Sharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Sharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:650;Page:18863] 
1. Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
 to the  
Minister of Justice 
: What specific strategies has the Government initiated to improve the voter enrolment rate given this morning’s reported comments by Kiwi Expat Association Chief Executive Ivan Moss who contends that there are about 750000 missing voters bringing the estimated enrolment rate down to 79 percent? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 I am advised by the Electoral Enrolment Centre that the figures quoted by Mr Moss are purely speculative. However there has been an increase in the number of people enrolled overseas compared with the 2005 figures and a comprehensive enrolment strategy is in place. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: What particular strategies will the Minister be undertaking to encourage the Maori population of Australia—estimated to be between 115000 and 125000—to vote in the November 2008 election? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: As I said from the announcement of the election date quite a lot of activity is undertaken by the Electoral Enrolment Centre including sending enrolment update packs to all overseas voters with postal addresses; sending voting information to all those enrolled with a postal address; providing advertising that targets New Zealanders overseas encouraging them to enrol or to update their enrolment details; and providing information and enrolment forms through overseas posts. We also rely on informal networks of people including people like the member who has asked the question and other members of this House to advise friends and relatives overseas to vote if they are eligible. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: What does the Minister have to say about the findings of the Te Puni Kokiri report  
Nga Maori i Te Ao Moemoea 
 which found that just under half of the 1600 Maori living in Australia who were surveyed in that report wished to remain as citizens of New Zealand only and what action has the Government taken to ensure that Maori living in Australia can enjoy that citizenship right? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: All New Zealanders born in this country have a citizenship right. That is what most countries have—if one is born in a country one is allowed a citizenship right. One can have a citizenship right by descent as well. But if one has no connection with this country by birth it is a different situation. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: What specific strategies will the Minister undertake to ensure that young Maori people aged between 18 and 25 years old close to 50000 of whom are estimated not to be enrolled exercise their democratic right to vote? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: We take the same approach to all young voters whether they are Maori or non-Maori: we use a variety of media to get to them. We know they are not keen to vote and we need to encourage them. There are a number of events aimed at reaching young voters the new electronic technologies are being used to provide information to them and so on. 
Taito Phillip Field 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I would like the Minister to clarify an earlier answer. She inaccurately referred to everybody born in New Zealand being a New Zealand citizen. I wonder whether she could consider how accurate that statement is. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I do not think that is a point of order. Does the member want to ask a supplementary question? Yes. 
Taito Phillip Field 
: Is the Minister’s statement in response to an earlier question—that every person born in New Zealand is in fact entitled to New Zealand citizenship—accurate? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Most people born in New Zealand are entitled to citizenship; there are some exceptions to that.