Working together to end poverty and injustice

Election debates 2011

It's only weeks to go until the General Elections and with all the excitment of the Rugby World Cup, there is a real risk that issues like climate change and foreign affairs will simply not get the attention they deserve.

To remedy this, Oxfam hosted three open public debates on New Zealand’s response to climate change, and foreign affairs. With representatives from National, Labour, Greens and the Maori Parties, this was a fantastic opportunity to actively engage with the policy makers.

The debates featured electronic ‘clickers’ that allowed the audience to give real-time feedback on the candidates' responses. We asked the public to send us their questions, and come along to let the parties know what kind of future they wanted for the world and for their children.

Blogs and videos

• Find out who said what during the foreign affairs and aid debate in Wellington.
• Catch up on what happened at the Auckland climate change debate with this blog from Good magazine (two parts).
• An Auckland-based lawyer shares his thoughts on the debate in his blog Point Source: A weblog on environmental and public law in New Zealand.
• On film: watch the politicians in action with this video clip from the Auckland debate.
• On film: excerpts from the Wellington climate change debate.

You will not be able to vote if you are not enrolled before election day. Enrolling to vote is easy. Visit the Elections New Zealand website and follow their simple steps.

Climate change debates

In a world where droughts, forest fires, hurricanes, floods and other extreme weather events are getting increasingly frequent and severe, the effects are felt first and worst by those who have contributed the least to the problem. Climate change has a disproportionate effect on developing countries directly, and through its influence on food supply, threatening to reverse progress on the Millennium Development Goals.

New Zealand's per capita emissions are the 11th highest globally and we have a moral responsibility to do our fair share to look out for our neighbours, especially those in the Pacific.

Oxfam's 2011 climate change election debates are your opportunity to engage with representatives from our largest parties on their vision for our future.

Wellington
6 - 7.30pm, October 26
Lecture Theatre 1, Rutherford House, Victoria University, 23 Lambton Quay/ Bunny St, Wellington

Featuring:
Hon Dr Nick Smith - National Party
Charles Chauvel - Labour Party
Dr Russel Norman - Green Party
Tina Porou - Maori Party

Auckland
6 - 7.30pm, 2 November
Room OGGB 4 (260-073), School of Business, University of Auckland, 12 Grafton Road, Auckland

Featuring:
Hon Dr Nick Smith - National Party
Hon David Parker - Labour Party
Dr Kennedy Graham - Green Party

Foreign Affairs and aid debate, Wellington

Featuring:
Hon Maryan Street - Labour Party
Dr Kennedy Graham - Green Party
Kaapua Smith - Maori Party

When: 6 – 7:30pm, November 8, 2011
Where: Victoria University, Rutherford House, Lecture theatre 1, 23 Lambton Quay/ Bunny St.

Videos

Watch the politicians in action with this video clip from the Auckland debate.

Excerpts from the Wellington climate change debate, courtesy of WWF New Zealand.

• Find out more about Oxfam's work on climate change, aid and making trade fair.