That was the proposition put forward by Dunedin academic Dr Duncan Connors at a parliamentary select committee last week.
Dr Connors was submitting on the government’s proposal to change from a three-year to a four-year electoral term.
He told the committee he had concerns with such moves, as it risked "entrenching the democratic deficit — particularly for regions outside the Auckland-Wellington centres, and most seriously for the South Island".
"A four-year term will only be a democratic gain if it is matched by institutional reform that ensures all parts of New Zealand ... are represented meaningfully."
He proposed a South Island grand committee, which would comprise of all electorate and list MPs from the South Island.
At present this would be 16 electorate MPs, the electorate of Te Tai Tonga and about eight list MPs.
It would be tasked with scrutinising legislation of regional significance before it proceeds through the House.
It would operate as part of the committee stage, without veto power, and would also provide oversight of a Cabinet-level minister for the South Island.
"This does not require the upheaval of federalism or the creation of an upper house.
"But it does begin the essential process of decentralising power in a unitary state that has become far too centralised.
"We can no longer govern a vast, complex, diverse country from a single chamber in Wellington that draws most of its membership from one part of the country."
Parliament was increasingly dominated by members from north of Hamilton, Dr Connors said.
"That geographic imbalance is structurally embedded in policy and spending decisions.
"If we are to extend the parliamentary term to four years, then we must ask: how will regional voices be heard in the long interval between elections? Select committees are insufficient."
There were infrastructure deficits in the South.
"Instead, we see cancelled ferry contracts, a lethally inadequate SH1 south of Christchurch, and continued refusal to invest in roads [and] passenger rail between Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill — where over 75% of the island’s population lives.
"It is the South that generates much of this country’s export revenue — through agriculture, raw materials, aluminium from Tiwai Point and tourism.
"These are our hard currency earners, and yet the South receives back only a fraction of the public investment it puts into the system."
The issue of whether the South is getting a fair economic and political deal has been a constant debate topic in the letters page of the Otago Daily Times, while recently there has been much concern about the new Dunedin hospital project.
This year, the government appointed James Meager as the first-ever minister for the South Island.
Mr Meager, who is also minister for hunting and fishing and minister for youth, said Dr Connors’ proposals were interesting "but not something I am considering pursuing".
He was "incredibly proud of the focus this government is placing on issues important to the South Island".
"Already we have seen significant recent investments in the South, including $8.2 million for the Southern Link Logistics Park, $164m for after-hours care including 24-hour urgent care clinics for Dunedin and new and extended daytime services for Invercargill, as well as the $1.9 billion investment into the Dunedin hospital rebuild.
"I’ll be continuing to cement my position as a voice for the South Island by celebrating the wins, finding ways to grow the South Island economy, and working hard on the challenges we face as a nation."
