The outcome of tomorrow’s election in New Zealand could be influenced by Kiwis living in Australia.
Following weeks of campaigning, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Opposition Leader Christopher Luxon are fighting for the top position.
Over the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have been pushed to take advantage of New Zealand’s recently modified voting regulations in order to have their say on who controls affairs across the Tasman, even as Australians vote on the Indigenous Voice to parliament tomorrow.
The previous limit of three years has been doubled to allow New Zealand citizen expats who haven’t been home in fewer than six years to vote for their mother country.
Additionally, the eligibility period for permanent residents has been increased from 12 months to 4 years.
unaffiliated group The large New Zealand population living in Australia is being encouraged to vote by the organization Every Kiwi Vote Counts.
Nearly 70% of the estimated one million New Zealanders residing abroad, according to the organisation, reside in Australia.
“In the past, elections have seen only one in 10 overseas New Zealanders vote, which represents a mere two per cent of our votes,” Tracey Lee, group director, said.
“With roughly one million New Zealanders living overseas, we could have an additional 750,000 New Zealanders who aren’t exercising their democratic right to vote.”
The Australian-New Zealand voting bloc would outnumber eight electorates, according to her prediction.
The organization also started a humorous campaign earlier this month under the direction of mascot Darryl Brown, who boasted that Australia had always “guided” New Zealand.
“We showed them how to make pavlova, gave them their best music in Crowded House, their best athletes in Phar Lap, and their best actors – like that gladiator bloke,” he explained.
“If you’re an Aussie-Kiwi and have been back to visit in the last six years, then you’re more than qualified to tell them how to run it.”
