Media Release: Keep MMP
Monday 5 December, 2011

Public’s views on MMP must be heard and addressed

MMP supporters say they will honour a promise made during the campaign to help the public take part in the fine tuning of MMP, and are calling for the Electoral Commission to lead a deeper discussion than that announced today.

“During our campaign, lots of people told us that they wanted MMP, but with some modifications,” Keep MMP spokesperson Sandra Grey said.

“The last time we had a thorough look at MMP’s workings was in 1986. 25 years later, we need to make sure this review of MMP as effective as possible.”

Sandra Grey said that the Electoral Commission could be more proactive than simply calling for submissions and holding hearings, and should think about going out into existing community groups to get a wide range of perspectives on MMP.

“We campaigned hard over the past two years for people to vote to keep MMP and trigger the review.”

“It is crucial that the views of the public expressed during the campaign to keep MMP are heard and addressed before the 2014 election. Voters must not just leave it to politicians to make changes that suit them.”

“Clearly the threshold for parties to enter Parliament is an area that needs proper consideration and changes made.”

“And my own view is that there would be strong public support for the Prime Minister’s suggestion yesterday of a ‘waka jumping’ rule, to protect the integrity of the party list,” Sandra Grey said.

She said while her group had yet to settle on firm views on any changes to MMP, focusing all its effort on making sure the system was retained at the referendum, they would work hard to safeguard MMP’s proportionality during the review.

“MMP has been returned by popular vote, and changes to it need to respect the key aspect of why it is popular – that everyone’s votes count equally.”

Ends.

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