October 19: New Zealanders should vote for first-past-the post, or FPP, the present electoral system, in the referendum next month. That is the view of this newspaper.
Much better the devil you know because the dangers of the mixed member proportional (MMP) system are considerable. In summary, they are: a more expensive Parliament with more paid members (120), less real representation for the South Island and the possibility of the creation of more Maori seats instead of an integrated system, and doubts about the "party lists" system where the voters have no direct say in the candidates finally declared elected.
There is also the resulting instability of governments with the high probability of coalitions and political "deals" in efforts to avoid frequent elections. Under MMP there will be no real meaning in any party manifestos or political promises because of the need to compromise within coalitions after the election. And this sort of proportional representation will probably lead to the break-up of the main political parties, National and Labour.
The Otago Daily Times is more concerned about the November 6 referendum than the General Election also on that date. The election will merely determine the government for the next term of office, but the referendum is crucial to the future of New Zealand. A wrong decision to opt for MMP could be most costly for the taxpayer and disastrous for the country in the long term.
This is too important an issue for this newspaper to sit meekly on the sidelines. We have weighed up the arguments for an against the existing system and the alternative which is offered, and we have concluded that the existing system is preferable. Our choice was not taken lightly, nor dictated by any business interest or outside pressures.
The danger is that the referendum may be regarded by some voters as some sort of a novelty and a chance to exercise a "protest vote". It could be that if the general election campaign descends to too many personalities some people will blindly vote for the hazardous change in the electoral system in order to say "a plague on all your houses".
This newspaper announces today that it will campaign editorially for the option it has always favoured during the debate in recent years. That is FPP. It may not be flawless but the system in place can always be improved. MMP in our opinion is not only seriously flawed but also a dangerous option, politically and economically. We will urge readers to vote for FPP in the referendum.
- THE EDITOR