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'Absolute Bulls***': Labour MP Blasts Coalition Over 'Evil' Voting Changes
['Te Pati Maori', 'New Zealand Government', 'New Zealand Labour Party', 'Green Party', 'Act New Zealand', 'Free Sp...', 'New Zealand Police', 'Vihan Dalal - Local Democracy Reporter', 'New Zealand Transport Agency', 'Hamilton City Council']
Scoop NZ - Politics
'Absolute Bulls***': Labour MP Blasts Coalition Over 'Evil' Voting ChangesCraig McCullochLabour is putting extra effort into ensuring people are enrolled to vote this election, with one of its MPs accusing the coalition of having an "evil agenda" to disallow its opponents' ballots.
Senior Labour MP Damien O'Connor said the coalition was trying to "cut out and eliminate" the votes of poorer, more transient people.
O'Connor said the enrolment changes were "undermining basic democracy" and suggested ministers were out-of-touch for saying voters should be aware of their obligations.
The Electoral Commission previously estimated about 55,000 party votes and 73,000 electorate votes could be disallowed this year, due to a lack of enrolment.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins reignited the debate on Monday afternoon, telling reporters the Electoral Commission was not doing a good enough job ensuring people were on the electoral roll.