Valuing the vote 130 years on

Members of the Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) and guests met for a celebratory lunch in Martinborough recently to mark Suffrage Day.

While Wairarapa members of the National Council of Women played their part in championing petitions that led to the 1893 women’s suffrage legislation, Wairarapa WEL was influential in the decade following the first Suffrage Day in 1975, working to get women on local bodies and regional organisations.

A new generation of Wairarapa women – who have turned 18 since the last general election – will be voting for the first time on Saturday.

Three of them, who chose to remain anonymous, spoke to Midweek about exercising that right.

18-year-old from Greytown:

“I’ve been looking forward to voting for years. I’ve always been interested in the state of our world and being able to have a say in our Government.

“Activism and having a voice are things that have always been encouraged and discussed at home. Naturally, that leads to discussing politics, etc. I first became interested in politics when I was about seven years old because I loved animals and the environment and wanted to save them all.

“Around 2013 there was a movement in Government to ban shark finning [established as law in 2014]. Being the little wildlife warrior I was, I wrote letters to then Prime Minister John Key, demanding the Government ban shark finning. Since then I’ve always known about and followed politics.

“I’ve followed the parties I’m interested in on social media. I’ve also watched leaders’ debates and followed policy releases. I think it’s important to be well-informed when choosing who to vote for and as a young person who has grown up around social media, I do feel that has helped me stay informed and figure out who to vote for.”

18-year-old from Masterton:

“I’ve been looking forward to voting more than buying my first alcoholic drink! I’ve always been interested in politics because politicians decide our future. We need to be smart about who we elect into parliament.

“I believe it is really important to be educated on politics and have the right to form your own political opinions. I watched the leaders’ debates and educated myself on the policies of each party. It informed me on issues important to young New Zealanders, such as the cost of living for students and young people, study and work costs, and climate change.

“I believe it is important to educate yourself on the party as a whole and not just the leader, or one member. Because the party is so much more than that.”

18-year-old from Carterton:

“I am voting in this election because I want my vote to count towards the issues I care about. I’ve always been slightly interested in politics but I’ve definitely gained more interest now that I can vote.

“I would say my whānau have had a large influence on my voting preferences. Doing the vote compass quiz and watching some of the debates has definitely enforced my views. I was undecided for a long time until I got more into politics, but now I’m pretty sure who I’ll vote for.

“[The] cost of living [is an important issue] as I will be renting and studying next year. And climate change.”