The panel will focus on trends in migrants’ electoral participation and recent debates about immigrant and emigrant voting rights in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the Americas.
Dr Kate McMillan, senior lecturer in Victoria’s Political Science and International Relations programme, says that high levels of immigration and emigration in New Zealand are changing the country’s demography, and will likely have a significant impact on our electoral politics as well.
Dr Fiona Barker, also from Victoria’s Political Science and International Relations programme says the lecture will identify some of these possible impacts and give the audience a chance to hear from three leading international experts on how the Zealand experience compares with that of Europe, Canada, and Australia.
Rainer Bauböck, a Professor of Social and Political Theory at the European University Institute in Florence, will discuss debate about immigrants’ political rights and participation within the European Union and the Americas.
Dr Antoine Bilodeau, from Concordia University in Montreal, will discuss factors driving immigrant electoral participation in Canadian elections.
Dr Juliet Pietsch, from Australian National University, will discuss levels of voting among immigrant and ethnic groups in Australia and how migrants’ partisan loyalties have changed over time.
Dr Fiona Barker and Dr Kate McMillan, from Victoria University of Wellington, will discuss turnout among different ‘Asian’ immigrant groups in New Zealand’s general election.
Mr Paul Hamer, from Monash University in Melbourne and Victoria University of Wellington, will discuss the electoral participation of Maori living in Australia in New Zealand elections and in tribal decision-making processes.
Immigrants as voters: comparing the New Zealand, Australian, European and American experiences
Tuesday 15 December, 12–1.30pm
Government Buildings Lecture Theatre 2 (GBLT2), Victoria University Faculty of Law