What could be more democratic than putting an issue to the popular vote? 
 
For supporters, referenda are the best way for the public to unambiguously express its will and for politicians to obtain a political mandate (or not). For critics, referenda are ill-suited to deciding complex issues and are associated with majoritarian oppression, vested interests, manipulative information campaigns and polarisation.
 
With New Zealanders likely to vote on extending the parliamentary term at the 2026 general election, engage with Associate Professor Matheson Russell at our AGM for a timely presentation and discussion about referenda and options for strengthening the public’s democratic voice. 

We welcome members and non-members for Dr Russell’s presentation, which is the first agenda item. 

About Matheson Russell

Associate Professor Matheson Russell, a leading thinker on deliberative democracy and democratic innovations from the University of Auckland, argues that we need to rethink how referenda influence policy. His work has been featured in The Spinoff, The Conversation, and RNZ.