It was wonderful, I am in awe of their system. They had a senate except the members didn't feel they were useful so they abolished themselves in the 1950's and no one has missed them. In 1996 elections started being based on Mixed Member Proportional representation. People vote twice on their ballot once for the person they want to represent them and once for the party that they support. Members are then selected proportionately to the percentage of votes their party received. Cabinet and committees must also have proportional representation. That means that parties have to work together and be responsible for the decisions that are made for the country. Each party has a Whip (except the Green Party who believes whips are too violent and has a Shepherd) who is responsible for getting members to show up for debates and votes.If members don't show up they are fined $750 from their own pockets.
Select Committees are made up of proportional representatives who are responsible for writing legislation. The government pays for announcements in the newspapers about every Bill that is being drafted. Anyone who wants to can come and speak to the committee about what they think should be in the bill and people come all the time. The most recent were a 9 and 10 year old pair of brothers who told the government to make car rental companies give drivers a 1 hour lesson before they can go out on the roads. There recommendation was included in the law that went into effect this week. The most controversial issue in the last few years has been the Trans Pacific Partnership, in part because nobody knows what is actually in it.
NZ has no professional lobbyists because the people have the most direct access to lawmakers of any country in the world. Our guide was older, understated, had a self deprecating attitude that extended to his country and masked the pride he took in it. After the tour he asked me where I was from and then said 'I thought so. You know we are all living in hope for Justin'. I told him that I thought their model really encouraged people to listen to each other and work together to find the best solution rather than arguing and trying to make the other look bad.
One last funny thing. He took us down to the basement to show us how they had rebuilt the foundation so it sits basically on rubber pads that will rock back and forth and keep the building steady up to a level 9 earthquake. We saw a short video about the method and how it is now used around the world. Anyway the fault line is 400 meters from the building and apparently there was a minor earthquake this morning. He says the big one is over 150 years past due so could happen any moment. Beside me is a basket of information sheets about this and as he is talking everyone starts coming over and nervously picks one up.
Women were the first in the world to get the vote in 1893. Rumour has it that the Temperance movement was gaining momentum and that the government at the time agreed to give women the vote if they didn't force prohibition. Women got the vote and didn't let up on the push to stop the sale of alcohol but in spite of several referendums there were never enough votes to push prohibition through. Enough about politics
From there I walked over to the Museum. It was a beautiful building with 6 stories of displays, including a great photography collection. I could have stayed longer but was getting hungry and tired and the day outside so I headed home.
After my rest I took the trolly car up to the Botanical Gardens and had a beautiful walk back down into town stopping at the rose garden and the cemetery on the way. By the time I got got home it was dark, I'm sure I did 20,000 plus steps today but my fit bit turned over before I checked it. I am exhausted now will work on photo's tomorrow. Good to visit with family and friends this afternoon.
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