mmp Archive

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  MMP makes every vote count equally - by frog

  
  
  
  In this week’s Listener, Jon Johansson, sets out a few good reasons why NZ should reconsider before getting rid of MMP or to quote Jon – “putting [our] proud democratic tradition to the test.” For a start, under MMP more of our voices can be seen and heard in Parliament: …it is indisputable that MMP [...] read more
  September 22, 2009 11:06 am - 59 Comments
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  What’s up and wrong with the Supplementary Member System - by frog

  
  
  
  Image by Lyndon Hood Just when we have started to get our heads around MMP, people are now kicking around the supplementary member electoral system (SM) as an alternative (Key and the anti-MMP campaigners seem to like it). So what’s wrong with SM? The amount of votes you get does not determine the number of [...] read more
  September 9, 2009 1:10 pm - 60 Comments
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  Launch of anti-MMP moves selectively leaked - by frog

  
  
  
  According to NZ Herald Columnist Fran O’Sullivan the issue of a referendum on MMP was discussed at cabinet on Monday 31 August 2009.   Yesterday Ms O’Sullivan informed Newstalk ZB drive time host Larry Williams of how this information was conveyed to her – presumably by Mr Key – and how the parliamentary press gallery was [...] read more
  September 8, 2009 6:35 pm - 47 Comments
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  Jeanette replies to Gordon Campbell - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  [Jeanette is writing in response to Gordon's recent article in the Wellingtonian] MMP is obviously rough on journalists who can’t conceive of anything other than a 2-party system. But the country has had MMP for 15 years now and it’s time to catch up. I can’t imagine anyone is under any illusion, after our fight [...] read more
  May 19, 2009 7:01 am - 21 Comments
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  Captain Capitalism’s alternative to MMP - by frog

  
  
  
  This cartoon is slightly out of date now, except as a tidy explanation of the benefits of two party first past the post presidential style elections so favoured by opponents of MMP. There is more relevant Christmas themed Captain Capitalism here. read more
  November 19, 2008 1:09 pm - 1 Comment
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  The money or the bag? - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday’s Herald has John Key on MMP: Key says the referendum on MMP will be held in two parts – a binding plebiscite on election day 2011 on whether MMP should be retained or ditched, and a second binding plebiscite on what might replace it. This list, he indicated, could include first-past-the-post (the predecessor of [...] read more
  November 10, 2008 1:25 pm - 6 Comments
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  Garth George accidentally endorses MMP - by frog

  
  
  
  Does anyone understand Garth George in the Herald today? He concludes: As for me, both my ticks on Saturday will go to National. Thus do I vote against both Labour and MMP. Ok, so no surprise he’s not fond of MMP, except that he notes earlier: The Greens have earned a presence in Parliament… And: [...] read more
  November 6, 2008 11:13 am - 3 Comments
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  Counting your vote - by frog

  
  
  
  Slate has a complicated mathematical piece trying to explain to Americans why their vote really does count even though it seems pointless in among the tens of millions of votes that will have no effect at all on the race to the White House.  The end result seems to be you should vote in the [...] read more
  November 1, 2008 8:16 am - 16 Comments
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  Nelson goes Green - by frog

  
  
  
  Spotted in Nelson this morning: Russel was also in Nelson this morning. Is that him under all that fur, taking a break from being the face of the campaign?  It looks like his satchel to the left of the photo, but I suspect he’s more likely in the caravan having a cuppa tea. Meanwhile the [...] read more
  October 30, 2008 3:27 pm - 8 Comments
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  The biggest party with the biggest misconception - by frog

  
  
  
  Brian Rudman sets National straight today on its misconception that being the biggest party automatically gives it a moral mandate to govern, even if more people voted for it not to be in government: The sniping about MMP is a smokescreen for the critics’ inability to adjust to the new rules. They’re talking horse racing [...] read more
  October 29, 2008 2:25 pm - 15 Comments
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  Who will it be? - by frog

  
  
  
  Triennially the question goes on to all the MMP parties: So who’s it going to be, who will you go with? This time, with the exception of the Maori Party, we pretty much know the answer, or will know the answer before the election for all of them.   But what we don’t know is [...] read more
  September 25, 2008 8:29 am - 53 Comments
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  It’s not winner take all - by frog

  
  
  
  There’s a misconception in some corners of political coverage that this election is ‘winner takes all. For instance yesterday Deborah Coddington writes: If Key keeps on smiling through personal attacks – and reassuring New Zealanders that, under his watch, this country won’t go belly up – National might win the election. Which, in these crazy [...] read more
  September 22, 2008 9:28 am - 11 Comments
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  Russel and Spanky from RDU talk Tug-o-War - by frog

  
  
  
  There’s a nice little interview here on Scoop where the RDU’s Spanky talks to Russel about the polls, MMP, ‘Sustainability’ Labour, open source and free software and the need for tug of war at the 2012 London Olympics. Photo credit: Here be Dragons read more
  August 30, 2008 8:36 am - 6 Comments
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  Peters is our First Past the Post hangover - by frog

  
  
  
  There have been a few grumblings that the Winston Peters funding scandal is the fault of MMP. John Nichols argued in the Herald on Friday: Winston Peters’ value to both Labour and National has become abundantly clear. Both parties are pulling their punches over the donations allegations for fear of alienating him as an ally [...] read more
  August 4, 2008 3:30 pm - 5 Comments
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  Reflecting the zeitgeist - by frog

  
  
  
  The Herald’s editorial on MMP concludes: Twelve years ago, MMP was this country’s answer to a widely recognised need. A change so soon thereafter would be justified only if it were failing to produce governments that voters could recognise as an expression of their collective will. Broadly, it has passed that test, the ultimate test [...] read more
  May 20, 2008 9:03 am - 22 Comments
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  What proportion of proportionality does Key want? - by frog

  
  
  
  So, John Key wants a referendum on MMP but still ‘personally favours some proportionality in the voting system.’ “I personally would be surprised if we went back to first past the post.” So what proportion of proportionality does he want? A few seats somewhere near the back of the chamber where diversity of view can [...] read more
  May 18, 2008 1:54 pm - 44 Comments
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  Winston’s credibility - by frog

  
  
  
  Like people from most corners of the political spectrum, defending Winston Peters doesn’t come naturally to me. But in this case I think he probably does deserve some support. Kiwiblog, Whale Oil, the Hive and others are all calling for Peters to resign following his announcement that NZ First will not be supporting the Preferential [...] read more
  April 9, 2008 8:15 am - 21 Comments
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  A sensible amendment to the Electoral Finance Act - by frog

  
  
  
  Another interesting question time today with Bill English asking the Minister of Justice about the authorisation requirements for election advertising and, in particular, giving the Green’s Proud to be Green billboards a bit of airtime on Parliamentary TV by waving round a photo of one of them. While I support the Electoral Finance Act as [...] read more
  March 20, 2008 3:54 pm - 24 Comments
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  Russel’s response to Helen Clark - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s Russel again, this time responding to the Prime Minister’s speech this morning. And Frog’s got a few questions for the Prime Minister: If the problem is the poverty caused by the 1991 Mother of All Budget cuts, why is the solution keeping young people in schools (or other forms of education) and a $9 [...] read more
  January 30, 2008 2:53 pm - 17 Comments
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  Maori Party voters should think Green - by frog

  
  
  
  Three weeks ago Prof. Whatarangi Winiata gave a speech to the Maori Party Hui a Tau outlining the important independent voice that the Maori Party has bought to parliament. There is no doubting as he asserts that the Maori Party does represent an important and previously unrepresented voice in parliament. So much so, that its [...] read more
  November 12, 2007 12:19 pm - 65 Comments