Referendum

[ynot slow]

MMP gave us cunts with egos,and because we weren't privy to the minor players allegiancy(sp)you were never sure if voting Nats involved Peters getting a major place in a winning govt as a major loser,much like Act and other parties.I voted for an electorate MP and another party at one election,because the MP had done a good job in our electorate,but with FPP I wouldn't have voted for the party involved.

[jim.cox]

List Politicians strikes me as 'jobs for the boys' and is a bad thing

But its better than First Past the Post

So, while I would prefer a better system, the inherently biased way this referendum is worded pretty much forces to sticking with the status quo

[Oscar]

I'm not sure that the referndum is going to address this, but one important factor with MMP is the threshold for representation. It's currently set at 5%, which is possibly a little low.

When you apply the threshold to the likes of ACT and the Greens, you end up with a lot of MP's with no electorates. Personally I think it's very important that an MP be held responsible by not just their party, but their voters. With no electorate seat, there are a bunch of people who aren't in the public spotlight.

Without reference, how many of you could name all the ACT & Green MP's?

[SPman]

FPP is a great system - if there are only 2 parties!

[MisterD]

Personally I think it's very important that an MP be held responsible by not just their party, but their voters.

That's the key right there. It's taken as read that more proportionality is somehow better, for my money that's a complete red-herring is more direct accountability of politicians to voters that's the most important thing. I'd like to see FPP with open primaries so that MP's that piss off their electorates can still be dumped as candidate in a safe "Party X" seat

Without reference, how many of you could name all the ACT & Green MP's?

I tested myself and got 7/8 Greens and all the ACT. Missed David Clendon.

[Ender EnZed]

It's taken as read that more proportionality is somehow better, for my money that's a complete red-herring

Really? Would it not bother you at all to have more than 50% of voters support Party X and Party X not be the government? I agree proportionality isn't the only issue that needs to be taken into account but for all votes to be equal it's pretty important.