Letters to Editor: Smaller parties add value

Smaller parties do add value to Govt

I am not entirely sure what John Denton means by "a mongrel of a Parliament" (Voting system gives us lots of dead wood 2/1/12). With respect, the Greens and NZ First do have a constituency - the 17.65 per cent of voters who cast their votes for either party at the last general election.

While I agree that list MPs have not been elected by a specific geographical electorate, it is tiring to hear of list MPs being described as unelected when clearly they have been.

Contrary to Mr Denton's views list MPs can, and do, work just as effectively as electorate MPs. Some MPs are very effective and some are just there to eat their lunch.

It says a lot about how well Mr Denton understands the political landscape in New Zealand when he describes Act, Alliance and United Future as irrelevant. All these parties have at one point formed part of a government and even do so now. The National Party would not have been able to form a government this term without the assistance of Act and United Future.

Mr Denton also seems to forget that MPs do more than make up numbers.

A key part of our parliamentary system is select committees and unless Mr Denton wants every piece of legislation passed under urgency then we need at least the 120 MPs we currently have.

Lets also not forget that unlike say Australia we are not paying for state politicians or a separate senate. It would be fair to say that if we were to compare apples with apples, New Zealand's representatives come quite cheap.

Paul Bailey, Napier

Diversity of views

Unlike Mr Denton (letters January 2), 56 per cent of New Zealanders recently enthusiastically supported MMP.

Perhaps Mr Denton could direct his energy to contributing to the review to make MMP even better.

MPs draw their support from the nation as a whole, not just from individual electorates.

I have some knowledge of the Green Party MPs. Once elected, they work extremely hard, each taking responsibility for several portfolios, scrutinising legislation and participating actively in the select committees.

It is here that the key work is done to improve legislation and we need 120 MPs for the select committee process to work well.

Green MPs also prepare bills, some of which make it into law.

In the previous term, this encouraged Parliament to debate important subjects such as climate change, poverty, foreign ownership of land, marine animal protection, and food safety.

I for one rejoice that we have a diversity of views in Parliament and look forward to robust debate on the serious issues facing the country.

Margaret Gwynn, Napier