#1moreyear

Currently, New Zealand's three-year term limit prohibits the governing party or coalition from effectively bringing about its political policies. With time spent on both campaigning and government formation talks, there is significantly less time to effectively govern. With roughly 2.5 years of pure government, there is little time to pass and amend new policies and reverse old ones. What we have now, is different proposed policies backing up and rolling over into the next term of government.

Many critics will argue that having a 4-year term takes away from our democratic rights and that we are "loosening the leash" on the government of the time. This is simply untrue. Our voting gives the government the mandate to govern, whether in a coalition or a majority. But we must also give the government a chance to showcase to the voters the effectiveness of their policies and the style and results of their governance. A 4-year term ensures that the government has the time it needs to pass its policies and showcase to voters the results that we DEMAND as voters. Voters will still determine whether or not this has been successful, but we must give them the chance to prove themselves to us.

Our democracy is rare in having a three-year term. Of 190 countries with parliaments, 103 have five-year terms, 74 have four-year terms, and just nine have a three-year term.

We must enact a 4-year term NOW to ensure we have the most effective governance possible, ultimately benefiting New Zealand in the long run.

#1moreyear