In the 2011 Referendum on the Voting System, held in conjunction with the General Election on 26 November, the majority of voters chose to keep MMP as New Zealand’s voting system.
This triggered an independent review of MMP, conducted by the Electoral Commission, in which all of us can have our say on any changes we’d like to see made to the way MMP works.
TODAY (5 April) is the deadline for submissions for those wanting to present in person to the Commission. Submissions must be lodged with the Commission by midnight on 5 April.
You can make a quick submission. Or you can make a full submission. To make a quick submission, all you have to write is, e.g.,
I believe that to achieve better representation the MMP threshold should be lowered to 2.5%.
Let’s give freedom-friendly parties such as the ALCP and the Libz a better chance next time. And dissuade people from committing “the ends justify the means” atrocities such as “strategically voting” for John Banks to get Don Brash into Parliament.
In the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
What you are about to do, do quickly (John 13:27)
Okay, so that was quoted totally out of context. Never mind. Just SUBMIT! DO IT NOW!
Done.
Done
I think Richards suggestion 0f 2.5% is a prudent threshold. It is a vast improvement on 5%. It will encourage more people to consider giving small parties their vote, while still limiting Democracy to a certain extent. This is all Arbitrary stuff. what really matters are the constitutional restraints, yet we need to get some Libertarians in the door to kickstart the drive for Freedom from Nanny State.
Thankyou for your submission, it will be available online shortly.
In the mean time feel free to look at others’ submissions
http://www.mmpreview.org.nz/have-your-say/submissions-received
Regards
MMP Review
http://www.mmpreview.org.nz/
This is my submission (submitted 4th May):
Should the 5% threshold be kept or changed? Why? If you recommend change, what should it be and why?:
Lower the threshold to 3%. New Zealand has had enough of the wasted votes! 5% is too high, just as the original Electoral Commission report stated back in 1993 and the government did not take that into account. It’s time to listen to the people. It is not a properly representative Democracy with a threshold as high as 5%. Many parties who have several thousand votes and have received this number for years are still not allowed representation. Instead, “zombie” MPs return. People like Winston Peters, who have been kicked out of Parliament, are returning again and again as list MPs. NZ will not be able to move forward politically until these MPs who NZ has shown are no longer useful stay out of Parliament.
Should dual candidacy be kept? If so, why?:
Dual candidacy is not something that should continue. If a candidate gets kicked out of Parliament, or does not receive enough votes, then that is the will of the people. Winston Peters has resurrected many times, as well as many others. In Japan these electorate to list MPs are known as “zombie” MPs for a reason. They are resurrected, but not wanted.
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