Editing Conscience vote (section)

===New Zealand===
In the [[New Zealand Parliament]], the [[Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives|Speaker]] decides if a vote will be a personal vote. They may do so after any MP requests it following a contested voice vote. The Speaker usually agrees to such a request, but not always. A personal vote differs from a party vote in that MPs must physically enter a lobby to vote on a motion, rather than a party's [[whip (politics)|whip]] calling out the votes on behalf of its MPs. Legislation that was treated as a conscience issue includes the [[Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986]], [[Prostitution Reform Act 2003]], [[Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007]], [[Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013]], [[End of Life Choice Act 2019]] and [[Abortion Legislation Act 2020]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/the-house/audio/2018670140/when-mps-go-with-their-gut-what-is-a-conscience-vote |title=When MPs go with their gut: what is a conscience vote? |publisher=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=13 November 2018 |access-date=13 November 2018}}</ref> The most common topic for conscience votes in New Zealand has been alcohol; a conscience vote relating to alcohol has happened every decade since the 1890s.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Flahive|first=Brad|date=2017-09-11|title=What is a conscience vote and why does it matter?|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/96715488/what-is-a-conscience-vote-and-why-does-it-matter |access-date=2020-10-20 |website=Stuff}}</ref>

In the case of a party vote, a party can decide to allow its members to vote differently from one another, in a split party vote. Thus individual parties can allow their members a conscience vote even when the Speaker has not declared a personal vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Conscience votes |date=19 October 2012 |url= https://www.parliament.nz/en/document/00NZPHomeNews20121019a1 |work=New Zealand Parliament |publisher= |access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref>