Letters: Election - how to use your party and electorate votes

Major parties under our system almost always need other parties as coalition partners or for promises of support. Photo / file

LETTERS

Two ticks or not two ticks

If you want to help choose which parties will form the next government, only your party vote will do that. Why? Because the number of party votes decides the number of seats each party will have in Parliament, so long as they get across the 5 per cent threshold (and/or win an electorate seat).

The candidates who win an electorate seat take their places in Parliament automatically. If the party has won enough party votes to have more MPs than that, others will be added from the party list until the number matches the party's proportion of the total party vote.

Major parties under our system almost always need other parties as coalition partners or for promises of support. That means it can make good sense to give your party vote to a minor party if you are certain it will join the major party you want to form a government. In that situation a vote for the minor party is really a vote for the government you want. It gives the major party more support numbers if needed, and also nudges your chosen major party in the directions you want. Some minor parties will act as a handbrake on the major party; others will push the major party to get on confidently with policies you favour.

Voting for a particular candidate for your electorate doesn't make any difference to who's in power. It simply chooses which person will represent your community. It doesn't make any sense to vote for a candidate from a minor party who doesn't have a hope of winning the seat. That is a wasted vote. It can split the electorate voting and let through a third candidate who isn't the person you want at all.

Some voters still believe they have to use both their party vote and their candidate vote for the same party. This is not so, and it can make excellent sense to vote separately for your choice of government with your party vote, and your choice of representative with your electorate vote. [Abridged - this letter has been edited to make it clear a party can enter Parliament by winning an electorate seat]

DAVID JAMES and JILLIAN WYCHEL
Whanganui

Simple and sensible system

In response to Rob Vinsen's comments (Just pick up my rubbish, Chronicle, August 11) regarding the rubbish collection.

"Simple" - yes, "but costly" - not according to my research ...

The "one size fits all", penalising those who minimise their waste, may also be [penalising] the households using the most water and sewerage.

Unfortunately the evening-out model applies across the board e.g. all ratepayers pay for services they may not use, like the library, museum and art gallery. I appreciate that not all will agree, but for me the ease of a kerbside collection far outweighs the additional financial cost.

How many surveys and reviews have to be undertaken before our council finally accepts responsibility for our rubbish collection?

Concern is being shown for those who may have contracts that aren't due to expire (but perhaps not similar concern for those most affected by the coming change) and the council requiring a further 12 months. If time is required for research the council needs to get the December 31 change stopped so a simple and sensible system can be devised and implemented.

The Government is trying to standardise kerbside collection systems and it would appear most councils are taking positive steps. From my research, Christchurch gets the award. For $203.85 per annum they get:
• 80-litre Green Bin for composting of garden and food waste scraps
• 240-litre Yellow Bin for recycling of paper, plastic, cans and glass
• 140-litre Red Bin for general waste collected at the gate (compared to $180.48 for an 80-litre, $409.92 for 140-litre and $546.72 for 240-litre rubbish bin, only for the private market contract being offered in Whanganui). [Abridged]

FA HARRIS
Springvale

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