If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page, after the Vocabulary. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the text.
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- What did the government announce last week?
- In 2020, what did the previous government decide? Why?
- Why does the current government disagree with these views?
- Which political parties oppose the plan? Why?
3. Language focus: Collocations
Complete these phrases with a suitable word. Then read or listen to the text to check your answers.
- to _____ in elections
- a complete _____ on prisoner voting was _____ human rights
- should be _____ to vote
- prisoners should _____ the _____ to vote.
- the previous government’s soft-on-crime _____
- if someone _____ the law and is _____ to jail, they should _____ their rights
- a group which _____ for the rights of _____ and for tougher punishments for _____
Text
Last week the government announced that prisoners will no longer be allowed to vote in elections. This decision reverses changes made by the previous government.
In 2020 the Labour-Green-New Zealand First coalition government decided that people who were sent to prison for less than three years had the right to vote. This decision was based on recommendations from courts and official organisations. For example, the High Court ruled in 2015 that a complete ban on prisoner voting was against human rights which are protected in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. In 2019 the Waitangi Tribunal stated that the ban was unfair to Māori and a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi. Therefore, the previous government decided that prisoners serving short sentences should be allowed to vote, particularly because they would be released into the community again before the following election. Then in 2024 the Independent Electoral Review agreed with the High Court that prisoners should have the right to vote.
However, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith stated that the current government does not agree with these views. He said that allowing some prisoners to vote was part of the previous government’s soft-on-crime approach. In contrast, he said this government places a greater emphasis on personal responsibility. Thus, if someone breaks the law and is sentenced to jail, they should lose their rights, including the right to vote. He said the voting ban will be included in the Electoral Amendment Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament later this year.
There has been a mixed reaction to this plan. The Sensible Sentencing Trust is a group which advocates for the rights of victims and for tougher punishments for offenders. This group agree with the government that prisoners should not have the right to vote after committing a crime. However, the Labour Party, the Green Party, and Te Pāti Māori all oppose the plan. They think that it weakens democracy and does not make communities safer. They were also surprised that it is a government priority when there are more important issues to deal with, such as the cost of living. According to the Labour Party spokesperson, there are only 2000-3000 people in prison who can vote.
Vocabulary
announce – to officially tell people something, especially a plan or decision
reverse – to change something (e.g. a decision) so that it is the opposite of what it was before
ban – (noun) an official order that stops something being done or used
sentence – in this context, a sentence is the punishment to someone who is guilty of a crime
breach – (noun) an action that breaks a law or agreement
jail – prison, that is, a building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime
offender – a person who is guilty of a crime
Answers
a. What did the government announce last week?
Prisoners will no longer be allowed to vote in elections.
b. In 2020, what did the previous government decide? Why?
People who were sent to prison for less than three years could vote.
This decision was based on recommendations from courts and official organisations. For example: the High Court ruled in 2015 that a complete ban on prisoner voting was against human rights which are protected in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act; In 2019 the Waitangi Tribunal stated that the ban was unfair to Māori and a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.
c. Why does the current government disagree with these views?
Allowing some prisoners to vote was part of the previous government’s soft-on-crime approach. This government places a greater emphasis on personal responsibility: if someone breaks the law and is sentenced to jail, they should lose their rights, including the right to vote.
d. Which political parties oppose the plan? Why?
The Labour Party, the Green Party, and Te Pāti Māori.
They think that it weakens democracy and does not make communities safer.
They were surprised that it is a government priority when there are more important issues to deal with, such as the cost of living. According to the Labour Party spokesperson, there are only 2000-3000 people in prison who can vote.