Parties as diverse as the Greens, the Maori Party, United Future and the Labour Party – as well as bipartisan groups such as the McGuiness Institute, Active Citizenship Education and the Civics Education Trust – have accepted the challenge of the Electoral Commission (EC) to achieve greater political involvement.
Massey's project began in 2013 when the EC called for a national discussion on declining voter participation. The project was a development of their earlier IT application On the Fence, designed just in time for the 2011 election.
Aimed particularly at undecided and first-time voters, On the Fence's questionnaire is designed to get users off the fence. By using answers to views on key issues, the application calculates which parties have policies to deal with identified concerns.
Earlier research revealed younger voters suffered from two key deficiencies: a lack of understanding of government's importance and relevance; and a lack of information about political parties and what they stand for.
It also found younger people were often pressured to vote the way their parents voted – or for those their friends liked.
Other initiatives include Auckland University's and Vox Pop Lab's Compass New Zealand party identifier. And RockEnrol.
RockEnrol adopted a sizzle and steak approach. With one-on-one phone calls shown to be the most effective way to contact its young people target, RockEnrol organised music, parties, celebrities and shareable content as the sizzle to attract sign-up pledges.
The steak: later follow-up calls. Post-2014 election polls revealed On the Fence influencing almost 12 percent participation, RockEnrol 5 per cent. Vote Compass attracted 460,000 users.
For secondary education Years 11-13, an education ministry initiative providing a "Personal Social Action" achievement standards option is gaining popularity. But it remains an option.
As action civics is best at raising awareness and political engagement, these standards provide positive experiences of real decision-making, involving issues important to students.
Actions commonly chosen by students include fundraising, creating awareness and letter writing. Such action civics often involves close engagement with local and national politicians, and democratic processes. Practical action for Year 13s can involve making submissions to a parliamentary select committee.
Obviously it is desirable to achieve the highest possible turnout. Participation gives voters a sense of having a stake in their nation and an influence on how it is run, boosting self-worth.
Traditional or narrowly defined expressions of participation – such as voting and joining political parties – is falling, with greatest declines in the 25-29 year group.
Reasons could include greater numbers overseas paying off student loans, greater individualism – as seen in declining membership of trade unions, churches and even sports teams – and yes, lack of education.
But is compulsory education the answer?
Studies show once citizens vote for the first time, they are likely to vote throughout their life, whether the law requires it or not. If civics were compulsory at high school, as in most EU countries, young people would be more confident in first time voting.
Today's digital age makes wider participation easier through use of wikis, podcasts, and social media. Ideally this includes critical analysis of digital media – with a media literacy to empower individuals to find and use their voice.
But how universally available, and user-friendly, is today's civic education?
In Australia civics is compulsory only until Year 10. In 2015 the head of Sydney University's Constitutional Reform Unit, Professor Anne Twomey, reported her first-year law students were engaged with Facebook but had no connection with the real world they lived in. "They exhibit an astounding lack of understanding of how government works, and a complete lack of interest," Twomey maintained.
Her reform unit recommended a back to basics emphasis and a more rigorous subject content – including a refocus on Australia's Jewish and Christian ideas heritage.
New Zealand schools rate relatively highly for critical thinking skills. Also education initiatives are already promoting social involvement. Schools however are not the only educators of democratic participation.
Discussions around the table at home are often the beginning of political awareness.
Today, less than 50 per cent of Britons have a dinner table to talk around. I don't know the percentage here but in my experience the TV megascreen is often the dominating piece of furniture in today's Kiwi home.
Perhaps parents and grandparents could make renewed efforts to reinstate regular family meal rituals – including stimulating discussion.
That would help us create a nation where confrontation, isolation and prejudice were lessened and co-operation, involvement and reason enhanced.
Steve Liddle is a researcher and independent journalist based in Napier.
Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz
