Hon Judith Collins
Minister of Justice

15 May 2013

MMP changes impossible without agreement

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the fact that political parties cannot agree makes it impossible to make any changes to our MMP voting system.

“Opposition parties have said the Government is deliberately ignoring the recommendations of the Electoral Commission. This is simply not true – all parties have their own agendas and have selected which recommendations they will support, and which they won’t.

“All parties in Parliament are responsible to the public on the Electoral Commission’s review of MMP.

“I have consulted with all those parties, and there is absolutely no consensus, or even a majority, across Parliament.

“It is a simple fact that it is impossible to introduce and pass legislation if it does not have a majority in the House. To suggest otherwise, as Labour and the Greens have done, is misleading the public.

“Enduring change to electoral law should be based as much as possible, on consensus.

“So far, all parties have played a role in ensuring there is no consensus, and therefore there will be no changes to MMP,” Ms Collins says.

ENDS

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