What do Massey students think about politics?
Like Wellington’s ongoing rivalry between Victoria and Massey University, Aotearoa’s Labour and National party have been battling it out recently as new National leader, Christopher Luxon, has overtaken Aunty Cindy in kiwi popularity.
This comes after a recent public poll saw the National Party surge by a whooping 7 points, up to 39 per cent, compared to Labour which now sits on 37 per cent - the lowest result since their election in 2017.
The shift in New Zealand’s political landscape will continue to escalate as we move towards the 2023 elections, where all university students will be able to cast their vote and decide on our country's future.
For many students and first-time voters, political conversations can be daunting, confrontational and something to steer clear of for the sake of avoiding conflict and not looking stupid. Most young people only begin to taste the world of politics at the end of high-school, but between partying hard, sleeping till noon and showing up for the occasional lecture, not many of us have the time or motivation to properly research current politics.
“I feel like most young people get their news from either gossip, their parents, or from unofficial news pages on social media such as Facebook and Instagram. We are super prone to fake news because most of the time clickbait is more appealing than the real news,” said Jack Warren, a graduate Photography student.
“The news on most social media outlets don’t focus on the true story, they focus on the part that they think will get the most clicks.”
In light of all recent events occurring at Parliament, it is important for students to ‘stay woke and keep note’ of everything happening so that when the election rolls around in 2023, everybody is able to make the most informed decision possible.
Credible New Zealand news sites such as the NZ Herald, Newshub, Stuff, The Spinoff, RNZ and 1NEWS all have mobile apps that deliver daily headlines straight into the palm of your hand. These apps will not only keep students up to date with the Jacinda versus Christopher debate, but also help damper the spread of fake news that young people are particular susceptible to.
Where once the Labour Party was a clear Kiwi favourite, it’s crash in support means that now the election is anyone’s game.
“That is probably due to the mandates, and then probably the high cost of living,” said Massey student Jenna Wiley.
“A lot of people aren’t happy with the way Labour is running things at the moment, which is why the statistics have changed so severely. I think it is important for us to not only focus on these negative factors, but also consider all the positive things that Labour has done for our country,” she said.
“Yeah, I reckon before voting everyone definitely needs to research all the policies of different parties. Lot’s of people are slagging off Labour at the moment which is fair enough, but we need to look at how the other parties such as National would do things differently if they were in power,” said William Hutchinson, fourth-year student.
The recent polling statistics are set to change further between now and the election period, giving students plenty of time to track political movements and gain deeper insight into the 2023 elections.
“You don’t have to be super interested in politics or research it hard core to know what’s happening in Parliament. Even just scanning over a few political articles a week gives us better insight, which we can then use when it’s time to vote people in. Knowledge is power, my friends,” said esign student Riley Smith.