Māori voting habits assessed in survey

A new survey on the voting habits of Māori living in Australia has been launched today by a Victoria University of Wellington researcher.

Political Scientist Dr Maria Bargh says the survey aims to find out how, where and why Māori in Australia vote, and whether they are satisfied with these arrangements.

“With at least 110,000 Māori in Australia, it begs the question—who is representing their interests?” says Dr Bargh.

The survey, which will run for three months, will also look at Māori attitudes to the electoral system, as New Zealand approaches a referendum on the voting system.

“It is important to know what role Māori in Australia will play in that decision,” says Dr Bargh.

In a 2008 article researcher Paul Hamer described Māori in Australia as “massively disenfranchised” with few continuing to vote in New Zealand elections and those in Australia tending not to become Australian citizens, and therefore ineligible to vote there.

The recent Tai Tokerau by-election had 18 overseas votes, while the Tai Hauauru 2004 by-election had four, potentially showing an increasing level of engagement by overseas Māori voters, albeit at continuing small numbers.

Overseas votes from Māori in general elections has been increasing in recent elections but was only at a total of 779 valid overseas party votes in the 2008 election.

“This survey aims to find out whether Māori in Australia are satisfied with the current arrangements or if there is a need to do things differently,” says Dr Bargh.

Dr Bargh is encouraging Māori to distribute the link to the survey widely to their families in Australia. The link will be distributed by email and also available on social media sites.

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