MEDIA RELEASE Date: 9 July 2008 Release Date: Immediate Release Subject:

Kiwis get a remote control for New Zealand

Offshore Kiwis can shape their home country. That is, Kiwis living overseas now have the option to vote on what happens in New Zealand at the push of a button.

The icount Party (www.icount.co.nz) enables voters to have their views heard and vote on issues in a virtual context - these votes are then represented in Parliament. icount Party President Paul O'Connor says "overseas based kiwis have been reviewing and joining the icount Party in large numbers - we are now the number two New Zealand political party website."

"Most international Kiwis want to come back at some stage and want to make sure that the country is heading in the right direction. Some of New Zealand’s brightest have headed overseas to seek experience and fortune. icount is a way for them to stay in touch with what is happening in New Zealand as well as putting them in the driving seat to have a say in polls to direct the future of our country."

There are approximately 700,000 New Zealanders living overseas (with some 500,000 New Zealand born Kiwi's in Australia and 100,000 in the United Kingdom) and most have the intention of coming home at some stage. To be eligible to vote in the up and coming New Zealand election you need to be a New Zealand citizen and have visited New Zealand in the past three years.

Most offshore Kiwis are not enrolled to vote in the pending election, thus far, under 50,000 overseas registered voters have enrolled. Any New Zealander that has been home once in the last three years is eligible, but this is not a well publicised fact. The icount site (www.icount.co.nz) has details of how to enrol in this year’s election.

The icount Party is based on members having their say on issues, voting and then taking those votes directly to Parliament. The icount Party site can be viewed at www.icount.co.nz.

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