Minister welcomes select committee report on electoral referendum bill

Justice Minister Simon Power has welcomed the Electoral Legislation Select Committee's report to Parliament on the Electoral Referendum Bill.

"The bill honours a pre-election promise to hold a referendum on the voting system no later than 2011," Mr Power said.

"The Government does not have a pre-determined view on the outcome of the referendum; it simply wants to give voters the opportunity to assess how MMP is working after five elections."

The Electoral Legislation Select Committee made a number of recommendations in its report, which the Government supports, including an expenditure limit of $300,000 on each promoter of referendum advertising during the regulated period.

The referendum, to be held in conjunction with next year's General Election, will ask voters two questions:

• Whether they wish to keep the MMP voting system.

• What alternative voting system they would prefer from a list of options, if New Zealand were to change to another voting system.

If a majority of voters opt for a change, a second referendum will be held in 2014 asking voters to choose between MMP and the most preferred alternative.

The bill also provides that if at least 50 per cent of voters opt to retain MMP, then a review of MMP will be held by the new Electoral Commission to seek public opinion on MMP and report to the Minister of Justice on whether changes are necessary or desirable.

The bill forms part of the Government's package of electoral reforms which includes new electoral finance laws, and establishing a new one-stop shop Electoral Commission.  The second stage will transfer the functions of the Chief Registrar of Electors to the Electoral Commission and is expected to be fully operational by 1 October 2012.

 

Previous announcements on the Electoral Referendum Bill can be found here.