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Greg Meylan
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Submitted on 22/02/2012 - 9:35am relating to the issues Basis for eligibility for list seats (thresholds), By-election candidates, Dual Candidacy, Proportion of electorate seats to list seats
Should the 5% threshold be kept or changed? Why? If you recommend change, what should it be and why?:
The 5% threshold should be dropped. If not dropped it should be lowered to 3%.
Should the one electorate seat threshold be kept or changed? Why? If you recommend change, what should it be and why?:
The one electorate seat threshold should be scrapped. It has been exploited by the parties in a way that undermines the electoral fairness that MMP attempts to put in place. It could be increased to two or done away with altogether. At the same time the 5% threshold should be lowered or done away with entirely.
Should dual candidacy be kept? If so, why?:
Dual candidacy should definitely be kept. How could you deny someone a place in parliament who lost an electorate seat by a handful of votes yet who occupies a high enough place on the list to make it into the chamber? They have hardly been disenfranchised by voters in their electorate. This would return us to a winner takes all which is not the purpose of MMP. It would lower the calibre of candidates in electorates and harm the quality of our politicians (and anything that does this is no good).
If you recommend change, what should it be and why?:
There should be no change. To remove this would be truly foolish. The only solution would be to include on the ballot some sort of vote against a candidate that meant if they reached a threshold they could not return to parliament on the list. But who wants that really?
In an election, should voters be able to alter the order of candidates from the list order decided by political parties?:
Theortically I think this would be good but I cannot imagine it working given the sheer number of candidates voters would be required to rank.
What should happen when a party wins more electorate seats than it would be entitled to under its share of the party vote?:
The overhang is fine by me. Keeping proporationality is paramount.
Is this a problem, and what should be done to fix it?:
No problem.