10. Question No. 10—JusticeHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of JusticeQuestion No. 10—Justice10. Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of Justice: Does he agree with the statement of Paul Goldsmith that One of the pillars of democracy is that every adult has an equal say in who governs them and through that vote an equal say in important government decisions affecting their lives" and is he committed to an electoral system in which the franchise is as accessible and broad-based as possible?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister of Justice): In response to the first part of the question: yes. My comment was in response to the previous Government moving away from the fundamental principle of equal voting rights in the Canterbury regional council Act which this Government has indicated it will overturn. In relation to the second one: yes within the scope of appropriate legislative rules. For example we have no plans to broaden the base to enfranchise murderers currently spending time in prison which I understand is the Greens' policy.Hon Dr Duncan Webb: Does he consider it a success that 110000 voters the population of Dunedin enrolled on election day and thereby had a say in important Government decisions affecting their lives?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: Well I'm not sure it was necessarily a success. I would say that it's been a significant change over the last two elections to enable people to enrol on election day. Yesterday we had the delivery of a report from the Auditor-General which outlined many many problems with the election result and count in 2023 where quality checks weren't done or they weren't done with the rigour required and then the national quality assurance checks weren't carried out with the information required and then the processes weren't in place. So that was a very concerning report and it's concerning because all New Zealanders need to have confidence in the electoral system. One of the issues raised in that report was the extra pressure in the system caused by election-day registration.Hon Dr Duncan Webb: When he said to Mike Hosking this morning that "Every three-year cycle there's a law to review the election and we'll be making some changes." was he referring to disenfranchising the 110000 voters by removing their ability to enrol on voting day?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: Well certainly I reject any such suggestion around disenfranchisement. There are two steps that happen actually. We're going to be getting a report in the next week or so from the Electoral Commission which is a standard report within six months of the election which outlines some of the issues that were raised. I think everybody in this House is aware that a number of problems were experienced through the election. Whole boxes of votes were lost there were dual votes not counted and there were a whole range of issues that need to be dealt with. So every three-year cycle Parliament considers the situation and makes sure that our electoral laws are in shape and I have indicated that we should be considering all those things.Cameron Luxton: Does he agree that the ACT-National coalition agreement to repeal race-based appointees to Environment Canterbury moves Kiwis towards an equal say in who governs them?SPEAKER: Look that's very wide of the primary question. Do you want to try something different?Cameron Luxton: Point of order Mr Speaker. The primary question's asking if he believes that an equal say is important in Government decisions. This is something that is moving Kiwis—in my opinion; I'd like to know the Minister's opinion—towards an equal say.SPEAKER: Yeah and I've just asked you to ask that question in a different way to the one you just had which you more or less could do under your point of order so do it again.Cameron Luxton: Thank you Mr Speaker for that clarification. Does the Minister agree that as part of the ACT-National coalition agreement to repeal the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu—SPEAKER: No no. Sorry. The question is not about the Canterbury regional council; it is about electoral integrity—so ask a question that goes to that heart. Last chance.Cameron Luxton: OK. Thank you Mr Speaker. Does the Minister believe that electoral integrity is improved by New Zealanders having faith that we are moving away from a race-based representative system as is happening in Canterbury?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: Well thank you Mr Speaker. I think it is important that all New Zealanders have equal voting rights and the previous Government did move away from equal voting rights in the local government setting and we have committed to change that.Hon Dr Duncan Webb: If the Minister supports equal voting rights will he commit to equal voting rights for busy working New Zealanders who get to vote only by enrolling on voting day?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: Well I think if he looks—[Interruption]SPEAKER: I think that's everybody.Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: For most of the electoral democratic history of this country people have had to enrol the day before election day—including in the 2017 election which I think I recall was a reasonably important one for the Labour Party. If he's suggesting that somehow there was a democratic deficit in the 2017 election because people weren't able to enrol on election day I think he's rather confused."