Does MMP need a rethink?

[FROSTY:Me]

For the sake of argument lets say we are indeed in a recession.
Do you think therefore that MMP as it stands needs a rethink ?
From the plain and simple point of view of reducing the cost of governing the country.
Be it by going back to the old system of First past the post or be it by simply reducing the number of MP's to say 80 for the entire country.

The way I see it eack MP costs the country at least $140000 a year
plus their staff. say another $50000 reduce their numbers by 20 and we have a 3 million dollar saving.

[Gremlin]

We already voted to reduce MP's by 20 from 120 to 100 (or 99 or whatever).

That said, we were fucken stupid. Who fires their mate? We expected them to do so because we said so. We should have been smarter. They have a nice racket going

[MSTRS:Me]

STV and no list jobbies....

[Mom]

STV and no list jobbies....

What he said.

[oldrider]

What he said.

What she said, the same as he said.

[p.dath]

We already voted to reduce MP's by 20 from 120 to 100 (or 99 or whatever).

That said, we were fucken stupid. Who fires their mate? We expected them to do so because we said so. We should have been smarter. They have a nice racket going

If the Auckland supercity only needs 20 councillors, and makes up almost half of the population of NZ, then it seems hard to explain why we need 120 MPs, or even 99 for that matter.

[James Deuce]

MMP isn't the issue, the huge number of MPs is. How big is cabinet? We need to fill the cabinet posts and have one reserve each.

[Gremlin]

If the Auckland supercity only needs 20 councillors, and makes up almost half of the population of NZ, then it seems hard to explain why we need 120 MPs, or even 99 for that matter.

Good point...

Cities bigger than the population of NZ have a Mayor and 20 odd councillors.

Who's for a Mayor of New Zealand?

[puddytat]

I agree we need to drop the numbers of M.P's, but to return first past the post would be f!@#ing stupid...when was any f.p.p Govt better than what weve got now?.You end up with a dictatorship more or less, imagine the Nats( or labour) with that!! Whats left of State owned assets would be sold off by lunchtime.
Proportional representation at least lets everyone feel that they may have someone who looks after or tries to protect thier interests.I think that the parties we have now reflect a good cross section of N.Z society.

[MSTRS:Me]

...when was any f.p.p Govt better than what weve got now?.You end up with a dictatorship more or less, imagine the Nats with that!!

True. Muldoon was close. The last dictator didn't need FPP, and is now in the UN...
Let's not have preferred party foul up this thread...

[Elysium]

This why you can sometimes envy the American system. They have two parties (the two that matter) and none this minority party crap we put up with. Though the American voting system is crap and trying to understand how it works is a nightmare.

Here the system is easy to follow and understand but the govenment can be held to ransom by a party of hippies and racists so I think we really onlyneed two parties. Though if it wasn't for MMP we wouldn't have Winston Peters.

[BMWST?]

This why you can sometimes envy the American system. They have two parties (the two that matter) and none this minority party crap we put up with. Though the American voting system is crap and trying to understand how it works is a nightmare.

Here the system is easy to follow and understand but the govenment can be held to ransom by a party of hippies and racists so I think we really onlyneed two parties. Though if it wasn't for MMP we wouldn't have Winston Peters.

The minority parties dont run the country.But they most certainly have some influence on what the main parties do which is the whole idea of the system.They know they get crucified if they overplay their hand...I think The MMP is good,could be streamlined a bit.But seriuosly the 'cost" of MPs is prolly pretty insignificant in relation to the actual cost of the whole Parliamentary system.

[MisterD]

but to return first past the post would be f!@#ing stupid...

I don't know that the voters in the UK would agree with you - after the expenses scandal over there, they have the ability to boot any MP they feel has been taking the piss and there's nothing the party can do about it. I like that.

[naphazoline]

They're all a bunch of lying,stealing,cheating,deceitful cunts,so is it REALLY going to make a difference to the country which ever way it is???

I Don't think so.


But that's just my opinion.

[idb]

I like MMP despite its faults.
STV might have the advantage of fewer votes being wasted but apart from that the status quo is OK with me.
FPP is just awful, remember that, depending on how the electorate boundaries are drawn up, the party with the most votes can still miss out on winning the election...and it happened here.