ABSTRACT
The term ‘direct democracy’ essentially embraces three processes involving the participation of the electorate: the referendum, by means of which a direct question is put to the people; the recall, which empowers the elector ate to unseat a representative and force a new election in the constituency, provided a certain proportion of the electors concerned petition accordingly ; and the initiative, a means by which a certain proportion of the electorate may propose a legislative proposition for the consideration of parliament. The Hon. Phil Goff, an MP from New Zealand, and Shadow Minister of Justice, leading the discussion at this session, concentrated on the refer endum.
