Handing over Tamaki

Electorate MPs may think they're the embodiment of our democratic tradition but their lustre may be fading under MMP. Heading into the fourth MMP election, the stigma surrounding "unelected" list MPs is waning.

Under MMP, the number of electorates was reduced from 99 to 67, with 53 list MPs decided by each party's share of total votes.

Four elections on, National leader Don Brash is vying to become the first Prime Minister elected via a party list.

Brash eschewed electorate representation (and a contest) when he entered politics last election.

While Helen Clark continues to juggle prime ministerial commitments and Mt Albert electorate demands, her deputy Michael Cullen gave up his Dunedin South seat after moving to Hawkes Bay in 1999. The Act Party gave away electorate contests in 2002 while Green candidates do not actively campaign for seats.

Enhancing the perception that electorate seats are a hangover from the first past the post era, National says the party vote is all that matters; constituencies can look after themselves.

As if to highlight its disdain, the party prised Clem Simich from his cosy Tamaki seat so North Shore headmaster Allan Peachey could move in, obviously reckoning that the once-blue riband seat's faithful wouldn't mind.

Simich, despite being branded Parliament's invisible man, is proud of his quiet achievements over the years for the people of Tamaki.

Now he's supposed to persuade the Labour stronghold of Mangere that he's their man (although his Parliamentary future looks secure on the party list).

He says as shadow speaker it's appropriate to become a list MP. "It wasn't right for me to vigorously contest a seat and play politics."