The Council is disappointed that the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill continues the fiction that voting is not a basic human right. We do not believe that acknowledging the rights of some people in prisons whilst rejecting the same right for other people in prisons can be based on values or principles.

We recommend the rights of New Zealanders who are in prisons be restored by repealing section 80(1)(d) of the Electoral Act.

Six months ago when the Electoral Act was last before Select Committee we made a number of additional recommendations.  We continue to stand by those recommendations.

Read our submission in full (PDF).