New Zealand should adopt Australian rules and make it illegal not to vote, former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer says.
Sir Geoffrey, who ran the country as head of the Labour Party from 1989 to 1990, told Radio NZ's Guyon Espiner that voter apathy had led to Trumpery and Brexit.
"Democratic government around the western world is in some sort of crisis," Sir Geoffrey said in the hour-long interview, which is part of new RNZ series The 9th Floor.
"Look at the level of voting in the 2016 New Zealand municipal elections - hardly anyone votes. And yet we've got a supercity in Auckland with enormous powers - why would they not vote?
Voting in both local government and parliamentary elections should be enforced, Sir Geoffrey said.
"If you are going to live in a democracy which is supposed to be conducted by the people for the people, then the people should have some duties. They should participate and they should vote."
Sir Geoffrey told RNZ he had found being the leader of the country "a nuisance". He was in charge for just 13 months.
The wide-ranging conversation was the first of five episodes of The 9th Floor, referencing the spot the Prime Minister's office occupies in the Beehive.
In upcoming episodes, released weekly, Espiner interviews four more former prime ministers: Mike Moore (1990), Jim Bolger (1990-1997), Dame Jenny Shipley (1997-1999), and Helen Clark (1999-2008).
John Key resigned on the day of Bolger's interview, but declined to take part in the series at the time.
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I believe one must qualify before voting for a person/people who can make good or bad decisions regarding the running of a nation.
A parent does not allow their child to make serious life decisions, without knowing they fully understand the consequences or have a sound knowledge on the certain matter.
I don't believe one should be forced to vote regardless of their interest or knowledge in the candidates policies etc.
Their votes will likely be based on what their friends think, parents think, media shows, and I bet ya how good looking the candidates are.
Every vote should be based on sound knowledge of the candidates, policies and the basic political system. Voting eligibility based on age should be scrapped, but instead a questionnaire or test must be passed first to eliminate the misinformed, disinterested, and those voting just for the hell of it, or because they'll be prosecuted if they don't!
Franchise is not contingent on casting an informed vote, in liberal democracy. There are already enough tribal or partisan constituents who vote reflexively, but that's the price of egalitarianism. The conservative view is that those who choose to not exercise their democratic rights abrogate the right to express political opinion.