A referendum on extending New Zealand’s parliamentary term from three years to four now looks almost certain, following near-unanimous agreement from the Justice Select Committee.
Chair Andrew Bayly confirmed the committee is considering possible dates, noting strong cross-party support to let the public decide.
The proposal, initially championed by ACT leader David Seymour, would require significant investment, with the Government already setting aside $25 million to fund the referendum. However, ACT insists its backing is “conditional on stronger checks and balances”, including expanded powers for opposition parties in select committees.
Despite the political consensus, some public sentiment remains sceptical of the move. Critics argue longer terms would erode democratic accountability in a system without an upper house, where voters can only exercise control at the ballot box. Others say trust in government has collapsed under successive administrations, leaving little appetite for granting politicians an extra year in office.
The Govt is going to push ahead with David Seymour’s idea for 4 year terms, setting aside an initial $25m for funding of an eventual referendum. Unlike other countries with longer terms, we do not have an upper house in NZ, voting Politicians in or out every three years is our… pic.twitter.com/XwIaoQgySM
— Holyhekatuiteka (@2ETEKA) August 26, 2025
Four years is too long
5 years definitely
If the crisis actors are doing a good job you will know by then
But until then the show must go on
Self serving grubs, never a thought for the people of New Zealand. The whole system us rotten and decaying, in urgent need of replacement.
Does not matter if they ask the public, they will always get the answer they want……like our elections despite what most people seem to want now more than ever we always seem to get unwanted globalist scumbags.
Why give politicians who ignore the wishes and undermine the values of voters a longer period of time to do just that? And yes, I concede there are individual exceptions. Many of us have not forgotten the shambles of the Ardern government and the favoritism they showed to activists and the everlasting complainers.
The political change we need now is not more power to politicians who may or may not keep faith with the voters but a turn to more power to the people. I have in mind Swiss Style Democracy where, under certain conditions, citizens can veto proposed legislation and propose new laws.
Then, and only then, should we agree to a longer term of Parliament.
Hmmm…. No thanks.
I wouldn’t give any of these silly evil lying corrupt cretins more than 20 minutes in charge of running an NGO ‘not-for-profit’ public toilet.
This has ZERO chance of success
…following near-unanimous agreement by our rulers not wanting to be scrutinized for one more year.
One more year of non-accountability?
One more year before being replaced by another stooge of a different colour?
There is a lot of damage to be done in one year.
At any rate, why do we not have binding referenda like in Switzerland?
Why do we not adopt their neutrality and get our fix through trade?
Why do we not use our homegrown kiwi spirit to create a homegrown defense with a rifle in every cupboard?
Why do we not keep our country clean of gene- and pharma smut?
Why do we elect unemployable individuals totally out of touch with reality?
Why did we enslave ourselves to the international debt machine?
Why is New Zealand losing it’s sovereignty due to subversion by globalist corporate muppets?
Why are Kiwis so friggin timid and appeaseable?
There was a petition to make New Zealand a nation of Armed Neutrality, but it deliberately died in committee, despite studies submitted with the same from one of NZ’s leading Unis.
It’s amazing to see the old people from the ‘Old School’ blindly obey whatever tripe the government spews out, and then follow the same without question!
Guess the punishment cane in the schools had a lasting effect; DON’T QUESTION ANYTHING, AND DO WHAT THE GOVERNMENT TELLS YOU TO DO…even if it means allowing oneself to be poisoned with mRNA, saRNA, and believing that ‘Meet the Candidates’ night at the local town halls and then going off to vote with their hands always behind their backs will make any difference..!
History has shown that it hasn’t and it won’t so long as the Zionist Cabal of Banksters are allowed to continue.
So, the parasites want a referendum on the length of term to “govern over us” but not on more important matters affecting we the people of NZ. The big issues like, one government or co-government, democracy or ethnocracy, apartheid or non-apartheid and/or indirect democracy or a Constitutional Republic with a written constitution based on the common law English Constitution.
What a complete waste of money: $25 million could be better spent on other things. not on this vanity project of the politicians. Just shows how delusional and out of touch they are. Representative democracy is no longer fit for purpose.
At this stage these Globalist WEF Puppets are actually just taking the piss. At some stage we the crushed over taxed taxpayers , will be left with no other choice than to fight these WEF Globalist rulers and Corporate CEO types in the streets.
I would have thought they should sort out the problems with the current voting system first. Why do parties that get less than 5% of the vote get eliminated from parliament unless they win a seat? Do we really need two votes? Just vote for the party. This would avoid the split voting that allows David Seymour to get elected in Epsom by National voters. Do we really need 120 MPs under proportional representation?
In times past you had no choice but to vote for one of the main parties or not to vote at all. Tough luck if neither of them reflected or represented your concerns and values. In any case if you lived in an electorate dominated by the Party you didn’t
like then your personal vote was useless!
Under MMP minor Parties of the right and the left are able to make an input into the government of our country, Not always a tidy arrangement but definitely more democratic.
I for one am pleased with the pressure the ACT and New Zealand First Parties are able to put on National who have often seemed indifferent to the wishes of those they are supposed to be representing.
HELL NO, imagine the devastation 4 years of the Lab/GRE/TPM that would ensue. 3 years is bad enough with this current spineless PM and his party. No to any 4 year terms.
Unless the Senate is revived in NZ, it is a no. There are insufficient checks on power as illustrated when Jabcinda won a majority.
If they are going to ask for a 4 year term, then give an option for a 2 year term.
Look at the last Labour Govt
There’s Your answer
Should we give the people that want this what they want? The same people that ram shit that we don’t want down our throat. Are they so out of touch or just arrogant.
Maybe if they sweeten the deal?
lose the 5% threshold to 0%?
Remove section 5 from the Bill of Rights?
Introduce binding referendums?
Or do they think they dont have to deal?
In times past you had no choice but to vote for one of the main parties or not to vote at all. Tough luck if neither of them reflected or represented your concerns and values. In any case if you lived in an electorate dominated by the Party you didn’t
like then your personal vote was useless!
Under MMP minor Parties of the right and the left are able to make an input into the government of our country, Not always a tidy arrangement but definitely more democratic.
I for one am pleased with the pressure the ACT and New Zealand First Parties are able to put on National who have often seemed indifferent to the wishes of those they are supposed to be representing.
Of course there is a near unanimous agreement from the justice select committee on a four year term for the “voted in” political party. WTH!!!!!! This move is rubbing more salt in the wounds of the people of NZ. We wanted referendums on matters of importance to the people, we emailed, we asked, we submitted thousands of OIA’s to glean the truth, to research, to become informed, to ask from a well informed and respectful stance. The people of NZ have been turned down re being given a chance to be heard on matters of importance too many times to want a bar of this nonsense. It is a loud and resounding NO vote from me to giving any of these clowns and their political parties a four year term.
no way, there needs to be some way for the public to call an end to a poor govt.
imagine 4 years of the last govt!!! dang imagine suffering disapointment for 4yrs of luxon and willis ffs.
referendum layout…
do you support changing the parliamentary term Y/N
new term
2yrs
4yrs
there should be more options then just status quo vs 4yrs.
Cathy Collins was just as keen on lock-downs and pushing COVID injections as Labour was. It wouldn’t have been any different with the Nationals taking instructions from big pharma on how to shut down the country and start the cull.
It’s a fake “democracy” any way. Both major parties will do whatever their WEF, RIIA, CFR or global corporation overlords tell them to do.