Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Population projections and MMP

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says population projections through to 2026 released today by Statistics New Zealand have major implications for the future of New Zealand's MMP electoral system.

The figures show the Maori population rising by 1.4%, the Asian population by 3.4%, and the Pacific population by 2.4% to give New Zealand an overall population of 5.552 million people.

Mr Dunne says that one of the more significant projections is that the Maori population (14.7%) and the Asian population (14.2%) will be almost identical in number, with the likelihood that Asian New Zealanders will in time outnumber Maori.

"Yet, on the basis of our current MMP system, there would be at least 10 Maori seats in Parliament, but no special seats for the New Zealand Asian community.

"Assuming no change in the overall number of Parliamentary seats, it would also mean there would be approximately 97 general seats, and just 12 or 13 list seats, thus further distorting the proportionality of MMP," he says.

Mr Dunne these figures give further weight to his call that it is timely to reconsider the future of MMP and the Maori seats, and for New Zealanders to have their say in a referendum.

"Is it fair to continue to advantage one group of New Zealanders at the expense of all others, or is it now time to start to process of ensuring that every New Zealander, whatever their ethnic background, has an equal opportunity to be represented in our Parliament, through an electoral system based on the universal principle of one person with votes of equal value?" he asks.

Mr Dunne says there is no reason why a referendum on MMP and the future of the Maori seats could not be held as early as 2009.

ENDS

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