By Alison McCulloch
AUCKLAND — In a nationwide referendum on September 19, New Zealanders voted overwhelmingly to reform their current first-past-the-post electoral system. Some 85% favoured switching to a new system.
From a list of five options, 70% voters chose a proportional representation model which would translate the existing strong electoral support for alternative parties in New Zealand into seats in parliament.
The referendum is not binding. It was designed by the National Party government — which has been under strong public pressure to do something about the problems with the existing system — to test public opinion in preparation for what it promised will be the final decision, by a further referendum, next year.
NewLabour Party president and Auckland Alliance campaign organiser Matt McCarten said the vote was not just a vote for change but a vote of opposition to the current regime. He described the result as a huge victory.
"Politicians tried to stymie this vote with confusing advertising, red herrings, threats and lies, but voters saw through it all.
"The incumbents are up against the wall and they know their days are numbered. The government can't back out of its promise of a binding referendum next year", he said.
The struggle to reform the New Zealand electoral system began in 1978, when the Labour Party lost the general election despite gaining more votes than the National Party. Labour fought the next general election, in 1981, on a pledge to appoint a royal commission to investigate reform of the system. Although it again lost, despite a higher vote, it fulfilled the promise after victory at the 1986 election.
The royal commission recommended proportional representation, but Labour reneged on its commitment to reform and did not act on the recommendation. Due to the work of activists for electoral reform, both the Nationals and Labour promised a referendum on the question in their 1990 general election campaigns.
The National Party government did its best to dull the impact of the referendum by splitting it into two parts and complicating the content of the questions. The September 19 referendum was the first of two referenda; the second will be held in conjunction with the general election next year. Despite a clear show of majority support for the mixed member proportional (MMP) system, and barely a hand raised for first-past-the post, the major parties will have another chance to "re-educate" the population on the perils of MMP before the
As a result of these delaying tactics, even if next year's vote is successful, New Zealanders won't have a proportional representation system in place before the 1996 general election.