New Zealand
New Zealand exhibits high-range performance across three categories of the Global State of Democracy framework: Representation, Rights and Rule of Law. It performs in the mid-range with regard to Participation. It is among the world’s top 25 per cent of performers in all factors except Civil Society and Civic Engagement. Over the last five years, it has experienced no notable shifts in performance levels. The services industry makes the largest contribution to the economy, with manufacturing, professional, scientific and technical services taking the largest shares.
The country is home to an ethnically-diverse population, with Europeans being the majority and the Maori and Asians and Pacific Islanders making up minority communities. The roots of the indigenous Māori community in the country stem from waves of migration from Tahiti in the 14th century. European settlement occurred in the centuries thereafter. In the 1800s, larger numbers of British migrants arrived, culminating in the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 – the founding document of modern New Zealand - which formed the political agreement between the British Crown and Māori. Although Māori customs and law (‘Tikanga’) have been recognized as part of the common law of the country, one of the key political fractures since the signing of the Treaty has been regarding Crown sovereignty and rangatiratanga (Māori authority over their own affairs); political debates around constitutional transformation in relation to power-sharing have been contentious. Māori political representation has also been problematic, although some progress has been made and the overall diversity of Parliament reached a peak after the 2020 elections. Moreover, evidence suggests that racism, discrimination and Islamophobia had become increasingly apparent in the years before the Christchurch terror attack in 2019; this discrimination was also evident in the media.
Another key cleavage has pertained to socio-economic inequalities- the right to adequate housing in particular. Emergency housing has in effect become institutionalized, with families spending significant periods of time in such facilities. Marginalized groups and minorities, including persons with disabilities, Māori and Pacific Islander communities, and low-income families, among others, have also struggled to access healthcare. Moreover, reports have indicated that the conditions of prisons are poor, with more dire conditions for refugees and asylum seekers in immigration detention.
Looking ahead, it will be important to watch Rights for several reasons. First, new fair pay agreement legislation could impact lower-income earners. Second, recent legislation regarding structural changes to the health sector have the potential to facilitate more equitable access to health resources for Māori, thereby curbing socio-economic equalities. On the other hand, risks of climate change, including sea-level rise and coastal erosion will have a disproportionate impact on the livelihoods of the Māori community in light of their dependency on primary industries; the government is taking measures to adapt to climate change and mitigate the risks associated with it. Meanwhile, rising national security concerns, including false information online, and new counter-terrorism legislation passed subsequent to the Christchurch attack, may have implications for Media Integrity and Freedom of Expression in the long term.
Monthly Event Reports
November 2023 | Anti-smoking measures repealed
New Zealand’s incoming governing coalition surprised observers by announcing plans to abandon a set of anti-smoking laws passed by the previous government in December 2022, as the issue had not been raised during the election campaign. The laws, praised by public health advocates, had included plans to not sell tobacco products to anyone born after 2008, decrease the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, and shrink the number of places where cigarettes were sold by 90 per cent. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told journalists the tax receipts from sales of tobacco products would be used to fund tax cuts. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand, and health experts were concerned about the disproportionate impact on Maori New Zealanders and argued that the costs to the health system from smoking-related illnesses would outpace any increased tax receipts.
October 2023 | National Party defeats Labour in general election
The conservative National Party defeated the incumbent Labour Party in New Zealand’s 2023 general election on 14 October. Although Labour lost half of its seats and media described the election as a “landslide”, the National Party still needed to secure the support of smaller parties to build a government. Voter turnout was 78 per cent, roughly in line with other recent elections. Official data on gender balance was not yet available due to the pending by-election in the constituency of Port Waikato on 25 November 2023. Some political analysts credited the change in government to voters’ wish to vote out the governing Labour Party, in part over frustration over cost-of-living increases.
August 2023 | Government to introduce pay gap reporting
New Zealand’s government announced it would follow Australia, France, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom in requiring companies to report on their gender pay gap. The rule will initially cover only companies with more than 250 employees, but will be expanded to those with more than 100 employees in four years. The announcement was welcomed but called “overdue” by Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo, who cited the need for parliament to draft and pass the relevant legislation and the current lack of reporting on ethnic or disability-related pay gaps, which the government said it is interested in investigating, as an area for necessary improvement.
June 2023 | Independent panel recommends sweeping electoral changes
The Independent Electoral Review Panel examining New Zealand’s electoral law recommended lowering the voting age from 18 to 16, lowering the parliamentary threshold to 3.5 per cent, as well as other changes. The draft recommendations are the result of 58 public meetings and more than 1700 submissions from New Zealand citizens, a process commissioned by former Justice Minister Kris Faafoi in 2022. The expert panel is due to submit its final recommendations to the government in November. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said there are no plans to hold a referendum to assess public opinion of the changes before general elections in October.
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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022
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Global State of Democracy Indices
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Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time
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