The doors will open at 5.30pm for a 6.00pm start. We welcome members and non-members for Dr Russell’s presentation, which is the first agenda item. Light refreshments will be served. The AGM will finish by 7.30pm.
Please register to reserve a seat or to receive the Zoom details. If you’re going to attend in-person, please register so we know how many to cater for.
More Referenda, Better Democracy?
What could be more democratic than putting an issue to the popular vote?
For supporters, referenda are the best way for the public to unambiguously express its will and for politicians to obtain a political mandate (or not). For critics, referenda are ill-suited to deciding complex issues and are associated with majoritarian oppression, vested interests, manipulative information campaigns and polarisation.
With New Zealanders likely to vote on extending the parliamentary term at the 2026 general election, join us at our AGM for a timely presentation and discussion about referenda and options for strengthening the public’s democratic voice.
About Matheson Russell
Associate Professor Matheson Russell, a leading thinker on deliberative democracy and democratic innovations from the University of Auckland, argues that we need to rethink how referenda influence policy. His work has been featured in The Spinoff, The Conversation, and RNZ.
Draft AGM Agenda
- Associate Professor Matheson Russell: More Referenda, Better Democracy?
- Minutes of the previous AGM
- Annual Report, Financial Statements and Committee disclosures
- Election of Committee members
- Setting of membership fees
- Motions and Special Resolutions
- General business
Papers to support these agenda items are, or will be made, available on our General Meetings page.