New Zealand to hold referendum on voting system

If a majority of voters support a change, a second binding referendum would be held in 2014 to select a new voting system, Justice Minister Simon Power said.

New Zealand's mixed member proportional (MMP) voting system, similar to that used in Germany, was introduced in 1996, replacing the first-past-the-post system. “The National-led government made a pre-election promise to hold a referendum on MMP by no later than 2011, and we are honoring that promise,” Power said.

Polls have shown a narrow majority in favor of the current system and Prime Minister John Key said he believed there was no need for change and that voters would keep the proportional system.

“I think we've proved in nearly a year in government that the system is working well,” Key told reporters. “But we promised New Zealanders on the campaign trail they would have an opportunity to kick the tires.” The first referendum will ask voters if they want to change the voting system and what alternative system they would prefer from a list of options.

If most voters opt for change, a second binding referendum in 2014 would ask voters to choose between MMP and the preferred alternative voting system chosen in the first referendum.

Key's centre-right National Party came to power in elections last year after winning 58 of the 122 seats in the parliament and gaining the support of a number of minor parties. Minority governments have been the norm since the proportional system was introduced and critics say this has given too much power to minor parties which obtain policy concessions for supporting the government.

But supporters of the system say government has continued to run smoothly since the 1996 change and the proportional system has allowed a greater range of political views to be heard in parliament.

Under the first-past-the-post system, National and the centre-right Labour Party had a near stranglehold on parliamentary seats.

A poll of 500 people carried out by Research New Zealand in September found that 45 percent were in favour of retaining the proportional system, 42 percent were against and 13 percent were unsure.

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