September, 21: Details of a mixed member proportional electoral system should be available to the public before Christmas following Saturday's referendum result, the MP for Dunedin North, Mr Pete Hodgson, said yesterday.
Otago and Southland electorates followed the national trend and voted overwhelmingly in favour of changing the present first-past-the-post system of electing New Zealand's Parliament.
As expected by the polls, MMP was the favoured choice of electoral reform as it had been actively promoted by the Electoral Reform Coalition and the Alliance groupings of minor political parties. It was also the choice of the 1986 Royal Commission on the Electoral System.
A second referendum with a straight choice between MMP and the present system will be held next year at the same time as the general election.
People will also be asked whether they want an upper house created as a constitutional safeguard.
If MMP is the preferred option next year it will be introduced in time for the 1996 election.
The Minister of Justice, Mr Graham, will introduce three bills into Parliament early next year to provide for the holding of the second referendum, the detail of an MMP system, and an upper house, NZPA reported.
Mr Hodgson, who is also a member of the electoral law select committee, said that was far too late.
"That means the bills won't be introduced until February. We (the select committee) can't start hearings until April or perhaps May and at that point we are well into an election year.
"There is no excuse for that. Mr Graham can have the legislation in the House by early December," Mr Hodgson said.
Elections favoured change by 84.5% compared with the 15.5% who favoured retaining the present system.
MMP was backed by 70.3% of voters, while 17.5% backed the single transferable vote option.
Of those on the electoral roll, 48.3% cast votes.