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New Zealand Parliament
MMP review graphic.

MMP Review, Electoral Commission.
Information
Date:
17 May 2012
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Have your say on the MMP review

Time is running out to have a say on the way New Zealand’s voting system works, with the first round of public submissions closing on 31 May.

The review of the MMP (mixed member proportional) voting system was triggered by the majority of voters choosing in the referendum held last year to keep MMP as New Zealand’s voting system. As a result, the Electoral Commission is now carrying out an independent review of MMP.

Any member of the public can make a submission on the review, as an individual or representing a group. Submissions can be made online, by email, or by post. For more information or to make a submission call 0800 36 76 56 or visit the MMP Review website (see related link on this page). Information is available in English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language, Tongan, Samoan, Chinese and Korean.

The Electoral Referendum Act 2010 sets out the issues the commission must consider in the review. These are:

  • What thresholds parties should have to cross to qualify for an allocation of list seats in Parliament
  • Whether list MPs should be able to stand as candidates in a by-election
  • Whether a person should be able to stand as a candidate for an electorate seat and on a party list
  • Whether voters or political parties should decide the order of candidates on a party list
  • What should happen when a party wins more electorate seats than it would be entitled to under its share of the party vote
  • The effects of population growth on the ratio of electorate seats to list seats.

The commission can also consider other issues, as long as they relate directly to the way MMP works. Parliament has excluded Māori representation and the number of Members of Parliament from the review.

Once submissions close, the commission will develop a set of proposals, taking into account the information and views presented in submissions and from the public hearings. These will be released as a Proposal Paper in August, and the public will again be invited to comment. The final report will be presented to the Minister of Justice at the end of October.