Keep MMP campaign launches in Auckland today

The campaign to keep the MMP voting system launches in Auckland today, at an event at 11am in the Wynyard Quarter.

Keep MMP spokesperson Sandra Grey said the group was looking forward to spending the next few weeks talking about the benefits of MMP, as focus on the November 26 referendum sharpened.

“We can expect a lot of myths about MMP to be touted about over the next few weeks but the facts speak for themselves,” she said.

“MMP is the fairest system on offer, where everyone's votes count equally no matter where they live. It has delivered stable governments of the left and right and we have had greater accountability to voters.

"Other systems on offer like First Past the Post mean hundreds of thousands of votes don’t count. Like the votes of a National Party supporter in a safe Labour area, Labour supporters in National areas, and supporters of smaller parties also.”

Sandra Grey said her group had been active since the start of 2010, and throughout this time hadn’t detected a mood to change the voting system, but rather a desire to revise aspects of it.

“Most people support MMP or a modified version of it. A full review of MMP means we can modernise our voting system, without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”

Sandra Grey said recent polling had indicated combined support among both backers of MMP and backers of a modified MMP was around 60 per cent, and her group was committed to making sure voters understood how to achieve a modified MMP this referendum.

“It’s important that not only supporters of MMP, but supporters of MMP with some tweaks, vote to keep MMP this November to trigger the review, iron out a few wrinkles and make a good system even better.”

Sandra Grey said today’s launch was the culmination of two years of community outreach by the group, and she was proud to be working with hundreds of people across the country who support MMP.

Tomorrow was a nationwide MMP Day, she said, where Keep MMP regional groups from Whangarei to Dunedin are holding local campaign events.

*Details of the launch event*:

Pescado http://www.northwharf.co.nz/Eateries/Pescado.aspx?id=11 , North Wharf, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland. 11am-12pm, Friday October 28. Keep MMP’s three spokespeople Sandra Grey, Philip Temple and Lewis Holden will be available for interview at Friday’s launch, and singer Don McGlashan will perform. On-the-day media contact in Auckland: Beth Houston, on (027) 384-2272. Venue details: http://www.northwharf.co.nz/Eateries/Pescado.aspx?id=11

*About Keep MMP:*

Keep MMP has been active since 2010, mobilising public support for retaining MMP at this year’s referendum.

In 2010 we focused on getting robust legislation in place governing the referendum, building our regional groups and fundraising for a paid coordinator.

This year we have focused on community outreach, distributing several print runs of leaflets, speaking to groups, campaigning online, and more recently, erecting hoardings and a national poster run. Former All Black captain Anton Oliver recently joined the campaign to keep MMP http://campaignformmp.org.nz/video/anton-oliver-mmp .

More information about our group is here: http://keepmmp.org.nz

© Scoop Media