When we fought for MMP in 1992-93, the goal was fair representation for all political factions, including Māori, a lift in the number of women MPs towards 50% and, consequently, coalition deal-making and greater consensus in politics.
Both major parties did not like the prospect, always keen for their turn at absolute power under First-Past-the-Post.
The National Party and its surrogates tried to stop the change to MMP and have been white-anting it ever since.
When in power it has ignored authoritative Electoral Commissions recommendations to improve MMP, content to stir public dissatisfaction with its flaws. Now Christopher Luxon, cynically, aims to have another referendum next year on a system that his party has ensured has remained virtually unchanged for 30 years.
Labour has assisted this process simply by its neglect of electoral reform.
Both major parties have continued to operate as if MMP has just been a drag on Westminster style politics.This is not aided by the out-of-date configuration of the parliamentary chamber, where government and opposition face each other, two swords’ lengths apart.
The home of MMP, the German Bundestag, shows how Parliament should be configured and managed: a semi-circular range of seats facing the Speaker and other government dignitaries, and a central podium from which ministers speak to the entire parliament.
The main chamber may be viewed from multiple vantage points and TV monitors throughout the building and on-line carry the current debates.
But are we seeing in New Zealand the first signs of the collapse of confrontational Westminster style politics?
Just three weeks out from the election both main parties have dropped in polls to what is around their core support of 28% each.
The Greens are at 15%, ACT and NZ First at 10% and newcomer Opportunity at 8%.
For the first time in the MMP era, a party from outside Parliament — and with no earlier MPs as part of it — looks likely to gain representation.
The broad aim of Opportunity is to try and secure consensus across Parliament and government on all major issues. To find solutions to problems that voters want and most politicians can agree on.
An indication of this was its leader’s final answer on the recent TV-1 Multi-Party Debate. Qiulae Wong, when asked what would be the first action she would like to take if achieving power, answered, “A Citizen’s Assembly on Superannuation.”
At the moment, the different parties in Parliament cannot agree on what steps should be taken to ensure the future viability of superannuation. This is one of the most pressing economic problems of our time. Opportunity’s solution is to give power to the people to come up with answers.
Citizen’s assemblies are now becoming common across the European democratic world, with Ireland a leader.
In Auckland, solutions were found to the city’s water problems by the Watercare citizen’s assembly of 40 people chosen demographically.
It is time to let go the primitive demarcation of political parties into being either "left” or “right.”
Time to let go of tribal politics in all its forms. Admit it — even in the party you most love to hate, there are one or two policies you could live with.
Opportunity is the only party that aims to bring the factions together to find cross-party agreements, regardless of left or right.
And to directly ask the people, us, what we think are the answers to our most pressing problems.
- Dunedin author Philip Temple won an Electoral Commission Wallace Award for his writing on electoral issues.