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Wakeman questions the proposed merger of Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand. Especially when they have not published photographs of all candidates in the Hamilton West by-election. This raises the question whether we are now experiencing George Orwell’s books – Animal Farm and 1984 simultaneously? Furthermore, in the event TVNZ does an election poll without broadcasting all the Candidates/Parties, is this action not biased by a state broadcaster who is paid for by the people of New Zealand? Does this not undermine democracy? A recent example occurred in the Tauranga by-election when they restricted the debate to three candidates out of twelve. The candidates chosen for the debate was based on the results of their own poll. Thereby restricting the debate of policies and ideas which is the purpose of holding elections in order to select a Party/Candidate that has the best ideas and person for the job. This doesn’t happen when only 25% of the ideas are broadcasted. “Voter turnout for the 2022 Tauranga by-election is estimated to be 40.6% of the 51,510 enrolled prior to election day.” - Tauranga by-election preliminary results | Elections

Therefore the polls that TVNZ and/or others undertake restricts the narrative and reduces the accountability of all people standing for office. This is the only time people get to have a say on who represents them yet the general public has limited knowledge of everyone taking a stand.

When we look at the last election concerning the cannabis referendum, the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party was not on any state broadcaster with respect to media interviews. 

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party has stood in other general elections and by-elections yet has seldom been asked for comment by the state broadcasters. With the legalise cannabis referendum in 2020, the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party was not invited to speak up and educate people on their point of view. Are people’s tax dollars being used to manipulate the voting outcomes?

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