Current call for entries

Entries are called for in the following two categories

Wallace Awards for best:

• dissertation or thesis, or portfolio submitted by a tertiary student on New Zealand electoral matters
• academic paper, monograph or book published on New Zealand electoral matters

The work must have been submitted or published (as appropriate) between 1 November 2007 and 31 April 2009, inclusive.  ‾Electoral matters’ is interpreted broadly and comparative studies are not excluded provided the primary focus is on New Zealand.

Entry is encouraged to be made as the work is submitted or published, and should be by letter covering a copy of the entry addressed to Wallace Awards, Electoral Commission, PO Box 3050, Wellington.  Entries close on Friday, 15 May 2009, but are welcome any time before then.

Overview

The Wallace Awards and Wallace Scholarships are named for the first president of the Electoral Commission, Sir John Wallace, who also chaired the 1985-6 Royal Commission on the Electoral System which recommended New Zealand adopt the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system.

Wallace Awards were first made in 1997, with six categories available covering journalism, community groups, tertiary students, academics, and possible special award.  An annual application round and presentation dinner was shared by all categories. 

Greater flexibility was introduced to the scheme from 2005, with categories shifted to different timings to better suit their contexts and the electoral cycle, and presentations made in front of events attended by winners’ peers.

Current categories

• Special Wallace Award for outstanding contribution by an individual or organisation - awarded on an occasional basis, no formal call for entries, generally awarded on nomination by the commission, but external nominations are welcome at any time.
• Wallace Awards for best
  • academic paper, monograph or book published on New Zealand electoral matters
  • dissertation or thesis, or portfolio submitted by a tertiary student on New Zealand electoral matters
    These two categories are now on 18-month cycles of 1 October to 30 April of the year following, and 1 May to 30 September of the year following.  Nominations may be made at any time and will generally close on the first Friday following 30 April or 30 September as appropriate.

Previous winners

Special award for outstanding contribution by an individual or organisation

(Ad hoc award)

2004

Women’s Electoral Lobby New Zealand

2001

Alan McRobie

2000

Tony Sutorius

1998

Philip Temple

1997

Nigel S Roberts

Academic paper, monograph or book

(Please note that these awards moved to an 18-month cycle after 2004)

2008

Andrew Geddis, Electoral Law in New Zealand: Practice and Policy, Otago University Press, 2007

[Highly commended] Elizabeth McLeay & Jack Vowles, Redefining Constituency Representation: The Roles of New Zealand MPs under MMP, Regional and Federal Studies

2006

[Highly commended] Raymond Miller, University of Auckland, Party Politics in New Zealand(2005), Melbourne: Oxford University Press

[Commended] Richard Shaw, Massey University, Electoral Law Reform and the Work of the New Zealand Parliamentin Australasian Parliamentary Review, spring 2004, vol 19, pp18-31

2004

Jonathan Boston, Stephen Church, Stephen Levine, Elizabeth McLeay, Nigel S. Roberts (eds) Claire Robinson (CD-rom ed), New Zealand Votes …quot; The General Election of 2002, Victoria University Press (2003).

[Highly Commended] Andrew Geddis, Reforming New Zealand’s Election Broadcasting Regime 14(3) Public Law Review 164 (2003).

2003

Nigel Roberts & Tim Bale, “Plus ca change… ? Anti-party sentiment and electoral system change” The Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, July 2002.

2002

Jack Vowles, Peter Aimer, Jeffrey Karp, Susan Banducci, Raymond Miller, Ann Sullivan, Proportional Representation On Trial …quot; The 1999 New Zealand general election and the fate of MMP, Auckland University Press, 2002.

2001

Andrew Geddis, “Hide Behind the targets, infront of all the people we service - New Zealand election law and the problem of “faceless” donations,” Public Law Review, March 2001.

2000

[Highly Commended] Richard Shaw, MasseyUniversity. 'What's That You Say Mrs. Robertson? The Citizens'Initiated Referendum and the 1999 General Election', Legislative Studies, vol. 14, no. 1.

1998

Jack Vowles, Peter Aimer, Susan Banducci, Jeffrey Karp (eds), Voters’ Victory? - New Zealand’s first election under proportional representation, Auckland University Press, 1998.

[Highly Commended] Leigh J Ward, “New Zealand’s Adaptation to Mixed-Member Parliamentary Representation” Political Science, January 1998.

1997

Jonathan Boson, Stephen Levine, Elizabeth McLeay, Nigel S Roberts, New Zealand Under MMP …quot; A New Politics? AucklandUniversity Press with Bridget Williams Books, 1996.

Tertiary student paper or thesis

(Please note that these awards moved to an 18-month cycle after 2004)

2008

[Highly commended] Greg Robins, LLB Hons Prisoner disenfranchisement

[Highly commended] Claire Robinson, PhD Advertising and the Market Orientation of Political Parties Contesting the 1999 and 2002 New Zealand General Elections

[Highly commended] Geoffrey Miller, BA Hons From Douglas to Dancing: explaining the lack of success of ACT New Zealand and evaluating its future prospects

[Highly commended] Celia Sheerin, MA thesis Political Efficacy and Youth Non-Voting: A Qualitative Investigation in the Attitudes and Experiences of Young Voters and Non-voters in New Zealand

[Commended] Debbie Wong, Law research paper Compulsory voting

2006

[No award made]

2004

Dr Bryce Edwards, Political Parties in New Zealand: A Study of Ideological and Organisational Transformation, PhD thesis, University of Canterbury, 2003.

[Highly Commended] Wintec journalism students, Third Degree (local elections supplement),

2003

Marcus Ganley, Making Unicameral Parliaments Work: The New Zealand Exception, LLB(Hons) research paper, Victoria University of Wellington, 2002.

[Highly Commended] Karl Wane, Speak for Yourself, School of Design honours thesis, MasseyUniversity, 2002.

2002

Amy Annan, Regulating the Use of Money in the Electoral Process - An Evaluation of the New Zealand Approach, LLB(Hons) research paper, Otago University.

2001

Caroline Glass, A Comparison of One-Vote and Two-Vote MMP, Hons research paper, Victoria University of Wellington.

1999

Stephen Church, Electoral Systems, Party Systems and Stability in New Zealand, PhD thesis, CanterburyUniversity.

1998

Fiona Claire Barker, Party Policy Positioning: The New Zealand Labour Party in opposition 1990-1996, thesis, Victoria University of Wellington.

[Highly Commended] Philip J Clark, The impact of MMP on Political Party Electorate Organisations, thesis, CanterburyUniversity.

Teaching using the election context

(Ad hoc category in 2005)

2005

Correspondence School (Toby Durney and Christine Cummins), for running an election.

Kathy Grey, HorowhenuaCollege, Levin, for use of the election context in senior social studies.

Tapora  Primary, Wellsford (Bridget Rika, Judy Herde, Jenny Casale, Cara Brittliff), for running an election in a primary school.

Shauna O’Malley, teaching at McAuleyHigh School, Otahuhu, for a student teacher practicum.

[Highly Commended] Lynda Araya, English Advantage Ltd. Dunedin, for use of the election context with adult learners.

[Highly Commended] AlfristonCollege, Manukau, (Susan Impey), for use of the election in a whole school project.

[Highly Commended] Dianne Dunn at Opotiki primary School, with Amy Williams student teacher, for use of the election in a primary school.

[Highly Commended] Deidre Senior at St Joseph’s School, Oamaru, for running an election with a class

Student journalist or publication/programme

(Ad hoc category in 2005)

2005

Te Waha Nui, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), a portfolio of four issues.

[Highly Commended]  See the following eight awards -

In order of merit

Duncan Greive, AUT, portfolio of three stories (one with input from colleagues)

Britton Broun, AUT, portfolio of three stories (one with a co-author)

Lisa Thompson and Michael Wright, CanterburyUniversity, story

Of equal merit

Hamish McNeilly, Southland Institute of Technology, story

Megan Whelan, Canterbury Polytechnic Institute of Technology, story

Miles Erwin, AUT, story

Nicole Stanley, AUT, story

Rosie Cotter, AUT, story

Journalist or publication/programme

(Category suspended 2003)

2003

Neil Sanderson (ed), nzherald.co.nz, 2002 election sub-website.

Mark Torley, Radio New Zealand News for a Focus on Politics segment.

Jan Schrader (ed), Outlook post-election series, INL Newspapers in Education.

2002

Jane Clifton, NZ Listener, for a series of weekly articles on politics and electoral topics.

2000

John Armstrong, The New Zealand Herald, for a portfolio.

Carol Hirschfield, TV3, for a news feature.

[Highly Commended] Helen Bain, The Dominion.

[Highly Commended] Bernard Steeds, New Zealand Press Association.

1999

Helen Bain, The Dominion, for a portfolio.

1998

Helen Bain, The Dominion, for a portfolio.

1997

Richard Harman & Chris Harrington, TVNZ, for a portfolio of three Assignment programmes examining the effects of the change to MMP.

Evening Standard, portfolio of work tracing the change to MMP in the lead-up to the 1996 general election.

Waikato Times, portfolio of work tracing the change to MMP in the lead-up to the 1996 general election.

Individual or organisation, conduct of an electoral awareness campaign

(Ad hoc category)

2000

New Zealand Film Archive, Kissing Babies: 60 Years of Spin, a public exhibition profiling changes in parliamentary electioneering over the years.

1999

[Highly Commended] New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, election enrolment and participation resources and campaign.