people without favour or discrimination?	19 June 1997	19 June 1998	Petition lapsed

30 June 1997	Margaret Robertson	Should the size of Parliament be reduced from 120 members of Parliament to 99 members of Parliament by reducing the number elected from party lists?	Should the size of the House of Representatives be reduced from 120 members to 99 members?	21 August 1997	21 August 1998	Petition successful—presented to House on 17 February 1999; referendum held on 27 November 1999. (84.8% turnout - 81.5% yes; 18.5% no)

3 October 1997	Norm Withers	That should there be an urgent reform of our Justice system to introduce restorative justice which seeks to place greater emphasis on the needs of victims and includes hard labour for all serious violent offences?	Should there be a reform of our justice system placing greater emphasis on the needs of the victims, providing restitution and compensation for them and imposing minimum sentences and hard labour for all serious violent offences?	15 January 1998	15 January 1999	Petition successful—presented to House on 13 July 1999; referendum held on 27 November 1999. (84.8% turnout - 91.8% yes; 8.2% no)

13 October 1997	Cancer Society of New Zealand	That the Government should increase its annual spending on health services to at least 7% of GDP, funded if necessary from personal income tax.	Should the Government increase its annual spending on health services to at least 7% of GDP, funding the increase, if necessary, from personal income tax?	11 December 1997	11 December 1998	Petition lapsed

19 February 1998	Frederick Richards	Should the method of election be termination of the political party system with the election for the constituency candidate as representative by single transferable vote?	Should members of Parliament be elected by single transferable vote (STV) with constituency-based, multi-member electorates?	21 May 1998	21 May 1999	Petition lapsed

21 December 1998	Gavin Hugh Piercy	Should the Government stop any forced school closures until there have been full and transparent guidelines and procedures adapted by Parliament?	Should there be no further compulsory school closures until comprehensive criteria have been established by law for the Minister of Education to follow when deciding to close a school?	25 March 1999	25 March 2000	Petition lapsed

6 May 1999	Julie Waring	Do you support the request that the Government of New Zealand reduce the number of unemployed people to below 1% of the working population by the year 2004?	Should the government be required to reduce the number of unemployed people to below 1% of the labour force by the year 2004?	12 August 1999	12 August 2000	Petition lapsed

29 June 1999	The Free New Zealand Party Society Inc	Should government let New Zealanders have democracy by referendum where any individual or group can submit opinions which get numbered so we can list what we agree with and list what we disagree with, then the results are sent to four independent committees who create four separate laws and we vote for the most suitable one?	Should New Zealand adapt direct democracy by binding referendum whereby ideas for laws should be submitted and voted upon as of right by the public and, according to the result, submissions collected from the public and then assessed by opinion poll, resulting un draft law alternatives being prepared by independent groups, from which one opinion would be chosen by majority vote by the public; the resulting legislation to be binding?	14 October 1999	14 October 2000	Petition lapsed

1 January 2000	Stuart FE Marshall	Should the current review of the voting system be taken out of the hands of self-interested politicians by holding another binding referendum to decide the future voting systems, recognising the already clearly established public demand to reduce the number of MPs to 99?	Should a binding referendum be held to decide the future voting system, based on a parliament of 99 MPs?	20 March 2001	25 March 2002	Petition lapsed

27 March 2000	Raymond Lorenzen	Should the Government ban the sale and distribution of tobacco products?	Should Parliament enact legislation to ban the sale and distribution of tobacco?	6 July 2000	6 July 2001	Petition lapsed

18 May 2000	Tim Hawkins	Should Dr Newman's Shared Parenting Bill be made law in the Family Court?	Should the Shared Parenting Bill introduced by Dr Muriel Newman (which creates a presumption that parents who are separated or divorced will have equal rights to custody of their children) be passed by Parliament?	17 August 2000	17 August 2001	Petition lapsed

26 October 2000	Dennis Crisp	Do you believe that New Zealand should hold a binding referendum on whether we should replace MMP by a return to first-past-the-post elections?	Question withdrawn by promoter (between 2 and 8 November 2000)

26 July 2001	Ian Wishart on behalf of the Constitution Trust of New Zealand	Should New Zealand adopt a written constitution which protects fundamental human and civil rights and which transfers legal sovereignty from the Crown to the people?	Should New Zealand adopt a written constitution expressly vesting sovereignty in the people and protecting fundamental human and civil rights?	12 October 2001	22 October 2002	Petition lapsed

5 February 2003	Steve Baron (Better Democracy)	Should legislation be enacted to make Citizens Initiated Referenda binding on Government?	Should the law be amended to make the results of citizens initiated referenda binding on the New Zealand Government?	1 May 2003	1 May 2004	Petition withdrawn on 16 February 2004

3 April 2003	Dennis J Gates	Should our longstanding right of final appeal to the Privy Council in London be abolished?	Should all rights of appeal to the Privy Council be abolished?	2 July 2003	2 July 2004	Petition lapsed

29 August 2003	Larry Baldock MP and Gordon Copeland MP	That the Prostitution Law Reform Act 2003 be repealed?	Should the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 be repealed?	29 October 2003	29 October 2004	Petition lapsed

21 July 2004	NZ Flag.com Trust	Should New Zealand change its flag?	Should the design of the New Zealand flag be changed?	13 October 2004	13 October 2005	Withdrawn on 1 August 2005

10 January 2005	John van Buren	Should the proprietor of a licensed establishment be able to determine whether it is a smoke-free premise?	Should the proprietor of licensed premises be able to determine whether those premises are smoke-free?	6 April 2005	6 April 2006

21 February 2007	Sheryl Savill	Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?	22 August 2008	Petition successful—referendum held by postal ballot between 31 July and 21 August 2009. (56.09% turnout - 87.4% no; 11.98% yes)

17 December 2009	Larry Baldock	Should Parliament be required to pass legislation that implements the majority result of a citizens initiated referendum where that result supports a law change?	Petition lapsed: 12 December 2010

11 April 2011	Dr Muriel Newman and Dr Hugh Barr	Should the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 be replaced by legislation that restores Crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed?	14 July 2011	14 July 2012	Petition lapsed

8 March 2012	Roy Reid	Do you support the Government selling up to 49% of Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power, Genesis Power, Solid Energy and Air New Zealand?	3 May 2012	3 May 2013	Petition successful—referendum held by postal ballot between 22 November 2013 and 13 December 2013. (45.07% turnout - 67.3% no; 32.4% yes)

23 May 2018	Miriam Clements (The Logic Party)	Should the North Shore establish as an independent city state to demonstrate a new economic model at the heart of New Zealand?	12 July 2018	12 July 2019	Petition ongoing

15 November 2018	Tricia Cheel (Friends of Sherwood)	Do you agree that ALL cruel and inhumane poisons be prohibited – including 1080 (sodium monofluoroacetate), brodifacoum, pindone, PAPP and cholecalciferol – because they inflict such intense and prolonged suffering that their use can never be justified?	Should New Zealand stop using all cruel and inhumane poisons, such as 1080, brodifacoum, and PAPP, to kill wildlife, because these toxic substances inflict intense and prolonged, unjustifiable suffering on all animals, including native birds, pets, and livestock?	7 February 2019	7 February 2020	Petition ongoing

Sentence(s)

87.4 percent of votes answered 'no'.

final_sentence: 87.4 percent of votes answered 'no'.