2 Dec 2011

Greens call for expanded inquiry on election

4:39 pm on 2 December 2011

The Green Party is calling for a select committee that routinely meets after elections to focus its post-election inquiry on the declining voter turnout.

Just 68% of those eligible to vote in last Saturday's general election actually did so, making it the lowest turnout in more than 100 years.

The Justice and Electoral Select Committee holds an inquiry after every election to review how it went.

Green MP Gareth Hughes says the inquiry's terms of reference this time should include investigating the reasons for low voter turnout and ways in which Parliament can address the issue.

"We need to hear from Kiwis, we need to hear from experts, we need to hear from academics and what we need is actual real stuff to implement to turn around this trend," he says.