Democracy Mum

Winston Peters gave a speech to Political Science students at Auckland University yesterday which made some interesting points.

Despite what some might tell you, politics is not one of those subjects which can be described with a simple formula.

This is particularly true of the outcome of our elections now under MMP where  “who gets to sit at the top table” is not decided on the basis  of a clear cut mathematical formula like it should be but ultimately on the basis of “who likes who the most.”

At the moment I work for a most reasonable boss – myself – but with great prospects of getting an old job back next year.

It certainly doesn’t sound as though Winston has plans to retire anytime soon!

You will have studied the background to MMP – or to use the correct term Mixed Member Proportional Representation.

New Zealanders voted for it because the two main parties, National and Labour in the 80’s and 90’s, would not stick to their pre-election manifestos.

And how has MMP changed the fact that political parties do not stick to their pre-election manifestos?  Under MMP they now  have an “out” because they can say a particular policy was not possible under their MMP coalition agreement.

Worse than that both came to power with an inner cabal cherishing hidden agendas

Again how has any of this changed under MMP?

The Royal Commission recommended that a hundred MPs in a new MMP system would work. We ended up with 120 because the two old parties reckoned that the 20 extra would put voters off the change.

Someone please tell me that was not the real reason we ended up with 120 instead of 100 MPs?

In time, the Maori seats were supposed to go. We were all to be blended in – as we should be!

I agree.  But what party will have the political will do ever do the right thing – now that The Maori Party are a potential MMP partner for any willing political suitor?

When the foreshore legislation was passed National claimed that we were giving it away to Maori.

The Maori Party was claiming that it was stolen.

Now these two parties – from totally opposing points of view – claim they are going to sort it out.

Winston is carefully positioning himself to make political capital out of the foreshore legislation.

Watch now how National is squirming over an issue they can not compromise on…

This is why they are delaying the decision.

On this issue, what the Maori party want, National can’t sell to their constituents and vice versa.

There is no middle ground without one side taking a major hit.

Winston has summed the forebed issue up in a nutshell!  He is  also aligning  himself with National’s own constituency base – National will have to tread very carefully this year!

This issue has highlighted an unforseen and unfortunate aspect of MMP.

At no stage did we ever expect that MMP would provide a continuing basis for race-based politics in New Zealand.

It is fair to say that no-one anticipated that this would be a major unintended consequence of MMP

We were a country, justifiably or not, that prided itself on doing its best for both Maori and non-Maori and treating everyone equally under the law. We were not perfect but our record was better than most colonised nations.

Now we have the Maori Party with its separatist agenda with one of its MPs preaching an appalling message of hate against another race…

We are in fact only one nation, and a small one at that.

You gotta hand it to Winston he has summed up the situation very well!

Now, the prime minister and his mate Hone Harawira have decided – at great expense – that the Maori Party flag should fly with the New Zealand ensign on Waitangi Day.

This news has insulted many New Zealanders – both Maori and non-Maori – and Maori leaders at Waitangi hosting the event won’t have a bar of it!

It is an example of the misuse of MMP.

I agree.  Questions regarding our flag could be handled via referenda at general elections. Our flag should not be used as a bartering tool during MMP negotiations.

You’ve all heard or seen the British comedy TV show “the two Ronnies” – well we have our own comedy show starring the “two Hones”.

Hone, of course, is Maori for John – and the two “Hones” don’t give a “Heke” about who they insult on Waitangi Day.

Sadly that is what our country is being forced to endure over this issue – extremists and radicals, trying to pass themselves off as moderate and reasonable.

I think he has a point – many New Zealanders are timid about voicing their opinions on this issue for fear of being seen as politically incorrect when in fact much of the rhetoric is being driven by extremists and radicals!

Democracy under MMP is patently, obviously more representative, abandoning minority government for majority rule.

I am not sure MMP is more democratic – particularly in it’s current form.  I think it has been hijacked by extremists and is not representing the mainstream opinions of New Zealanders.

The system of MMP in NZ can obviously be improved and hopefully as circumstances change in the future needed improvements will occur.

On this point I completely agree with Winston.  MMP does not need to be done away with – it needs to be modified and sooner rather than later!