Helen Clark. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Prime Minister Helen Clark is not sure people want a referendum on MMP.
She said a review of MMP had been done, as promised when legislation setting up the voting system was passed.
That review had attracted "virtually no submissions," she told Breakfast TV today.
The select committee
had recommended no further action be taken.
"I tell you what this statement from the National Party says to me, they are not prepared to work with other parties in the spirit of MMP. I like to think that as prime minister I've helped make the MMP system work.
"Many more parties are part of the decision-making process. That's a good thing. Who wants to go back to the days of Robert Muldoon when no one got a say except a majority government?"
National Leader John Key said yesterday his party would honour its previous commitments and hold a referendum on MMP, if it was elected to Government.
The referendum had been in the party's 2002 and 2005 election policies, and it would be the same this time around, Mr Key said.
This would initially lead to a referendum in 2011 asking whether voters were satisfied with MMP.
If they were happy with the current electoral system that would be end of the matter, if they were not a second referendum would be held at a later date asking what system voters would like.
Mr Key said his personal view was that it was unlikely New Zealand would go back to first-past-the-post.
"I think New Zealanders like some proportionality in the scheme. But I don't know if they want to stay with MMP."
National had received a lot of feedback from people who were unhappy they had not had the right to have a second look at the electoral system.
Mr Key said people had been promised a referendum and they should get one.
MMP was introduced in 1996 after a two-stage referendum and more than a decade of debate.
Helen Clark said a clause had been put in legislation, that was passed before the 1996 election, for a review after two MMP elections which was carried out after the 1996 and 1999 elections.
- NZPA
