MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday 18 June, 2013

FREE TEXT VOTING FOR TOMORROW’S ‘THE VOTE’ DEBATE:
IS THE BIG PROBLEM FACING KIWI KIDS POVERTY OR PARENTING?

All voting will be free for tomorrow’s episode of TV3 national debate programme The Vote, which will debate the topic: ‘Our kids: The problem’s not poverty, it’s parenting.’ (Screening Wednesday 19 June, 8.30pm on TV3.)

Each month The Vote invites viewers to have their say on a different topic at www.TheVote.co.nz, via Twitter @TheVoteNZ, Facebook at The Vote NZ and by texting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. The most popular way to vote is via text, which usually has a cost of 20 cents per text, but for tomorrow’s episode there will be no charge for texts sent to a special voting shortcode 3665.

“Poverty is at the heart of the debate, and we want to ensure there are no barriers to people having their say, regardless of how much money they have,” says Senior Producer Tim Watkin.

“The Vote already has the cheapest text-voting on television, but for this debate, we wanted to remove all cost to our viewers. I’d like to thank 2degrees, Vodafone and Telecom who are all waiving their fees for the text-voting process.”

Tomorrow’s debate will see Guyon Espiner lead a team comprised of Christine Rankin, Bob McCoskrie and Hannah Tamaki, to argue the problem is parents, not poverty. Duncan Garner will be joined by Celia Lashlie, Dr Russell Wills and Hone Harawira, arguing that the problem is poverty, rather than parenting. Broadcaster and lawyer, Linda Clark is again referee, charged with keeping the debaters in line and on topic.

The most important opinions are those of the audience watching at home as they follow the arguments, and have their say via social media, text and online voting.

- ends -

3rd Degree presents ‘The Vote’.
‘OUR KIDS: THE PROBLEM’S NOT POVERTY, IT’S PARENTING.’
Wednesday 19 June, 8.30pm on TV3.

New Zealand has long been talked about as ‘the best place in the world to raise children’, but in the past generation that claim has been repeatedly challenged by stories and statistics of child abuse, health problems, drug and alcohol issues and educational failure. Too many of our kids aren’t getting the start in life they deserve.

But where does the problem – and the solutions – lie? While child poverty has become a major issue, are our kids suffering because of a lack of money or a lack of good parenting?

Most recently New Zealanders have been debating a food-in-schools programme that raised questions about who’s primarily responsible for our children. Following recommendations from the Children’s Commissioner and a campaign by the Mana Party, the government announced it would spend almost $2 million a year expanding the KickStart Breakfast programme from two to five mornings a week in decile one to four schools. But is it helping kids in need? Or just letting parents off the hook?

The Vote is competitive current affairs – a monthly series of entertaining and informative national debates on the big issues facing New Zealanders. The debates take place in theatres with audience participation and voting, but the opinion that matters most is that of the audience watching at home.

The Vote is produced by TV3’s News and Current Affairs division with funding from NZ On Air, and screens once every four weeks in the same timeslot as 3rd Degree.

Website: www.TheVote.co.nz
Twitter: twitter.com/TheVoteNZ
Facebook: facebook.com/TheVoteNZ

© Scoop Media