Voter poll says 'no' to new and old

Photo / Daily Post

Kiwis are likely to vote for a change to the MMP system for electing MPs but still prefer it to the "first past the post" system it replaced, a survey reveals.

A nationwide survey of 2261 voters also found strong support for extending the period between general elections.

And it suggested many are unhappy that the MMP (mixed-member proportional) system enables politicians who couldn't win in electorates to get into Parliament off party lists.

New Zealanders will vote in a referendum coinciding with next year's general election on whether to keep or change MMP, which replaced first past the post (FPP) in 1996.

The Business Council for Sustainable Development's survey, issued today, shows more voters in favour of a change than wanting to retain the status quo.

Including undecided respondents who said they were leaning one way or another, 46.6 per cent were in favour of a change and 37.5 per cent wanted to keep MMP.

Just under 12 per cent remained undecided and 4 per cent said they would not vote.

The survey suggests New Zealanders prefer MMP to FPP, 38 per cent saying it was better and 29 per cent saying it was worse.

Those opting for FPP over MMP tended to be the elderly, the wealthy and people who voted National in 2008.

Voters liked the diversity MMP brought to politics, but showed strong disapproval of people "who might not have the qualities or experiences" that would enable them to win an electorate seat being elected to Parliament off a party list.

If next year's referendum confirms the desire for change, another at the 2014 election will ask which of five systems, including MMP, is supported.

If an alternative to MMP is selected, it will take effect for the 2017 election.

Business council chief executive Peter Neilson said the mood for change and the lack of enthusiasm for a return to FPP gave voters a dilemma.

The first ballot might be compared with asking a woman, "Do you like your current husband or would you like any other man in the world including Brad Pitt?' - Brad Pitt wins."

But there was no assurance they would find the actual alternatives - FPP, preferential voting, single transferable vote or supplementary member - presented in the second ballot any more attractive than MMP.

Labour leader Phil Goff said the survey suggested voters wanted a change, but it was presenting preliminary figures.

"People aren't focused on the issue at the moment. There will be an education campaign. They'll look more closely at it and I think the figures could be quite fluid between now and the time the vote takes place."

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said it was far too early to make assumptions about the outcome of next year's referendum, as the survey had been conducted without any public discussion about the current system or possible alternatives.

Act leader Rodney Hide accepted MMP had been a factor in securing his party's presence in Parliament.

But although it was "the natural thing" for politicians to favour whichever system favoured them, "you shouldn't design an electoral system around what's good for political parties; you should design it around what's good for the country".