Speaker by Various Artists

The Electoral Commission fired us as Field Workers because a follower on our Facebook page posted a picture of “John Key: Not Wanted” on our wall and because we weren’t quick enough to remove it, they suggested we must have political leanings. They also stopped NZ On Air from being able to support us because NZOA rely on government funding and needed their endorsement.

That is so wrong. Their rules need upgrading.

Love your work. Will do what I can to help.

anyone encouraging the younger voter to get in there is alright in my book. keep it up!

Awesome work, Laura (and team.) Respect.

The campaign has been impressive - as have been the achievements. I was really thankful you guys gave me the opportunity via Action Station to contribute to The Herald page and same goes for the petition to the GG. It's really disappointing to hear that the EC cancelled your Field Worker contract - extremely unreasonable decision by them. I wouldn't let that one go. It is a valuable source of future funding for you .. so make a decision to get it back :-). Get your 2000 pledges involved as I'm sure they'll confirm that you were non-partisan in your dealings with them. In short, don't let the establishment push you around - you are the future!

Hi - hope you don't mind my emailing again - have written song "Dirty POlitics" please pass on to as many as you can and have a listen yourself - you'll like it - -all the best- bruce -

Great idea, and so much good work. We've all got ot keep at it.

Where is the inspiration in that?

Sort of doomed at that, aren't you? Not allowed to stand up for policy. It's the policy that actually changes people's lives, which is why certain parties minimise the presence of theirs and work on personality games.

Telling young folk to dig through reams of it, it's bullshit. I've done it, it's hard work and I end up feeling I don't really know enough about it to know if it'll work anyway. Well, some parties have policies that have been tried around the world and always failed (which roughly 96% of people understand), but which new bits will really come off is mostly a matter of ... looking at the various group's running history of successes and failures.

Which is why people vote for tax cuts, really. Pretty obvious what that does for you. Nothing. But you can imagine being rich enough for it to matter, which totally feels good.

But as I was sort of saying, nearly. Some of them have policies that are going to be a massive and highly useful investment in the future of the nation in the face of generational challenges, and others are building giant roads to nowhere while kicking the poor for shits and giggles. And if you can't talk about that, you're not really going to inspire everyone to vote the bastards out.

/hard not being political, this time of the thing. Keep getting inspired.

Very inspiring, especially the leaving London part!

That is so wrong. Their rules need upgrading.

It’s also interesting because the Electoral Commission’s own I Vote NZ facebook page on Wednesday posted a link to a TVNZ clip which ended with some statement about “A winner will be found” over the top of John Key.

Several commenters have argued that this is not polititally neutral. The most the EC has done is to state that someone in the office saw it, they thought it was a cool clip (for other reason) and they can’t control the presentation of TVNZ’s content.

It’s not quite the same as a blatant political message, but the Electoral Commission already seems to be in murky waters when they try to draw lines around this stuff. There's also no shortage of people posting obviously politicised comments in those discussions, which haven't been deleted.

I met Laura at the Live the Dream social incubator earlier this year. She's an inspiration and her work gives me hope for our future. Much respect.

Several commenters have argued that this is not polititally neutral. The most the EC has done is to state that someone in the office saw it, they thought it was a cool clip (for other reason) and they can’t control the presentation of TVNZ’s content.

Wow. Given how hard the Commission came down on RockEnrol, that's very poor. The EC has not covered itself in glory in this election campaign.

Good on ya Laura , sounded tough in places but I bet you made a huge difference in upping the participation rate, especially the youth vote.
Respect.

EC has not covered itself in glory in this election campaign.

But they could have if they had backed RockEnrol

The EC has not covered itself in glory in this election campaign.

Opened themselves up to very serious questions. Bias isn't impossible and can't be ruled out: it needs to be considered.
But without that, the stupid rulings on what constitutes political advertising need to be challenged. We need a much clearer sense of where free speech ends and advertising starts. Also what 'associated/unassociated groups' can and can't do. (We don't want the sort of idiotic legislation that spawns endless PACs as per the US; we don't want artists and bloggers and single issue groups unable to express political opinions.)

Hi Laura,

Well from this political pundits POV what you did was amazing. The energy that you threw at everything and the eternal optimism was inspirational. I am sorry you didn't get the financial support you needed but on the smell of an oily rag you accomplished something pretty remarkable.

You are right that politics (especially at election time) makes people weird, suspicious and often rather unreliable. But one of the most fantastic things that has been achieved thus election has been the consistent focus on turnout and participation. The significant efforts by other groups including the CTV, NZUSA and Climate Voter Coalition Gen Zero were inspired by your pluck and enthusiasm.

Without Rock Enrol I don't know if that would have happened. You punched way above your weight and generated buzz and energy and life around something which we now know that some elements in the political process are deliberately trying to make unattractive and unpalatable. And you succeeded. The Early Voting numbers are extraordinary and RockEnrol deserves a significant part of the credit for making that happen.

From my POV kiwis, old and young, have learned a little about the value of democracy this election. And while too many people who should have helped you didn't this time round I am fairly confident that in 2017 the alleged champions of NZ democracy will be a great deal easier to rally to your flag.

KIA KAHA

You and your crew have earned the right to do so with bells on.

Al