With the 2023 Election less than a week away, the time to decide who to vote for has come.

If you are still on the fence, check out our Billie Votes profiles on the young women running for parliament.

Name: Tamatha Paul

Age: 26

Political Party: The Green Party

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved in politics?

A bit about me, so I’m 26, I am a city councillor and I am standing for the Green Party for Wellington Central for the upcoming election. I have been a city councillor for the last four years for Wellington City. I first got involved in politics when I was at uni at Vic and just being deeply frustrated by the way that things were: that students were expected to live in poverty, in really mouldy, damp, cold flats, and that we didn’t have a public transport discount and a whole bunch of other issues students are faced with. So, I got involved in the community a bit more and various campaigns, and then eventually I stood for council in 2019 and was successful!

What do you think drew you to a career as a politician?

I think the big thing for me is understanding that the reason we have the systems that we have is because some people in the Beehive decided that would be the case. I have always kind of thought that the systems we do have in place are destructive towards the environment, they are exploitative of people and they don’t necessarily serve or respect the dignity of each person. I just feel determined that if we have better people in there, then we can have better decisions and, therefore, better systems. So, I guess it was the curiosity about why things are the way they are and the determination to make them better for our people and the planet that drew me towards a career as a politician.

Tell us about your political party? Why did you choose to stand for them?

I am standing for the Greens and I chose to stand for them because of our values and what we stand for. I think our policies and our advocacy for the environment tackles issues like climate change and looking after our waterways and native species, and all of those things are really important to me. I have always felt really concerned about climate change and what it means for our planet so that’s really why I am standing for the Greens. Also, the people who are in the Greens, like the members of our party - the staff and politicians, are just really great people. They have always supported me. The Green party is really about making sure that every family has everything that they need while also keeping in mind that we need to respect and care for our planet. I think we do that better than every other party and we are really committed to that which is why I decided to stand for the Greens.

In your opinion, what are the biggest issues facing New Zealand today?

I think the big one is the cost of living crisis and just the fact that it is a real struggle for people right now when they get to the checkout at the supermarket or when they’re paying their rent or getting on the bus. Costs are just through the roof. The cost of surviving at the moment is just insane but our party does have a really good tax policy that looks at alleviating the pain that a lot of people are feeling right now in terms of that issue. Second, another really important issue would be climate change and the fact that we need bold climate action this decade in order to prevent irreversible catastrophic climate change. I think that is the other major issue in New Zealand at the moment. We have got some really good policies that seek to use the tools available to us to solve those issues. We have put those policies out there and they have gained quite a bit of support.

What are the biggest issues facing the youth of New Zealand?

I think for people who are still in primary or secondary school, they’re not getting the best education. I think our education system is under enormous strain and our teachers are under enormous strain. That is a really big issue. Also, the amount of kids that go to school hungry is a massive issue. Mental health, I think, is a massive issue and just the lack of civics education in schools. And then for independent young people who are not living at home anymore, it is just affordability, the cost of living crisis, the cost of rent, the quality of the rental housing and concerns about climate change. Also, the housing crisis is also a massive issue and the fact that it is becoming a lot harder for our generation to own a home. So, I think there are quite a lot of issues affecting young people. It depends on your situation, where you come from and what resources you have access to but, overall, I think those are the key issues that I have heard about here in Wellington from our young people.

Getting young people involved in politics and voting has long been an issue - why do you think it is important for young people to not only vote but educate themselves about who and what they are voting for?

Voting in elections has really long term consequences and this election, in particular, is going to be one of the most defining elections of our lifetimes. Basically, we are at a crossroads where we have to decide whether we keep going with taking really bold climate action and whether we have any hope to meet our climate goals. Also, in terms of the cost of living crisis, this is a really defining moment. We are deciding whether we will give families in New Zealand everything that they need to thrive or whether we will continue to cater to the rich minority in New Zealand who currently dominate the policies of parties like National and ACT. So, it is a very defining election. You might now care right now but whatever is decided on October 14th really is going to have massive implications for our entire lifetimes. I just would ask people to think of the future and to do their due diligence. All the other generations will be voting, so it is important that we vote for our futures and that we stand up for the future that we want because no one else is going to do that for us.

How would you sum up what your party stands for a young person?

If you care about the planet and if you care about every family having everything that they need as well as good public services, quality education, quality healthcare systems, good transport, and safe and affordable housing, then you should vote green because those are the things that we stand for.

What are the top three policies your party is focussing on this election?

We have got a range of policies and there is no official ranking to them. Personally, I think my top three would be, one, our tax and income guarantee policy, which looks at taxing the rich and redistributing that money throughout society so that we have good quality systems and so that families/people have more money to spend each week. That would have good impacts for the economy but also for those families themselves. Number two would be our pledge to renters which is about making sure that rental housing in New Zealand is warm, safe, dry and affordable. It looks at things like rent controls and a rental warrant of fitness which looks at the quality of rental housing. The third policy would be our universal dental health care policy, where we use our wealth tax proposal to fund free dental care for everybody in New Zealand. This is something that is done in other countries and it has awesome health effects. This will really impact the cost of living. Currently, about 40% of New Zealanders can’t afford it and that is a very high proportion.

Have you got any policies that are focussed on youth issues? If so, what are they?

If you have a look at our campaign manifesto online you will find all of our policies. But, we have got a whole range of policies for children and youth that prioritise mental health services and making sure that people have access to good education and good cultural connection for young people. We also support ‘Make it 16’ and ensuring that the voice of young people is represented in Parliament. Another important policy we have is the free lunches at all schools which will make a big difference. It is hard to say just one policy because we have basically written young people into all of our policies across all areas, but, one that will make a big difference is our universal student allowance policy which means that every student in tertiary education will get an income of $385 per week. This is really important because at the moment only 20% of tertiary students get the student allowance which makes a big difference in people's lives. But I would say that is probably the most important youth policy.

Is there anything you, in particular, are campaigning for this election?

I am supporting all of the Greens policies but the priority for Wellington Central, where I am standing, is building more affordable and public housing. That is the priority because lots of people, like our teachers, our nurses, our bus drivers, they can’t afford to live in Wellington. We need to build tens of thousands more public housing here in Wellington.

Do you have any plans in place to engage and involve young people in the political decision-making process?

Yes, I think extending the voting age [to 16] would make a big difference because it means that there will be better civics education in schools because obviously, 16 year olds are still in secondary school and so they’ll want to be informed which will lead to more civics education which would be awesome. We have a lot of young people standing in our party. Our youngest candidate is 21, I believe, Gina Dao McLay, and obviously, we also have got Chloe Swarbrick who entered Parliament as a 23 year old. We have to make the system accessible for young people and through allowing them to vote, and also through better civics education, but also having young people standing in our parties, this reflects the fact that we value the voice of young people and our ability to advocate for ourselves and represent ourselves.

Do you think the voting age should be lowered to 16? Why or why not?

Yes, we have always supported making the voting age 16, as a party. I support it because I think 16 year olds are switched on. They know what they are talking about, they pay tax. There are a whole bunch of ways that 16 year olds are treated as adults in this country, so, for consistency, I think we should also allow them the opportunity to choose who represents them.

Why should those under the age of 18 still take an interest in politics?

Because it is their future and the decisions that politicians make have massive implications for the future and our ability to survive on this planet. It just has massive implications. And voting is really important. Obviously, I am supportive of extending the voting age to 16, but it’s not the only way to get involved. I have got lots of people under 18 volunteering for my campaign at the moment who are talking to hundreds of people every week and getting them to vote Green. So, there are lots of different ways that you can get involved before you are able to vote.

How will you ensure that the voices of young voters are heard and represented in government?

By being in the community, by going along to the rallies and protests like the School Strike for Climate. Also, always being available to talk to young people. I spend quite a lot of time going into high schools and talking to them about what the City Council does. I have got good relationships with young people in Wellington, and I have got a lot of young people helping out with my campaign. So, just being on the ground, being in the community and listening to the things and solutions that young people want.

Can you describe your vision for the country's future?

It is a future where we value and protect the people and the planet.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind in terms of empowering the youth and strengthening democracy?

I hope that people see that I was 22 when I started as city councillor and I hope that people see that age is just your age and that we deserve to be represented around the decision making tables. As young people, you should never be afraid to put yourself out there and do and say what needs to be done.

All major New Zealand political parties were invited to take part in this interview series. Those not represented chose not to respond.