Opinion Poll Shows Strong Support For Referendum On MMP

More than two out of three New Zealanders (68%) want a referendum to be held on the future of the MMP voting system, according to an independent nationwide opinion poll commissioned by Auckland journalist and author Graeme Hunt.

The poll, conducted between August 2 and August 6 by UMR Research, gives the mixed-member proportional system a slight lead over first past the post (42% to 39%) with 15% of respondents unsure which system to back. Thirty-two per cent say MMP has had a positive impact on New Zealand compared with 19% who say it has been negative. Forty- three per cent of those polled have a neutral opinion on MMP.

Mr Hunt, a long-time opponent of MMP, said the poll was the surest indication yet that New Zealanders wanted another say on the voting system.

"After four elections under MMP, fewer than one in three electors considers MMP to be positive," he said. "I have no doubt that if a poll were held today a majority of New Zealanders would vote for change."

He said he expected support for his preferred option, first past the post, would increase in the run-up to a referendum.

"At the end of the day, the most important issue is to give the electors a choice. People thought there would be a referendum on the voting system down the track but electoral law doesn't provide for that.

"If New Zealand ended up with a supplementary member system - - say 80 MPs elected by first past the post with 20 elected proportionally - - or preferential voting as exists in Australia, then many first past the post supporters would be perfectly happy.

"What New Zealanders are unhappy with is the power MMP grants to small parties which are unable to win constituency seats. They don't want to see the tail wagging the dog as happened over the anti-smacking debate."

Mr Hunt said small parties had an important role in New Zealand politics and it was possible to provide for a degree of proportionality in a majoritarian voting system.

The poll is based on a nationally representative sample of 750 people aged 18 and over. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.6%. Details of the poll are attached.

Graeme Hunt is the author of Why MMP Must Go: The Case for Ditching the Electoral Disaster of the Century which was published in 1998.

ENDS

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