Have you ever been annoyed at a government decision – most of us have!
As community members, we have a say on many government decisions through the submission process. But many of us feel like we are too busy, we can’t easily access a place to make a submission, or we don’t know what to write.
A submission doesn’t need to be long; it really just needs to record your thoughts on the subject and why. Evidence to back up your point of view is always helpful. The most important thing is that you have your say. Recently one bill received over 307000 submissions and was then voted down in parliament. You can make an impact!
If you would like to be more involved but don’t know how, here is a useful article from the Tonic Club newsletter that can set you on the right path...
From the Tonic newsletter
Have your voice heard: Making a submission
As they indicate on the Parliament website (parliament.nz), Parliament's decisions affect all New Zealanders. Submissions are a way you can have your say and influence the laws passed by Parliament. So far, 61 bills and amendments have been open for submissions in 2025.
3 Good Ideas to make a submission
1. Finding out if there is a bill or an amendment I would make a submission for?
It can be hard to keep up with bills and amendments open for submission; there is no opportunity for an email alert!
Thankfully, word of mouth is the thing that spreads the word. Keep an eye out from those you know. Make sure you share when you find out about something you think others need to know about.
You can always see the list of bills open for submission on the Parliament website (see below). Maybe diary to check each month.
2. Do some research
Read the bill and the information around the bill. Get some different perspectives. What are people you know, like and trust saying about the bill or amendment? What are sector commentators saying about it?
3. Don't feel you need to start from scratch
People share their submissions. Use them as a starting point for your own. People often create templates too, to help you set out what you would like to write. It's important you write it in your own words.
Each submission form is different. Sometimes you can just upload a document, sometimes there is an online form to fill out, sometimes there is both.
Making a submission is one of the ways that you can "tell our government" what you think about an issue. Dig in and see what you can make a submission on now or next time you hear about an issue from your friends or the news.
This is where you can make a submission on a bill https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/ . It also lists all of the bills that are currently open for submissions.
Here is some more information about how to make a submission and the process surrounding it. https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/how-to-make-a-submission/