Simon Says: About Value Your Vote

Simon O'Connor is a former Member of Parliament for the National Party from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Parliament, he has been the Director of External and Strategic Engagement for Family First NZ.

If there is one message I hope you take from this edition of Value Your Vote, it is this: vote. Make the effort to get to the polling booth and cast your vote.

We know it can be difficult to find a candidate or political party that perfectly reflects your values and priorities. As I was told when entering Parliament, "if you can agree with 80% of your party's platform, you are doing well."

This guide, prepared by the team at Family First, is designed to help you understand where parties and individual politicians stand on issues that matter to families across New Zealand. Whether you find a perfect fit or simply a better choice, we hope the information assists you in making an informed decision and, most importantly, encourages you to vote.

Your vote is only the beginning

Having spent twelve years in Parliament, and many more years actively engaged in politics, the importance of getting out and voting cannot be overstated.

It is the fuel that politicians need, naturally to win their seat and get into Parliament but also what helps drive engagement with constituents. Voting is not just a single action on election day, but also a commitment to let your elected representatives know what you are thinking on matters which impact you, your family, and our community.

Across all the issues that Family First engages with, we need you to be proactive in telling Members of Parliament and candidates what you think.

This includes standing up for the unborn and protecting the vulnerable at the end of life.

It includes pushing back against radical gender ideologies that are directly harming children.

It means advocating for policies that strengthen families, reduce child poverty, combat family violence, and improve educational outcomes.

It also includes supporting sensible approaches to alcohol and drug policy, while engaging in the wider issues that affect families every day, including housing, health, and education.

At Family First, we not only want flourishing families but also a society that is thriving.

Remember how they voted

Value Your Vote outlines the voting record of politicians across a wide range of issues. Politicians often hope that people forget the controversial votes, particularly around moral and ethical issues. We believe it is important that we remind ourselves of how politicians and parties have voted on these issues because it also indicates their moral compass and character.

Looking beyond voting records, there is also a broader challenge facing New Zealand politics. We need more socially conservative people in politics. Over recent years, we have seen a slow but clear removal of social conservatives from Parliament. We want to see this reversed so that our Parliament has more politicians who will stand up for the sanctity of marriage and the value of children. Politicians who understand the importance of parental rights and education that teaches children how to think, not what to think. We need politicians who actually know what a woman is, and who are willing to speak clearly about biological reality and the importance of safeguarding women and girls.

We need politicians who will stand against the lobbying for drug liberalisation and speak up for the importance of religious freedom and free speech. We need politicians who understand the heritage and value of our Judeo-Christian foundations. And of course, we need politicians who will boldly stand up for life – from conception to natural death.

We hope you find the Value Your Vote useful. Take the time to find your MP and see how they voted, and compare the voting record of the respective political parties. Can I encourage you also to discuss this with family and friends, and your children if they are old enough to understand. Having our young ones better informed on these issues is critical to bringing about change and also pushing back against the nonsense often taught to them at school, via social media, and elsewhere. Use Value Your Vote as an opportunity to talk with your children or grandchildren around why being pro-life is important; why families are key to a stable society; and why we are fortunate to live in a democracy, but that a democracy always needs work and commitment.

And of course, share Value Your Vote far and wide – the more people who can read this, the better.

Right isn't always conservative

One question I often get asked is what makes a 'centre-right' party these days, or even, what parties claiming to be on the right are actually right-leaning and conservative?

It is probably important to appreciate that a political party can be right wing but not conservative.

The right of politics has typically been about reducing the role of government, allowing individuals more freedom, supporting capitalism, being proud of a nation's history, and supporting both national security and law and order. Of course, this list is not exhaustive.

But this should not be confused with conservative politics. Alongside these right-leaning views, a conservative party emphasises the role of family, the place of religion, be pro-life, and have an appreciation for the society we have built.

Why every vote counts

A final thought. I am often asked by people, "why should I bother voting", "my vote doesn't seem to matter", or "what do I get for my vote". My reply has always been - we vote to show our intentions, preferences, and beliefs. We vote because it is our democratic right, and one many around the world do not have.

We vote because every vote does count. Just ask Melissa Lee (National) and Helen White (Labour) who both were candidates in the Mt Albert electorate at the last election, the latter who won the seat by just 18 votes!

We don't vote to simply 'get what we want', although we hope it does. We vote because we can, and in doing so – informed by the likes of Value Your Vote – we have our three yearly chance to express our preferences not just in this election, but also indicating where we want our future to be as well.

We vote because every election gives us an opportunity to shape the future we hope to leave our children and grandchildren. Value Your Vote helps ensure that choice is an informed one.

Simon O'Connor
External & Strategic Engagement – Family First NZ