Media Statement

18 June 2001

For immediate release:

Electoral Adviser To Receive Award

A well known adviser and commentator in the electoral field, Alan McRobie, has been given a special award by the Electoral Commission in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the public understanding of electoral matters over a number of years.

Mr McRobie, who lives in Rangiora, is the author of a large number of academic publications involving the electoral system and has undertaken considerable research into the history of the electoral process, elections and political parties. He is presently researching and writing a book about New Zealand elections in the 1980s.

The award is among three Wallace Awards announced today by the Electoral Commission.

The award for the best paper or thesis on electoral matters by a tertiary student went to Caroline Glass of Wellington for a research paper, A Comparison of One-Vote and Two-Vote MMP, completed as part of her honours degree at Victoria University.

A law lecturer at Otago University, Andrew Geddis, won the academic paper, monograph or book category for an article in the March issue of the Public Law Review about the problem of anonymous donations to political parties.

The annual awards are named after the independent agency’s inaugural President, Sir John Wallace, who also chaired the 1985—86 Royal Commission on the Electoral System.

ENDS

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