Summarised by Centrist
In “New Zealand needs a more working-class Parliament,” Professor Bryce Edwards discusses the demographic changes in the Beehive. While diversity has grown in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, there has been a decline in working-class representation due to the professionalisation of politics since the 1980s.
Most new MPs in 2023 come from professional backgrounds, leaving out blue-collar workers. The transformation of the Labour Party, initially focused on the working class, has contributed to this shift.
He calls for the revival of working-class politics, primarily within the Labour Party and says more representative Parliament addresses the concerns of all citizens, regardless of socio-economic status.
