Editorial: This term is not time to review MMP

This is not the term to be considering revisions of the electoral system. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Editorial

The previous Government dealt rather perfunctorily with a statutory review of MMP. The Electoral Commission had recommended, among other things, abolishing the provision for parties to enter Parliament with less than 5 per cent of the vote if they win at least one electorate.

National's majority at that time depended on three parties that were in Parliament only by winning one or two electorate seats. The Government quickly decided not to act on the recommendations, announcing there was no majority for them in the House. Well, there is now. Labour, the Greens and NZ First might all happily vote to dispense with the "coat-tailing" provision, so called because winning a single electorate can allow more than one of a party's candidates into Parliament on the coat-tail of the electorate MP.

The Greens and NZ First have not won electorates in recent elections and have had to clear the 5 per cent threshold nationwide to remain in Parliament. The Government's survival will probably depend on one or both of them clearing the threshold at the next election. Conversely, National's prospects probably depend on Act or perhaps a new party winning an electorate and getting one or two list seats as well. Little wonder, then, that Peters is open to "revisiting" the 2012 MMP review when the suggestion is made to him. Little wonder, too, that Act's sole MP, David Seymour, thinks it is not a good idea.

Seymour contends the designers of MMP included the coat-tailing provision for good reason. They had to devise a system that would widen representation in Parliament without making it too hard to form governments. The 5 per cent threshold was set to limit representation and help government formation. The exemption from the threshold for parties that could win an electorate was a balancing provision to widen representation.

But it has not worked out that way. More often than not, the single-electorate winners, with or without coat-tail members, have enabled governments to be formed rather than widening representation appreciably. Seymour, Peter Dunne and two Maori Party MPs gave National a majority in its third term. Dunne and NZ First gave the previous Labour Government a majority in its third term. In both instances those with the balance of power gave their support to the party winning the most seats at the election. This is New Zealand's first government that excludes the winning party.

It is an outcome that has always been on the cards but it remains to be seen whether it proves satisfactory. This is a different sort of government than those the country is accustomed to. The leading party is less dominant, its coalition partner more assertive. The next election will be a plebiscite on this element of MMP. So far the coalition is holding together but the term has still two years to run. This is not the term to be considering revisions of the electoral system. Single electorate parties have helped provide strong and stable governments so far. They are a dimension of MMP that might be needed again.