Letter to the Editor Tuesday October 1, 2013

Pathetic

I write to address the issue raised by the survey in the September 26 edition, 'The young vote up for grabs.'

As president of Business and Professional Women Kaitaia, I am appalled by the attitude of the five young women featured. The photographed young women look intelligent and savvy, but I find it pathetic and totally unacceptable that they should have no interest in exercising their right to vote.

As far as I am concerned, it is their responsibility to be enrolled, informed, and vote in local body as well as national elections.

Sure, it can be confusing and frustrating deciding where to cast one's vote, but taking the time and effort to assess the worth of each candidate and vote accordingly is a satisfying process.

One hundred and twenty years ago this month Kate Sheppard and her Suffragettes won a four-year fight to win women the right to vote (New Zealand was the first country in the world to achieve the vote for women, in 1893). Just how far have we progressed?

There have been several public meetings in the Far North over the past weeks, with the opportunity to meet most candidates standing for election for the Far North mayoralty and District Council, community boards, Northland Regional Council and Northland District Health Board. Business and Professional Women hosted a public meeting for the women candidates as a community service, and we had 25 members of the public attend. I was disappointed at the turnout.

The next evening I attended a meeting in the Banquet Room at Te Ahu. The candidates outnumbered the attending public - another pathetic turnout. These meetings should have attendances that would fill the main hall of the Te Ahu Centre. The candidates deserve no less, for standing to serve the public.

Wake up young women (and men) and take responsibility for your lives - every vote counts, and your vote is as important as your right to vote.

For assistance to enrol ring 0800 922-822.

RAEWYN PENNELL

President

Business and Professional Women Kaitaia