Editorial: MMP issue should go to referendum

Has Don Brash found another hot button? Politicians and pundits have been waiting with interest to see whether National can find another issue that connects with people's underlying concerns in much the way that Dr Brash's Orewa speech did last year.

National leaders traditionally start their year with a "state of the nation" address to the Orewa Rotary Club and, after last year's, expectations have been high for the next, scheduled in 10 days.

But it could be that Dr Brash has revealed the next ace in his hand. In an article for the Herald, published two days ago, he proposed that, if elected this year, National will hold a referendum on MMP during the next term of Parliament.

At first sight, that prospect might not have the resonance of last year's attack on concessions to Maori. But the failure to review MMP with a public referendum can be presented as an annoyance very much deeper than problems of the electoral system, real or imagined.

Dr Bash presents the failure as symptomatic of a Labour tendency to high-handed social reform. He cites the Civil Unions Act, the legalising of prostitution and the Property Relationships Amendment Act, which treats de facto couples as married for purposes of property divisions.

Dr Brash says, "These changes were, and are, opposed by substantial minorities - in some cases, possibly the majority - of New Zealanders."

Even supporters of the reforms, he continues, "have been disquieted by the spectacle of so-called conscience votes being managed from the ninth floor of the Beehive [the Prime Minister's suite], down to the last abstention."

It is hard to tell how much antagonism exists in the electorate to social and moral liberalism. Opinion polls generally supported the measures but opinion polls are conducted by interview.

People might have feelings they cannot comfortably talk about on these sorts of issues, feelings they can express only in the secrecy of a voting booth. That, indeed, is probably the reason reformers steadfastly resisted putting their proposals to referendums. If so, there could be repercussions when the reformers face the referendum they cannot avoid, the general election due this year.

Dr Brash appears not to be proposing a referendum on those subjects now. But in offering one on MMP he hopes to show that National would be less inclined than Labour to put matters of "conscience" to Parliament alone.

The electorate expected a referendum on MMP when legislation provided for a review after two elections. The review conducted by a select committee of an MMP Parliament was plainly not satisfactory.

Labour was quick to match Dr Brash on Maori issues last year. It will be interesting to see its response to this one. Whichever party wins the election, an MMP referendum could be on.

And the next Parliament, whatever its complexion, may be wary of deciding deeper issues that could, and should, be put to the people.