Rock The Vote NZ supports the English Language Bill.

Submission on behalf of Rock The Vote NZ for the English Language Bill

The English Language Bill formally recognizes English as an official language of New Zealand alongside Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.

Given the narrow and largely declaratory nature of the bill, we keep this submission brief. Ultimately, some things are complex, and some things are simple in life; we consider this a rather straightforward matter to submit on, and we have focused on answering the three questions posed for brevity.

What would be the advantages of making English an official language?

We view this bill mainly as an administrative correction. Its primary benefit is aligning the letter of the law with New Zealand’s long established constitutional and practical reality. English is already the predominant language used in courts, legislation, Parliament, and government communications, so the bill would not significantly alter how New Zealand law functions in practice. Its value instead lies in providing legislative clarity and constitutional consistency by formally recognising in statute what has long existed in fact. In that sense, the bill places English on an explicit legal footing alongside New Zealand’s other official languages, while simply reflecting the way New Zealand already operates.

What would be the disadvantages of making English an official language?

We do not see any significant substantive disadvantages arising from the bill itself. The bill is narrow in scope and does not appear to create a new compliance regime or materially change the operation of New Zealand law. The main disadvantage is therefore procedural and administrative rather than legal. Parliamentary time, public resources, and committee attention must be devoted to a measure with limited practical effect. Some may also view the bill as symbolically contentious, but the bill itself states that recognising English as an official language will not affect the status or use of the Māori Language or New Zealand Sign Language. For that reason, the main concern is not the substance of the bill, but the cost involved in passing a measure that is primarily corrective in nature.

What is your view of the bill and is it required?

Our view is that the bill is a modest but justified administrative correction. It is not required in order for English to continue functioning as New Zealand’s predominant public language, because that is already the practical reality. However, it is required in the sense of legislative consistency and constitutional clarity. For that reason, we support the bill.

Daymond Goulder-Horobin, Deputy Party Leader Rock The Vote NZ