MMP

MMP: I listened to a brilliant talk this week at Rotary where Theo Muller spoke about Research. His quote was 'Research shows...' but in fact (especially for politicians) they haven't really done the in depth research that they claim. Instead they have listened to a vociferous minority.

He quoted where our local council proposes to spend $2.2 million upgrading some bus barns. Despite the claims 'a significant number of people' are in favour, a poll shows the opposite.

Afterwards, speaking to some others they brought up MMP. They were against, but upon questioning as to why, they had specious reasons which they then backed away from.

My question to people who favour going back to First Past The Post (FPP) is what do Hitler, Tony Blair, the Mayor of Invercargill Tim Shadbolt, our local Mayor David Ogden, G W Bush, Rob Muldoon all have in common.

They all got elected by a minority vote.

Hitler got about 33% of the vote and in the next got 37.8% and became Chancellor. Tony Blair had a 100 seat majority with 36%, Tim S. got 16%, our local Mayor would have lost the last election if a Proportional System was in place, Bush of course beat Al Gore with less (although the US system is even more undemocratic) and Rob should have lost 2 out of 3 to Bill Rowling.

Madness and simply not democratic. The MMP system was put into Germany by the British to ensure a minority couldn't take power again.

The only change I would make to MMP is that winning an electorate seat would not mean your Party Vote would count unless it met the 5% threshold.

On the weekend Radio NZ had an interview with the Speaker (although he has a different title there)
of the Scottish Parliament. Interestingly, both that body and the Welsh Parliament use an MMP system The only difference he said was that they have a Regional List as opposed to our National List. However, he said it hadn't worked as well as ours as they hadn't got the diversity of members that we get in NZ.

Another matter he mentioned was that they don't have a Referendum system but anybody can go online and Petition Parliament. I would have thought all the nutters would have come out of the woodwork but he said it is working well and they can filter out the few crazies.

Sounds like a good idea.

Sad news: Just heard that one of Christine's cousins died in the UK. We stayed with them when when were there, as did Sarah. A real sad loss as he was a great guy.

Updates: Rugby - won in Tokyo but I see the team against Wales has Eaton at lock. We shall see but he wouldn't be in my team.
Came 2nd by half a point at the Quiz!!!
Going to see a play next week at Downstage which is about Charles Darwin .