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Linley Smith
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Submitted on 22/05/2012 - 4:54pm relating to the issues Basis for eligibility for list seats (thresholds), By-election candidates, Dual Candidacy, Order of candidates on the list, Overhang, Proportion of electorate seats to list seats, Other issues
Should the 5% threshold be kept or changed? Why? If you recommend change, what should it be and why?:
If anything it should be increased. i would prefer it to be 6-8%. The problem with minor parities is that the have too much say for the proportion of vote they receive, and so we could do with less of them. The problem is that minor parties only have to appeal to a fringe group and only need to be concerned about spending of the governments money not how to make it. Making it easier for minor parties to enter parliament would also make the parliament more fragmented and much harder to manage. I think we can take the example of what is happening currently in Greece as a good example of where having more minor parties is detrimental to the stability of a country.
Should the one electorate seat threshold be kept or changed? Why? If you recommend change, what should it be and why?:
Kept as is. We need more parties to be concentrating on electorate seats as electorate candidates are much more grounded.
Should there be a different combination of thresholds? What should they be and why?:
One seat or 8%.
Should list MPs continue to be able to stand as candidates in by-elections? If so, why?:
Yes, if hat is what their party chooses. If they loose a party member due to the lis candidate being selected then it is their problem.
Should dual candidacy be kept? If so, why?:
Yes. Because then you get a better class of people "representing" the electorate. list candidates who miss out on seats still often work hard in the electorate they are trying to get a seat in.
In an election, should voters be able to alter the order of candidates from the list order decided by political parties?:
No. Absolutely not. Currently the party can put bright people or people from minority groups on their list that the general populace wouldn't vote for. Popular candidates aren't necessarily the best candidates.
What should happen when a party wins more electorate seats than it would be entitled to under its share of the party vote?:
They rest of the vote should be proportioned back so that the total number of seats doesn't exceed 120.
Is this a problem, and what should be done to fix it?:
There are a few too many list seats anyway, but the number of seats in the South Island shouldn't be fixed forever.
Please use the space below for any other issues you want to raise:
Sometimes the voting areas are not communities of interest which is stupid. There should be more leeway around the number of people in an electorate.