![]() |
---|
![]() |
The 2020 New Zealand euthanasia referendum was a binding referendum [1] held in New Zealand on 17 October 2020, on the question of whether to legalise euthanasia via the End of Life Choice Act 2019. [2] The vote was held in conjunction with the 2020 general election, and official results were released on 6 November 2020. It was accepted by New Zealand voters, with 65.1% in support and 33.7% opposed. [3]
The act came into force on 7 November 2021, twelve months after the final vote count was announced. [4] The End of Life Choice Act legalises voluntary euthanasia for those with a terminal illness and less than six months left to live, if confirmed to be eligible by two doctors. [1] [5] New Zealand is the first country to have put euthanasia legalisation to a referendum. [1]
Votes for the End of Life Choice referendum were included on the same ballot as the 2020 cannabis referendum, which sought to legalise recreational cannabis.
Prior to 2021, euthanasia was illegal in New Zealand, with it being illegal to "aid and abet suicide" under section 179 of the Crimes Act 1961.
Two earlier attempts to legalise euthanasia failed to get through the New Zealand Parliament. Hawkes Bay National MP Michael Laws's 1995 Death with Dignity Bill failed with 61 votes against and 29 supporting, and NZ First MP Peter Brown's 2003 Death with Dignity Bill failed in its first reading by 60 votes opposing to 58 supporting. [6]
ACT party MP David Seymour entered the End of Life Choice Bill to the member's bill ballot in October 2015. [7] The bill passed its first reading 76–44 in December 2017 and its second reading 70–50 in June 2019. [8] [9] In the committee of the whole House, support from the New Zealand First party became conditional on a referendum to decide whether the law should come into force. [5] An amendment to require a referendum passed 69–51, [10] and the bill passed its third reading with the same numbers on 13 November. [11] The bill received royal assent on 16 November 2019, becoming the End of Life Choice Act 2019.
Following the third reading, the act was written such that it could only come into force following a majority support at a referendum, which would make the legislation active twelve months after the final vote count. [12] If the majority had opposed the legislation in the referendum (or any subsequent referendum, if the first had been voided), it would have been repealed by 16 November 2024, five years after it received royal assent. [2]
The wording of the referendum was also written into the act, and asked voters: [12]
Support for assisted dying between 2000 and 2019 averaged at around 68%, [5] and prior to the act passing into law in 2019, support for some kind of medically assisted euthanasia for the terminally ill was polled at 74% in April, [13] and 72% in July of 2019. [5]
During the 16-month-long select committee stage of the End of Life Choice Bill, 39,000 public submissions were made, with 90% of submitters opposed to it. [10] Over one thousand doctors signed an open letter in mid-2019 saying that they "want no part in assisted suicide". [14]
Through 2020, following the act's assent, public support for it polled at 60–65%:
Date | Polling organisation | Sample size | For | Against | Undecided | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10–14 Oct 2020 | 1 News Colmar Brunton | 1,005 | 60 | 33 | 7 | 27 |
17–21 Sep 2020 | 1 News Colmar Brunton | 1,008 | 64 | 25 | 11 | 39 |
20–23 Aug 2020 | Research New Zealand | 1,003 | 62 | 24 | 14 | 38 |
9–13 Jul 2020 | Research New Zealand | 1,012 | 64 | 18 | 18 | 46 |
6-8 Mar 2020 | Research New Zealand | 1,000 | 60 | 21 | 19 | 39 |
8–12 Feb 2020 | 1 News Colmar Brunton | 1,004 | 65 | 25 | 9 | 40 |
27 Nov – 2 Dec 2019 | Research New Zealand | 750 | 70 | 24 | 6 | 48 |
17–26 Nov 2019 | Horizon Research | 1,521 | 70 | 30 | – | 40 |
20–24 Jul 2019 | 1 News Colmar Brunton | 1,003 | 72 | 20 | 7 | 52 |
19–29 Apr 2019 | Horizon Research Archived 4 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine | 1,341 | 74 | 19 | 7 | 55 |
The rules regarding campaigning for referenda are the same as for general elections. All advertisements must carry a promoter statement, stating the name and physical address of the promoter. It is illegal to campaign on polling day, or within a 10-metre (33 ft) radius of an advance polling booth.
During the regulated period, which ran from 18 August to 16 October 2020, promoters have to declare their campaign expenses and there are limits on how much they may spend on referendum campaigning. The maximum expense limit was $338,000 per referendum for those promoters registered with the Electoral Commission, and $13,600 per referendum for unregistered promoters. [15]
Unlike the general election, a preliminary count for the euthanasia referendum was not conducted on election night (17 October 2020). Instead, the referendum votes were counted alongside the mandatory election recount. [16]
All voting papers, counterfoils and electoral rolls are returned to the electorate's returning officer for counting. During the count, the returning officer approves and counts any special votes, [lower-alpha 1] and compiles a master electoral roll to ensure no-one has voted more than once. [18] To simplify processing and counting, overseas votes are sent and counted at the Electoral Commission's central processing centre in Wellington, rather than to electorate returning officers. [19]
Preliminary results for the referendums were released by the Electoral Commission on 30 October 2020. These results had 65.2% of people in support of the legislation. [20]
Following the counting of the 480,000 special votes, official results for the general election and referendums were released on 6 November. Based on the final results, 65.1% of people supported the legislation while 33.7% opposed it. [3] Three South Auckland electorates — Māngere, Manurewa and Panmure-Ōtāhuhu — voted against the End of Life Choices Act, perhaps due to conservative evangelical Pasifika Christianity's strength in those areas. By contrast, over three quarters of Auckland Central and Wellington Central voters supported introduction of the End of Life Choices Act in this referendum. Although these are metropolitan electorates, there were several other electorates that polled over seventy percent support for the proposed legislation that were not necessarily urban. [21]
The new legislation took effect on 7 November 2021. [22] [23]
Option | Votes | |
---|---|---|
Num. | % | |
![]() | 1,893,290 | 65.91 |
![]() | 979,079 | 34.09 |
Total | 2,872,369 | 100.00 |
Informal votes | 35,702 | 1.23 |
Total votes cast | 2,908,071 | 100.00 |
Registered voters and turnout | 3,549,564 | 82.24 |
Euthanasia referendum results (excluding invalid votes) | |
---|---|
Yes 1,893,290 (65.9%) | No 979,079 (34.1%) |
▲ 50% |
As each polling place had only one ballot box for ordinary referendum votes, ordinary votes were broken down by the general electorate where the polling place was located. Special votes were broken down by electorate. Both ordinary and special votes have been combined in the following table. [24]
Electorate | ![]() | ![]() | Informal | Turnout | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Num. | % | Num | % | |||
Auckland Central | 28,889 | 76.88 | 8,690 | 23.12 | 417 | |
Banks Peninsula | 31,660 | 68.93 | 14,268 | 31.07 | 458 | |
Bay of Plenty | 31,743 | 69.11 | 14,186 | 30.89 | 401 | |
Botany | 22,417 | 57.25 | 16,740 | 42.75 | 575 | |
Christchurch Central | 30,899 | 67.87 | 14,629 | 32.13 | 603 | |
Christchurch East | 32,799 | 68.84 | 14,843 | 31.16 | 518 | |
Coromandel | 33,745 | 70.64 | 14,023 | 29.36 | 432 | |
Dunedin | 34,560 | 68.77 | 15,694 | 31.23 | 505 | |
East Coast | 34,645 | 65.84 | 17,972 | 34.16 | 710 | |
East Coast Bays | 29,890 | 68.03 | 17,972 | 31.97 | 416 | |
Epsom | 31,138 | 70.12 | 13,267 | 29.88 | 485 | |
Hamilton East | 28,862 | 62.10 | 17,616 | 37.90 | 591 | |
Hamilton West | 29,127 | 63.22 | 16,942 | 36.78 | 627 | |
Hutt South | 33,503 | 66.63 | 16,778 | 33.37 | 672 | |
Ilam | 27,562 | 64.88 | 14,921 | 35.12 | 453 | |
Invercargill | 26,536 | 63.77 | 15,076 | 36.23 | 404 | |
Kaikoura | 29,961 | 70.17 | 12,738 | 29.83 | 353 | |
Kaipara ki Mahurangi | 34,951 | 70.00 | 14,979 | 30.00 | 504 | |
Kelston | 19,078 | 58.72 | 13,411 | 41.28 | 583 | |
Mana | 25,331 | 63.87 | 14,979 | 36.13 | 559 | |
Māngere | 11,774 | 38.37 | 13,411 | 61.63 | 745 | |
Manurewa | 18,677 | 46.84 | 21,201 | 53.16 | 1,025 | |
Maungakiekie | 24,005 | 62.68 | 14,295 | 37.32 | 561 | |
Mount Albert | 30,697 | 71.46 | 12,260 | 28.54 | 561 | |
Mount Roskill | 21,326 | 55.66 | 16,990 | 44.34 | 779 | |
Napier | 32,530 | 70.95 | 13,321 | 29.05 | 519 | |
Nelson | 34,240 | 69.85 | 14,777 | 30.15 | 545 | |
New Lynn | 26,349 | 64.60 | 14,438 | 35.40 | 672 | |
New Plymouth | 31,526 | 66.57 | 15,835 | 33.43 | 461 | |
North Shore | 29,637 | 69.93 | 12,745 | 30.07 | 362 | |
Northcote | 28,002 | 68.08 | 13,128 | 31.92 | 468 | |
Northland | 34,542 | 67.25 | 16,819 | 32.75 | 636 | |
Ōhāriu | 27,437 | 67.70 | 13,093 | 32.30 | 434 | |
Ōtaki | 35,022 | 68.01 | 16,477 | 31.99 | 573 | |
Pakuranga | 25,091 | 62.83 | 14,842 | 37.17 | 483 | |
Palmerston North | 25,756 | 62.58 | 15,401 | 37.42 | 459 | |
Panmure-Ōtāhuhu | 14,868 | 47.54 | 16,406 | 52.46 | 956 | |
Papakura | 27,050 | 65.12 | 14,486 | 34.88 | 563 | |
Port Waikato | 28,886 | 67.71 | 13,763 | 32.29 | 446 | |
Rangitata | 29,775 | 65.57 | 15,632 | 34.43 | 475 | |
Rangitīkei | 29,312 | 65.80 | 15,236 | 34.20 | 396 | |
Remutaka | 26,608 | 64.29 | 14,781 | 35.71 | 511 | |
Rongotai | 29,505 | 69.92 | 12,696 | 30.08 | 761 | |
Rotorua | 29,376 | 64.94 | 15,862 | 35.06 | 582 | |
Selwyn | 27,738 | 69.72 | 12,046 | 30.28 | 284 | |
Southland | 27,664 | 68.83 | 12,526 | 31.17 | 327 | |
Taieri | 28,688 | 66.12 | 14,702 | 33.88 | 410 | |
Takanini | 17,251 | 56.73 | 13,158 | 43.27 | 624 | |
Tāmaki | 28,660 | 67.52 | 13,787 | 32.48 | 474 | |
Taranaki-King Country | 27,061 | 67.55 | 12,998 | 32.45 | 370 | |
Taupō | 33,842 | 68.11 | 15,842 | 31.89 | 453 | |
Tauranga | 33,647 | 65.59 | 17,652 | 34.41 | 506 | |
Te Atatū | 25,380 | 58.68 | 17,872 | 41.32 | 695 | |
Tukituki | 30,037 | 67.18 | 14,675 | 32.82 | 505 | |
Upper Harbour | 23,267 | 63.94 | 13,121 | 36.06 | 454 | |
Waikato | 24,346 | 64.77 | 13,241 | 35.23 | 419 | |
Waimakariri | 30,917 | 68.15 | 14,450 | 31.85 | 388 | |
Wairarapa | 33,290 | 69.38 | 14,693 | 30.62 | 467 | |
Waitaki | 28,862 | 68.03 | 13,566 | 31.97 | 401 | |
Wellington Central | 46,187 | 76.14 | 14,474 | 23.86 | 666 | |
West Coast-Tasman | 28,941 | 71.36 | 11,615 | 28.64 | 446 | |
Whanganui | 28,749 | 64.04 | 16,128 | 35.94 | 483 | |
Whangaparāoa | 29,539 | 68.24 | 13,747 | 31.76 | 304 | |
Whangārei | 34,823 | 67.85 | 16,500 | 32.15 | 642 | |
Wigram | 28,259 | 63.90 | 15,965 | 36.10 | 623 | |
Hauraki-Waikato | 3,915 | 58.71 | 2,753 | 41.29 | 255 | |
Ikaroa-Rāwhiti | 3,390 | 60.68 | 2,197 | 39.32 | 224 | |
Tāmaki Makaurau | 3,984 | 58.19 | 2,862 | 41.81 | 240 | |
Te Tai Hauāuru | 3,734 | 59.93 | 2,497 | 40.07 | 173 | |
Te Tai Tokerau | 3,942 | 59.15 | 2,722 | 40.85 | 204 | |
Te Tai Tonga | 4,157 | 67.63 | 1,990 | 32.37 | 185 | |
Waiariki | 3,753 | 57.63 | 2,759 | 42.37 | 241 | |
Total | 1,893,290 | 65.91 | 979,079 | 34.09 | 35,702 |
ACT New Zealand, also known as the ACT Party or simply ACT, is a right-wing, classical liberal, right-libertarian, and conservative political party in New Zealand. It is currently led by David Seymour, and is in coalition with the National and New Zealand First parties, as part of the Sixth National government.
Right to Life New Zealand is a nationwide but Christchurch-based anti-abortion group. It broke away from the New Zealand Society for Protection of the Unborn Child in 2000 following disagreements between the Christchurch branch spokesperson Ken Orr and the national leadership over lobbying tactics. Besides opposing abortion, Right to Life NZ opposes euthanasia, sex education, and specific policies around LGBT issues.
Louisa Hareruia Wall is a New Zealand former double international sportswoman, former politician, and human rights advocate. She represented New Zealand in both netball as a Silver Fern from 1989 to 1992 and in rugby union as a member of the Black Ferns from 1995 to 2001, including as a member of the 1991 World Netball Championships runner-up team and 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup winning team.
Timothy Harley Macindoe is a New Zealand politician who has served as a member of the Hamilton City Council for the East Ward since 2024. Macindoe was previously a Member of Parliament for the Hamilton West electorate from 2008 to 2020. He served as the Minister of Customs for the final six months of the Fifth National Government.
The use of cannabis in New Zealand is regulated by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, which makes unauthorised possession of any amount of cannabis a crime. Cannabis is the fourth-most widely used recreational drug in New Zealand, after caffeine, alcohol and tobacco, and the most widely used illicit drug. In 2001 a household survey revealed that 13.4% of New Zealanders aged 15–64 used cannabis. This ranked as the ninth-highest cannabis consumption level in the world.
The 2011 New Zealand voting system referendum was a referendum on whether to keep the existing mixed member proportional (MMP) voting system, or to change to another voting system, for electing Members of Parliament to New Zealand's House of Representatives. It was held on 26 November 2011 in conjunction with the 2011 general election.
Euthanasia became legal in New Zealand when the End of Life Choice Act 2019 took full effect on 7 November 2021. It is illegal to "aid and abet suicide" under Section 179 of the New Zealand Crimes Act 1961. The clauses of this act make it an offence to "incite, procure or counsel" and "aid and abet" someone else to commit suicide, regardless of whether a suicide attempt is made or not. Section 179 covers both coercion to undertake assisted suicide and true suicide, such as that caused by bullying. This will not change under the End of Life Choices Act 2019, which has provisions on coercion of terminally ill people.
Paul Jonathan Goldsmith is a New Zealand historian and politician. The biographer of several leading right-wing political and business figures, he was first elected a list member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party at the 2011 election.
Ian Robert Flockhart McKelvie is a New Zealand politician. He represented the National Party in the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2011 to 2023.
David Breen Seymour is a New Zealand politician. He is the leader of ACT New Zealand and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Epsom. He currently serves as the Minister for Regulation in the Sixth National Government of New Zealand.
Stuart Tayler Smith is a New Zealand National Party politician. He was first elected as a Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the Kaikōura electorate, representing the National Party, in the 2014 general election.
Lecretia Anne Seales was a New Zealand lawyer who, upon suffering a brain tumour and enduring treatments for it, became an advocate of physician-assisted dying.
Deborah Faye Russell is a New Zealand academic and politician. She is a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party and served as Minister of Statistics and Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission from February to November 2023.
Jo-Anne Marie Luxton is a New Zealand politician. She has been a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party since the 2017 general election.
Jennifer Lyn Marcroft is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party.
The 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum was a non-binding referendum held on 17 October 2020 in conjunction with the 2020 general election and a euthanasia referendum, on the question of whether to legalise the sale, use, possession and production of recreational cannabis. It was rejected by New Zealand voters. The form of the referendum was a vote for or against the proposed "Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill". Official results were released by the Electoral Commission on 6 November 2020 with 50.7% of voters opposing the legalisation and 48.4% in support.
The End of Life Choice Act 2019 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand that gives people with a terminal illness the option of receiving assisted suicide or euthanasia. The act came into force on 7 November 2021, twelve months after the 2020 euthanasia referendum was declared in favour of the legislation.
Brooke Olivia van Velden is a New Zealand politician who has served as the deputy leader of ACT New Zealand since June 2020. She has been a member of Parliament (MP) since the 2020 general election, first as a list MP and, since 2023, the MP for Tāmaki. Van Velden currently serves in the National-led government as the 38th minister of internal affairs and 6th minister for workplace relations and safety. She is the second youngest cabinet minister in New Zealand history, being just eight days older than Phil Goff was when he became Minister of Housing after the 1984 election.
Christopher John Baillie is a New Zealand politician. He was a Member of Parliament for ACT New Zealand from 2020 to 2023.
This article summarises results of the 17 October 2020 New Zealand general election, including both party vote and electorate vote outcomes.