Engaging in the Future: Overcoming the Limitations of Parliamentary Representation

The paper will begin by exploring why engagement with public and public interests might be considered a virtuous activity for any Par liament to encourage. Then it will focus on the potential and limitations for suc h involvement in the work of Parliament, drawing on personal experiences as a Ne w Zealand Parliamentarian in representing a busy and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)-intensive electorate generating large volumes of individual a nd agency casework; in developing and delivering training for NGOs in lobb ying politicians; and in chairing Parliament’s key law reform Select Committee for six years. It will conclude with recommendations applicable to all Par liaments and MPs and a vision for how the eternal Parliamentary challenge of enga ging with the outside world might be tackled over the next decade. In traversin g this path, the paper will use as its driver the move to create alternative decision- making or focussed debating forums to by-pass or largely supplement traditional democratic forms. It will question whether traditional democracy can transfor m itself to achieve the essence of the intended outcomes of those new developments.