Electoral law expert warns against pursuing MMP referendum alongside four-year term
An electoral law expert has criticized Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's suggestion to hold a referendum on the MMP voting system alongside a four-year term referendum. The expert argues that the proposal lacks a clear alternative and may be a reaction to coalition management issues.
Why it matters
Concerns the constitutional stability and electoral integrity of New Zealand's government.
An electoral law academic says if the prime minister is serious about having a referendum at the country's voting system , then he should not do it at the same time as a referendum on a four-year term.
On Thursday, Christopher Luxon told Newstalk ZB there should "definitely" be a referendum on a four-year term , and he was "open for saying we should send it back out to New Zealanders and say are they still supportive of MMP."
Luxon said it was "quite right to check-in constitutionally" on whether MMP was still the system New Zealand wanted .
The last referendum on the matter was in 2011, when 57.8 percent of people voted to keep MMP .
University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis said Luxon appeared to have "a little bit of a brain explosion", following on from the "problems of the last couple of weeks".
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