Final MMP report tabled, recommends major changes
Commission wants party vote threshold lowered to 4% and overhang abolished - threatening the viability of parties like ACT who hope to win a single electorate then get list MPs in on coat-tails.
Justice Minister Judith Collins tabled the Electoral Commission’s final report on the MMP voting system in Parliament today.
The Commission conducted the independent review following last November’s referendum on the voting system, in which the majority of voters chose to keep MMP.
The Commission released a list of possible changes in August, and received more than 1000 submissions on the proposals.
In its final report the Electoral Commission has recommended several changes to the MMP system. The main recommendations are:
• lowering the party threshold to 4%- but that this be statutorily reviewed by the Commission after three General Elections
• abolishing the one electorate seat threshold
• abolishing the provision for overhang seats, and
• that Parliament consider fixing the percentage ratio of electorate to list seats at 60:40.
If implemented, the recommendations would change the face of MMP, and threaten the viability of parties like ACT who hope to win a single electorate then get list MPs in on coat-tails.
However, National has been opaque about how it will react to the report, which is non-binding.
NBR staff
Mon, 05 Nov 2012
Mon, 05 Nov 2012
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Final MMP report tabled, recommends major changes
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