NZ Centre for Political Research

958,000 votes for National . . .

The new Conservative Party picked up 55,000 votes or 2.76 percent of the Party vote,
but because it failed to win an electorate seat, those votes were wasted and re-allocated
to the other parties.

Almost half of the population voted for National, but due to the vagaries of MMP, John Key
still needs coalition partners to enable him to govern. The numbers of crucial party votes tell
the story of this 2011 General Election:

* 958,000 votes for National gave 47.99 percent and 60 seats in Parliament
* 541,000 votes for Labour gave 27.13 percent and 34 seats
* 212,000 votes for the Greens gave 10.62 percent and 13 seats
* 136,000 votes for NZ First gave 6.81 percent and 8 seats
* 27,000 votes for the Maori Party gave 1.35 percent and 3 seats
* 21,000 votes for ACT gave 1.07 percent and 1 seat
* 20,000 votes for Mana gave 1 percent and 1 seat
* 12,000 votes for United Future gave 0.6 percent and 1 seat in Parliament

The new Conservative Party picked up 55,000 votes or 2.76 percent of the Party vote,
but because it failed to win an electorate seat, those votes were wasted and re-allocated
to the other parties.

This week's poll asks:

Are you happy with New Zealand’s present MMP voting system?

*MMP has caused parliament to become just a big inneficient committee. Colin

*I believe it is generally agreed that MMP was brought in as a reaction by many voters to the excesses of executive power by the Muldoon government. Ironically the result has been to give added influence, if not to the Executive, then at least to the party machines which back up the parliamentary members who occupy the executives offices at any particular time. We have retreated away from the traditional system of representative democracy carried out by mps who owe their loyalty to their electorates as much as the party they represent. It is a fine balancing act, but MMP (admittedly not soley) has weighted the balance to a style of professional politician who owes his/her career prospects to the party machine. FPP has imperfections as all choices inevitably have too. We do make too much, I believe of counting votes and measuring 'fairness' but the option of PV 'tips it hat' at proportionality (fairness) without getting too carried away. And its virtue to my point of view, is that it retains (along with FPP) the closest link to communities knowing their local candidates and being able to ...send their representative to 'represent them in Wellington'....rather than to have some semi professional politician who 'represents Wellington to the electorate.'..and who holds a much closer allegience to his/her party than the electorate. Ross

*Definatly not let the MPs earn their positions. Clark

*It results in a disproportionate power being vested in the minor parties; wags tailing the dog.
It leads to weak, compromise government; camel design committees.
It leads to unstable government when strong stability is needed.
It gives rise to too many MPs - far more than are needed to govern 4.3 M people ( or being impolite - "sheeple").
However, the sheeple regard it as "fair"; thus all must be well in the world? Dave

*It usually means the country keeps to a fairly center path without the big swings you get with first past the post. Bryan

*Undemocratic. Albie

*Regardless of what voting system we eventually end up with a vote for MMP at this stage stops our right to a further bite at the electoral system 'apple'. Voting MMP this time effectively disenfranchises one self. How nutty is that? Yet the Change the System folks have screwed up their campaign to the extent that is almost a nonsense. Some PR firm needs firing! Regardless of what we end up with NZ SATILL needs a second Chamber of Review to keep the 'bastards honest'! We have effectively an elected dictatorship with FPP and PV and the tail wagging the dog with MMP, STV, and SM. Especially so when now BOTH Labour and National choose list members in smoke filled rooms. Vale democracy in NZ! Peter

This week's poll asks:

Are you happy with New Zealand’s present MMP voting system?

*This referendum is clearly a jack-up to best suit the interests of the MPs themselves, to maximise their power and limiting our power as voters. Frank

*Brought in unfairly - manipulated by Bolger. There should never be MPs who are not elected directly. Ronald

*No. MMP has to go....far to many instances of the tail wagging the dog. NZ has gone dramatically backwards since the advent of MMP. In my view FPP is the only way to go but must incorporate some form of direct democracy to keep the pollies honest. If we already had this system no way would Key and his little toady, Finlayson have got away with all they have, to present NZ to Maori Elite on a plate. Ronmac

*I want to go back to first past post. Didn't vote for MMP and it's just as I thought it would be. Far too many politicians and far too many useless has beens. Just can't get rid of the useless, deadwood layabouts. Chris

*But I'm also not happy that the Maori seats have been entrenched. The whole review is a farce, an illusion that the voters are really being given true choice for reform. John

*We haven't matured enough as an electorate. We still have the win at all costs mentality. Under MMP it is a case of the tail wagging the dog. People with no electorate mandate determining policy, see smaching bill and ETS debarcales. If we had true MMP their would be parties but no Prime Minister, a national leader would be elected on a separate ballot. No collistions, No party jumping and no list MP's. Only then, maybe, it would a true democracy of govt for the people and by the people, instead of what we currently have now of hidden agendas, back room deals and favours for mates. Wendy

*MMP is a shambles - it gives minority parties the power to impose they're crack-pot agenda. Ron

*I despise the idea of list MPs.And the deals that get done-eg our govt on its knees to sharples and turia. Barry

*No complaints--seems to work well to me. James

*Too much say for minor parties. They are able to "trade" with the major party and gain favours i.e. Ownership of the whole coastline by the greedy maoris. Not something that NZ wants. Neil

*I believe in a fair representation of different groups, but I want every MP an elected MP, not just a party hack. Ted

*MMP is the only system of voting that gives every New Zealander (almost) a representative in parliament. Brian

*Just a venue for someone to poke their snouts in the public trough. Sam

*Not 100% happy - it could do with considerable fine-tuning, but at least it's better than the previous system which provided successive minority governments, all of which assumed that by winning enough seats they were entitled to enact their entire agendas without serious debate or consultation with the electorate. John

*Need SM. Graeme

*No. Too many list MPs that no one voted for. And especially tired of the tail (minor parties) wagging the dog. Sheila

*With the exception that people who are not voted in to a seat but come thru on the coat tails of an elected member is I believe wrong. As these list members are also able to be in the caucus of the government after the election.Only standing members in an electorate should be eligible for these appointments. You only have to look at some of the absolute morons there are on Party Lists. Tinkerbell et al.The damage wrought by this bloke will haunt NZ for many years to come. Wiremu

*Tired of minor two-bit parties holding the balance of power with no electoral mandate. Time to return to FPP. Kieron

*Too many tails wagging the dog. Desmond

*Too many people appointed into parliament off a list - jobs for your mates, leads to poor decisions. The Maori seats should be abolished. Murray

*It could do with some minor tweaking, but overall MMP is a good system. Fair representation is the basis of democracy. Rob

*If the MMP system is retained there need to be a massive overhaul. Jenny

*List MPs are worse than the dole bludgers. Murray

This week's poll asks:

Are you happy with New Zealand’s present MMP voting system?

*I think the fairest system is STV. I call MMP Mickey Mouse Party. STV-Sensible Thinking Voters! Elsie

*It has way too many NON-elected MPs - the list MPs. We cannot vote them out and they cause devastation if they present unpopular/unwanted bills. Take for instance the Foreshore and Seabeds act; then the "anti-smacking" bill. Here's a thought - perhaps elected MPs like Ministers of the Crown want to put through what they know is going to have much public disapproval - they get a list MP to introduce or push the bill - then they sit back and are confident they are not "personally" responsible, thus avoiding endangering their chances at the ballot box! - just a possibility do you think? Rod

*I am fed up with people getting into Parliament via a Party List. Every parliamentarian must be scrutinised by the public prior to them entering Parliament. If not, then Democracy is deafeated. There is nothing democratic about the narcissistic process used by the Party heirachy. Dianna

*Too many MPs in parliament which are not elected by the people and they are not accountable to the people. Think of the savings with less MPs. Judith

*MMP is too separatist, FPP is our only hope of returning things to how they used to be as all MPs need to be directly voted for by the people. George

*NZ was conned into this extremely bad system. It needs to be scrapped. Brian

*I am very unhappy with having unaccountable, unelected list MPs so overly influential in the House of "Representatives". Gordon

*It's the National party currently which is allowing it to be perverted. Tony

*Represents a majority of population fairly. Ron

*Think MMP will get back in. FPP was a shambles and presume the other styles are no better. Better the devil you know than the one yu don't know. MMP has a lot faceless persons who get on the party lists by climbing on someone elses back because they can't shape up themselves. Rex

*List members are selected by Political Parties not the Electors. Consequently we get landed with some unsatisfactory and incompetent people who would otherwise not gain their position by votes and create too many members. Peter

*No I am not happy with MMP. It is a joke. It allows unelected (list) persons to be in Parliament. I prefer PV which has no list members and is a very fair system. Frank

*I have voted no to the question, however in saying that the thought of just one major party running the country unchecked scares the heck out of me too! I judge a political party and the individuals by their actions - not by their words and when I look at the two faced, self serving, UN pandering bunch we are paying to be in their political position, I wonder what hope ANY of us have under any one system. Just as a foot note, I recommend a refresher read of the following article by Muriel http://www.nzcpr.com/weekly288.htm Trina

This week's poll asks:

Are you happy with New Zealand’s present MMP voting system?

*Definitely not but it looks like it is going to be hard to get rid of as it keeps getting talked around and deferred. Clark

*The voters will probably elect to retain the MMP voting system. We are then offered as part of the bribe that the MMP system will be reviewed to reflect more what the people want. However this does not allow any change in either the number of MPs or the retention of maori seats. Who decided this and why should we allow them to treat the voters like this. John

*It is time for a change John

*We need Binding Citizens Initiated Referenda. Robert

*Definately not 'cos it is unfair. Last election NZ First scored around 4% of the party vote because their leader was not elected. However, parties like Act, United Future, etc on gor around 2% but got into parliament because their leader was voted in . Also members get into parliament who were not elected by the populus. I'll be voting for change. Arthur

*Any voting system which uses more than one vote will be adjusted and /or changed by M.Ps. Change to F.P.P. Malcolm

*The minor parties have become too powerful, the tail wagging the dog. Glenn

*Too many accommodations required. Catherine

*I admit that I was happy at the start. A chance for smaller Parties to be represented in Parliament. A chance to bring in people of competence and integrity as List MPs who would make a contribution in their areas of expertise.
I should have known better. We have had stitched up deals and unmandated and unwelcome legislation imposed on us.
Pandering to Maori for political support. So I've changed my mind. On Election Day I'm voting for STV. Yes I know. The politicians will try to screw this system up as well but at least we'll be rid of the Party List. Denis

*"Complicate things and the public will ignore it" - David Turner 2011. David

*Too much power to radical lefties. It has been disastrous for NZ. Graeme

*This system has created the situation where Governments pander to radical minorities and pass laws that the majority of the public do not agree with. Kerry

*We do not need the large amount of politicians currently in parliament. Only one per electorate is sufficient. Graham

*Small parties have too much say. Virtually controlling the system. Rick

*I am not in agreement with people being in our parliament that have not been voted in there. Thet is very undemocratic. In fact I would love to go back to First Past the Post to stop all the geremandering that goes on at election time. Laraine

*Far too much time and money wasted on trying to placate those wanting a slice of the pie. Mel

*NO & NO again. It is a disaster inthat it does not allow an elected government to govern decisively but make comptomises with, often, radical coalition partners. Jim

*STV sounds fairest to me. Eneka

*M.M.P. was forced on Germany after WW2 to so as to prevent eny kind of strong government. Norman

*I will vote to keep MMP but it needs to be modified. K

*I already voted to retain MMP and left the other options open. I urge everybody to do the same who wants MMP to be retained. Do NOT indicate any other option. EJ

*MMP allows non-elected polititions to be given a well paid job, when no one wants them in Parliament, and they shouldn't even be there! I wish it was that easy for me to get a job! Jayne

*The minor parties have too much power / leverage as coalition partners. David

*Too much manipulation of peoples voting rights by politicians. Ron

*We need a system where the tail is not able to wag the dog. John

*Of the 5 voting options in the referendum this weekend it is the weakest from a true democratic perspective. Preferential Voting would be the most democratic, but would have been better without 120 electorates. Martin

*The tail is wagging the dog in this MMP system. Anne

*Because it allows unelected people to be in Parliament. Paul

*Never wanted MMP from the start. Didn't want an enlarged parliament which MMP brought us, together with MP's who were not actually elected by the people. We have too many MP's and can't afford them - we are a comparatively small population. Dorothy

*I am strongly opposed to the "back room Boys" appointing MP's to rule the country. Keith

*Providing it is amended. Make up the party lists AFTER the election. First on the list is the failed candidate who achieved the highest percentage of votes of his party,in an electorate, and so on. If (s)he doesn't get votes, (s)he DOESN'T get into Parliament. Geoffrey

*It leads to the situation where the tail wags the dog. Minor parties get too much say in a coalition and destroy some of the major planks espoused by the major parties. And one other point is where voters do not like a candidate and reject that person in his/her electorate but because of the way he/she is ranked they come back because of their ranking. George

*Too much power is placed in the hands of minority groups. John

*So many different views that nothing substantial ever gets done properly. David

*A system created by politicians for politicians. Maurice