MMP shake-up if vote is 'yes'

Justice Minister Simon Power. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The most unpopular features of MMP could be ditched if voters opt to keep the electoral system in the referendum on it at next year's election.

Justice Minister Simon Power revealed yesterday that if voters decide to keep MMP, it will be reviewed by the Electoral Commission.

Among the subjects Mr Power listed for such a review are:

Dual candidacy, which enables MPs who lose an electorate seat to be returned to Parliament through the party list. Examples are Labour's Lynne Pillay and Rick Barker.

Closed party lists, where the party list is chosen by the party rather than a voters' ranking of candidates.

Thresholds of 5 per cent and one electorate seat, under which where a party with less than 5 per cent of the vote can get seats in Parliament if it wins an electorate seat.

In 2008, Act leader Rodney Hide won Epsom and brought in five MPs with 3.65 of the vote; New Zealand First gained 4.07 per cent of the vote but did not win an electorate and so got no MPs.

Overhang, where a party winning more electorate seats than its share of the party vote increases the size of Parliament above 120 MPs. In 2008, the Maori Party got two more electorate MPs than its share of the party vote, taking Parliament to 122 MPs.

The balance between the number of list and constituency MPs.

Mr Power said there would be no limit on what campaigning groups could spend on the MMP referendum.

But campaign advertising will to carry the name and address of the advertiser.

Campaigners spending more than $12,000 will have to register with the Electoral Commission.

This is in line with new proposals under what Mr Power called a "hybrid" electoral law to replace Labour's Electoral Finance Act.

The abolition of spending limits for third parties during general election campaigns restores what was in place before the EFA.

Under the EFA, third parties were restricted to $120,000 and could not receive direct anonymous donations of more than $1000.

Mr Power has kept the EFA's strengthened disclosure rules for third party campaigners.

"It's a hybrid between the previous broader regulatory regime and the much tighter Electoral Finance regime," he said.

Political parties will still have a $2.4 million election spending limit and candidates a $20,000 limit, but both caps will be inflation adjusted.

A select committee with representatives from all parties will be set up to look at both bills.