27851v2a Learners Guide 1

US 27851 v2a
Learner’s Guide
LEGAL STUDIES
Unit Standard 27851

Version 2 | Level 2 | Credit 4
Explain systems for the

formation of central
government, and their
consequences in a
New Zealand context
Licensed to:
Western Heights High School
2018 - 2a © ATC New Zealand
www.instant.org.nz
i
US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

Explain systems for the formation of central 25092018-US27851-136983 INSTANT Education Solutions
government, and their consequences in a New 2a © ATC New Zealand www.instant.org.nz
Zealand context
ii
About this
Learner’s Guide
Learning Purpose & Outcomes
In this guide, you will learn about systems of government and their formation and operation in
New Zealand. The two systems of government that you will learn about are:
• the MMP system of government
• the FPP system of government.
For each system of government, you will learn about:
• the electoral process
• the government formation process
• the resulting parliamentary system
You will learn how to compare each of these systems and look at different viewpoints that people
have about these two systems. You will also learn about the change from FPP to MMP that
occurred in the 1990s.
A glossary has been included with new legal terms and other terms that you may find difficult.
Words that are included in the glossary are highlighted the first time that they appear in the text.
Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

25092018-US27851-136983 INSTANT Education Solutions Explain systems for the formation of central
2a © ATC New Zealand www.instant.org.nz government, and their consequences in a New
Zealand context
iii
Additional
Resources
If you want to look at more examples of texts with viewpoints, here are some sources you could
investigate.
The internet
• Electoral Commission
http://www.elections.org.nz/
• Elections in New Zealand - Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_New_Zealand
• The road to MMP - New Zealand History online

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/fpp-to-mmp
Legislation
• Electoral Act 1993
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0087/latest/DLM307519.html
• Bill of Rights Act 1990

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0109/latest/DLM224792.html

Zealand context
1
Contents
The MMP voting system 2

What is the MMP system? 3
How the system works 4
Case Study: the 2017 Elections 7
The formation of government under MMP 10

How the government is formed under MMP 11
Case Study: The formation of government after the 2017 elections 16
The operation of government under MMP 23

How the government operates under MMP 24
Case Study: The operation of government after the 2017 elections 29
The FPP Voting System 34

What is the FPP system? 35
How the system works 36
Case Study: The 1993 elections in New Zealand 37
The formation of government under FPP 39

How the government is formed under FPP 40
Case Study: The formation of government after the 1993 elections 40
The operation of the government under FPP 43

How the government operates under the FPP system 44
Case Study: The operation of the government after the 1990 Elections 46
Comparing MMP and FPP 49

Comparing and analysing the voting systems of MMP and FPP 50
Different viewpoints about MMP and FPP 52
Glossary 56

Zealand context
2
LESSON 1:
The MMP
voting system
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn about the MMP voting system. By the A space has been left
end of this lesson, you will be able to explain: on the right of every
page for you to make
what the MMP system is notes about what
how MMP works you are learning.
the voting outcomes of the 2017 elections in New Zealand.
What do Have you heard of MMP before? What does it stand

for? Do you know what it means? Discuss with your
You Think? classmates or family members if you are unsure.

Zealand context
3
LESSON 1: The MMP voting system
What is the MMP system?
There are many different ways that people can elect government
representatives through voting. Each voting system has different
strengths and weaknesses. Since 1996, New Zealand has used
an MMP voting system. MMP standards for ‘Mixed Member
Proportional’. A small number of other countries use this system for
electing representatives. These countries include:
Canada
Germany Romania
(Quebec only).
Hungary Lesotho
MMP is proportional. Proportion means ‘part’ or ‘share.’ Generally

under MMP, a political party will get representation in Parliament in
relation to the proportion (or share) of votes that it has received.
Try it for Using the internet, find out where MMP was first used.
Yourself What other names is MMP known by?

Zealand context
4
How the system works
Under MMP, each enrolled voter gets two votes:
VOTE 1
One vote is for a candidate from an electorate. Electorates are
regional voting areas. Candidates from these electorates will belong
to registered political parties.
There are 64 general electorates and 7 Māori electorates in New
Zealand. People of Māori descent can either choose to vote
for candidates representing the general electorate or the Māori
electorate. The person in each electorate with the most votes is the
winner.
The following map highlights the electorates in New Zealand.

Zealand context
5
VOTE 2
The other vote is for a political party that the voter chooses. This
is called the party vote and it largely decides the total number of
seats that each political party will get if voted into Parliament. Some
candidates are list MPs only. This means that they will only get into
Parliament if the party has a greater proportion of party votes than
electorate votes.
Putting the votes together

The party vote that each political party receives is directly related
Seats won by the 'A' party
to the proportion of seats that each party will receive. These seats
10
are firstly filled with the electorate seats won, and then with the list Electorate
candidates.
For example, the ‘A’ party may have got 25% of the party vote and 15
won 10 electorates. If the Parliament has 100 seats, the ‘A’ Party List
will get 25 seats in total. 10 seats will be made from party members
who won electorate seats and 15 seats will be made up from list
candidates from the party.
In some situations a party may receive more electorate seats than
the proportion of seats allocated to them. For example, a party may
only receive 10% of the vote, but win 12 seats through electorate
Other parties 'A' Party
votes. This means (in a Parliament of 100 seats) the party will be
given two additional seats.
One important part of the MMP system is that in order to

represent Parliament, the party must get over 5% of the votes
or one electorate seat. If they get 4% of the Party vote and no
electorate seat, then they will not be able to represent Parliament.
Example:
New Spring is a fictional country that uses MMP. There are 100
seats in the Parliament of New Spring.
The results of the 2008 elections in New Spring were:
Party Electorate won Party Votes (%)

Red 41 45
Blue 21 37
Black 0 8
Yellow 8 10
Total 70 100

Zealand context
6
These two seats are called ‘overhang’ seats. The percentage of

party votes received for each party needs to be converted into
seats. These seats will be made up firstly from the electorate seats
won and then by any list seats (seats for party members who did not
win any electorate seat). Each party will have the following seats in
the New Spring Parliament:
Blue: 41 (electorate) + 4 (party seats made up of list candidates) = 45
Red: 21 (electorate) + 16 (party seats made up of list candidates) = 37
Black: 0 (electorate) + 8 (party seats made up of list candidates) = 8
Yellow: 8 (electorate) + 2 (party seats made up of list candidates) = 10
Seats
Red
Blue
Black
Yellow
If Black did not get over 5% of the Party vote, they would not have
been able to represent Parliament because they did not win any
electorate seats. However, they got enough votes to secure eight seats.
A party needs at least half of the seats to form a government (to be the
ruling party). In the situation above, no party has over half the seats. In
the next lesson you will learn how a government can be formed when
one party does not have enough seats to represent the government.
Try it for Explain how MMP works (in your own words.)
Yourself

Zealand context
7
Case Study: the 2017 Elections
The general election of 2017 was held on 23 September 2017.

Parliament was dissolved by the Governor-General on 22 August
2017. At this time, the Governor-General issued a notice to the
Electoral Commission stating that they should make all necessary
arrangements to conduct a general election.
Electoral Act 1993

125 Writ for general election
Whenever Parliament is dissolved or expires, the Governor-General must,
not later than 7 days after the dissolution or expiration, issue a writ in form
3 to the Electoral Commission requiring the Electoral Commission to
make all necessary arrangements for the conduct of a general election.
Political parties involved in the 2017 election

Every year, political parties must maintain their registration with the
Electoral Commission. Those parties that are registered under s71A
of the Electoral Act 1993 are eligible to contest the general election.
The main political parties in the 2017 Election were:
• National • NZ First
• Labour • Māori
• Green • Act
• United Future • Opportunities
Each party and its candidates campaigned on key political issues.
For example:
• the National campaign included a focus on building a series of
new roads at a cost of $10.5 billion as well as the creation of a
new youth military boot camp.
• the Labour campaign included a promise to increase Working
for Families benefits as well as to introduce a winter heating
supplement for people on superannuation and benefits.
• the Greens had policies on reforming social welfare, adding a
levy on bottled water, and free public transport for students.

Zealand context
8
Polls and predictions

Between 2014 and 2017, the National government was consistently
polled as the preferred party in most opinion polls. Polls showed
that it would secure over 40% of the vote. However, it would require
at least 50% of the vote to rule alone, and most polls showed that
this would not happen.
In August 2017, Andrew Little resigned as leader of the Labour
Party, and Jacinda Arden took his place. This change, as well as
scandal in the Green Party, meant that Labour gained in popularity.
By the end of August 2017, many opinion polls were showing
Labour with over 40% of the vote, whereas only a month before
Labour had difficulty securing 30% of the vote.
By the end of the campaign period, the possible winner of the

elections was unclear. Although National was in the lead, many
commentators were unsure whether they would receive enough
votes to meet the 50% threshold themselves or have coalitions
partners who would be willing to work with them. It was possible
that Labour could meet the 50% threshold if they formed a coalition
with the Green and New Zealand First parties. Many commentators
labelled New Zealand First as the possible election decider, as they
could choose to work with the National government or the Labour
government (with the Greens).

Zealand context
9
The table below shows the outcome of the 2017

Check Your general election. Answer the questions the follow
Understanding with reference to this table.
Area Voters % of votes Seats

% Change Electorate List Total Change
National 1,152,075 44.45 −2.59 41 15 56 −4

Labour 956,184 36.89 +11.76 29 17 46 +14
NZ First 186,706 7.20 −1.46 0 9 9 −2
Green 162,443 6.27 −4.43 0 8 8 −6
ACT 13,075 0.50 −0.19 1 0 1 0
Opportunities 63,260 2.44 +2.44 0 0 0 0
Māori 30,580 1.18 −0.14 0 0 0 −2
Legalise Cannabis 8,075 0.31 −0.14 0 0 0 0
Conservative 6,253 0.24 −3.75 0 0 0 0
Mana 3,642 0.14 −1.28 0 0 0 0
1. Which parties won seats in government?
2. Which parties did not win any seats in government?
3. Did any party receive enough votes to govern alone?

Zealand context
10
LESSON 2:
The formation of
government under MMP
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn about the formation of government
under MMP. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain:
how the government is formed under MMP
the formation of government after the 2017 elections.
What do What do you think it means to form a government?

You Think? Explain.

Zealand context
11
LESSON 2: The formation of government under MMP
How the government is

formed under MMP
Under the MMP system, the party in power must have more than
half of the seats in Parliament to govern the country on their own.
This means that in most cases parties must work together to
form a government. This form of government is called a coalition
government.
In practice, New Zealand has two main political parties: Labour and
National. It is likely in an election that either Labour or National will
get the largest number of seats, but they will not get enough seats
to govern. This means that they need to look to smaller political
parties to build a coalition with.
The main parties and the minor parties need to discuss different
possibilities for coalitions. This is often a difficult time for parties
because, although they want to be in the government, they do not
want to compromise their values.
Confidence and supply agreements

The minor parties who agree to be in a coalition with the main party
will sign confidence and supply agreements. A confidence and
supply agreement is an agreement that a minor party makes to
support the government in its new policies. This is the way that the
main party (who will be responsible for running the government)
can ensure that its policies will be made into law. It will always have
enough votes because the members of parliament from its own
party and the minor coalition parties will support it.

Zealand context
12
Party Policies
In order for political parties to enter into a coalition, they have to be
able to agree on each other’s policies to some extent.
For example, the diagram below shows the different approaches
that can be taken when creating education related policy. The
diagram below shows how parties can find common ground with
education policy.
‘B’ Party Policy ‘C’ Party Policy

More money should be Less money should
spent on education because be spent on supporting
society benefits from schools. Everyone should
educating children. pay full fees as this is fair.
‘A’ Party Policy

More money should be
spent on areas of education
where there are shortages of
qualified people, otherwise
people should pay more for
their education.
In the diagram above the main party, the ‘A’ Party, has a greater
number of seats in Parliament. If it wants to form a coalition with the
‘B’ Party and the ‘C’ Party it will need to negotiate with each to find
a common ground. The ‘A’ Party will need to create an education
policy that one of the minor parties would also support. If not, the
minor party may be unwilling to form a coalition with the major party.
Sometimes it is difficult for parties to agree on a common policy in
a particular area. In such situations they may decide not to form a
coalition at all. The differences in policy may be too great. If they can
agree, they will create a confidence and supply agreement.

Zealand context
13
Try it for Read through the information in the previous sections

Yourself and answer the questions that follow.
1. What percentage of seats does a party need to get in order to rule alone?
2. Is this likely that a party can rule alone under MMP?
3. If a party cannot rule alone, what does it need to do in order to become a ruling
party?
4. What is a confidence and supply agreement?
5. Why is it important for parties to have similar policies?

Zealand context
14
Formal Creation of Government

Once a group of political parties have made an arrangement where
they form a majority of the seats in the house, the government can
be formed.
Stage 1: Make sure a government can be

formed
Firstly, the Governor General will meet with the parties
who have enough seats to form a government.
The Governor General is the Queen’s representative.
The Governor General plays a key role in the
formation of a new government. In fact, the Governor General is
responsible for the government. It is important that the he or she
approves of a government that is likely to be stable.
The first role of the Governor General is to find out which political
parties are capable of forming a government.
The Governor General will also accept the Member of Parliament
who the party or coalition has selected to be Prime Minister. The
Prime Minister is the representative of the government. He or she
is required to act as a key spokesperson for the Government and
Parliament. The Prime Minister plays a lead role in the swearing in of
the new government as he or she is required to sign the swearing in
document that is presented by the Governor General.
Stage 2: Summon to Parliament

The Governor General must summon the Members
of Parliament within six weeks of the general election
results being finalised.
Stage 3: Establish Parliament

Parliament is established according to a number of
set traditions.
a) Three Royal Commissioners (usually senior
judges) come into Parliament buildings and read
a proclamation that summons Parliament. The role of the three
Royal Commissioners is largely ceremonial. They read out a
proclamation that has called Parliament and they announce that
the Governor General will soon attend Parliament.
b) The Members of Parliament (MPs, the candidates who were
elected during the elections) are sworn in by the Clerk of the
House. The Clerk of the House is responsible for administrative
related tasks in the House of Representatives. In addition to
swearing members in, the Clerk is also required to discharge the
functions of the office, ensure Parliamentary rules are followed,
and record Parliament decisions.

Zealand context
15
c) The Speaker of the House is elected through a vote. The role

of the Speaker of the House is to preside over Parliament. The
Speaker determines who should speak and can grant or decline
requests for certain events, such as a debate on a particular issue.
d) Parliament is formally opened by the Governor General. The state
opening takes place in the Legislative Council Chamber. This
chamber is not the one where the MPs usually sit. In this chamber
there is a throne. The Governor General’s messenger, called the
Usher of the Black Rod, is sent to call the MPs to the throne to
hear the speech of the Governor General. The speech contains
information about the government’s policy directions for the
Parliament. After the speech, MPs can return to the main debating
chamber to resume normal business.
This diagram summarises the formal process of government
formation.
Commission Opening
Royal Commissioners will announce the arrival of the Governor

General.
Members Sworn In
MPs swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown.
Speaker Elected
The Speaker of the House is elected with majority support from

the MPs who have been sworn in.
Parliament Opened
Parliament is formally opened by the Governor General.
Reference for further reading: Jonathan Boston (2011) Government formation

in New Zealand under MMP: Theory and practice , Political Science June
2011 63: 79-105, doi:10.1177/0032318711406879

Zealand context
16
Case Study: The formation of

government after the 2017 elections
The election result influences which parties can group together to
form coalitions. The coalitions are formed on the basis of parties
agreeing to support each other on passing law in Parliament.
Only the parties that have actually won a seat in Parliament can
enter the negotiations with other parties. The parties that won seats
in the 2017 General Election are listed below.
Party Party Votes % Votes Total

National Party 1,152,075 44.45 56
Labour Party 956,184 36.89 46
New Zealand First Party 186,706 7.2 9
Green Party 162,443 6.27 8
Act 13,075 0.5 1
Look at the percentages column for the general election

Try it for results. Explore how different parties could reach the
Yourself 50% threshold (or over 60 seats).
The main parties are given as the starting point for each potential coalition.
Party Seats Party Seats

Labour 46 National 56
Total Total

Zealand context
17
Process of forming a coalition

If a party gets 61 or more seats, they are able to run the
government. However, no party got 61 seats (or more) in the 2017
elections. This meant that the parties had to form a coalition.
Any party with seats in the House could try to form a coalition. Just
because National had the majority of seats did not necessarily mean
that they would be able to form a coalition easily – especially if other
political parties voted into the House did not support their policies.
Coalition outcome
The question as to who would form a government was an exciting
one for political commentators. The National government had
previously relied on the Māori Party, United Future, and Act for
coalition support. However, in the 2017 elections, only Act won a
seat out of these parties. This meant that National could only get a
coalition of 57 seats by relying on former coalition partners.
The Green Party has a policy of not forming a coalition with National
(due to political differences) so this meant that the only option for
National to form a coalition with was New Zealand First. If National,
Act, and New Zealand First formed a coalition together, they would
have 66 seats, which would be well over the 61-seat requirement.
However, Labour was also in a position to form a coalition
government. Labour and the Green Party had previously stated
that they would work together. This meant that Labour could form a
coalition of 54 seats. In order to have enough seats to gain control
of the government, it would need another six seats. These seats
would need to come from New Zealand First. If Labour, the Greens
and New Zealand First worked together, they would have 63 seats –
which would be sufficient.
After a few weeks of intense discussion between the political
parties, New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, announced that
he intended to form a minority coalition government with the Labour
Party, with a confidence and supply agreement from the Green
Party.
Labour government coalition partners

Labour 46
New Zealand First 9
Green (confidence and supply agreement) 8
63
*Note: Technically the Green Party is not part of the coalition government – however, they
have agreed to support Labour in return for Labour giving the Green Party some ministerial
positions and allowing some Green policies to be introduced.

Zealand context
18
The results of this election were historic for a number of reasons:

• This is the first government in New Zealand under MMP
where the party that won the most votes is not part of the
government. National won 44.45% of the votes, whereas
Labour only won 36.89% of the vote.
• Jacinda Arden became New Zealand’s third female prime
minister.
• Winston Peters was reappointed as the Deputy Prime
Minister, a role he previously held in 1996-1998.
Issues with forming the coalition

There were a number of issues
that Labour faced with forming
a coalition government. The
biggest issue was how Labour
could form a partnership with
two other parties that held very
different political views. There
were a number of political
campaign promises that the different parties had to forfeit so that
the different parties could work together to form a government.
For example, New Zealand First wanted to remove the Māori seats
from Parliament (and have only one electoral roll), however this
campaign promise was conceded as Labour did not agree to it.
“The agreement we have reached is a summation

of the policies that survived the negotiations. As
the song says, “You can’t always get what you
want.”
“Our negotiations have taken place against a
backdrop of changing international and internal
economic circumstances which we cannot
ignore.”
“We’ve had to make a choice, whether it was with
either National or Labour, for a modified status
quo, or for change. In our negotiations both
National and Labour were presented with that
opportunity.”
“Working together, cooperating together, for New
Zealand. We choose a coalition government of
New Zealand First with Labour.” Winston Peters

Zealand context
19
“I thank the New Zealand First Party and Leader

Winston Peters for agreeing in principle to a
coalition arrangement with Labour.”
“The negotiations have been courteous,
constructive and robust. Throughout, we have
focused on our shared values and the policies that
can take New Zealand forward.”
“We are both committed to forming a strong and
durable government that can deal with the many
challenges this country faces.”
“The Green Party is now undertaking its internal
approval process before we confirm final
arrangements to form a Labour-led progressive
Government. This too has been an excellent
process, which I thank James Shaw and his team
for.”
“This is an exciting day. We aspire to be a
government for all New Zealanders and one that
will seize the opportunity to build a fairer, better
New Zealand.” Jacinda Arden
“I am confident the agreement reached with

Labour will deliver the most green change of any
Government in New Zealand’s history.”
“This is an historic moment for the Greens. We
have spent nearly 30 years working towards
being part of Government to deliver change for
our people and our environment. It’s the first time
the Green Party will hold Ministerial positions to
deliver real change that benefits our country.”
“The Green Party shares many goals and values
with Labour and NZ First. I look forward to
working with Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister
and with Winston Peters in a genuine MMP
Government.” James Shaw

Zealand context
20
Check Your
Answer the following questions.
Understanding
1. Who received the most seats in the 2017 elections?
2. Which parties formed a coalition government?
3. Why did National not form a government?
4. How many seats did Labour, New Zealand First, and the Green party have all
together?
5. Describe one of the problems that Labour had when it was discussing the
formation of the coalition with New Zealand First and the Green parties?

Zealand context
21
Once the coalition was agreed on, the formal process of government
formation was started.
Swearing in
The 52nd Parliament of New Zealand was formally opened on the
morning of 7 November 2017. Commissioners were sent to the
House on behalf of Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy to open
Parliament. They declared Parliament to be officially open. Members
chose to take an oath or an affirmation of allegiance to the Crown.
Here an excerpt from the speech written by the Governor-General:
Written by Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Patsy

Reddy, GNZM, QSO, Governor-General of New
Zealand, on the occasion of the State Opening of
Parliament, Tuesday 7 November 2017.
It is a privilege for me to exercise the prerogative of Her Majesty
the Queen and open the 52nd Parliament.
In September, New Zealanders cast their votes in the general election.
After final results were announced on October 7, negotiations began
towards the formation of a new government. That government
has been formed by way of a Coalition Agreement between the
New Zealand Labour Party and the New Zealand First Party, and a
Confidence and Supply Agreement between the New Zealand Labour
Party and the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. The government
took office when I swore in the Prime Minister the Right Honourable
Jacinda Ardern, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Right Honourable
Winston Peters, and other Ministers from the Labour, New Zealand
First, and Green parties.
The government enjoys the confidence of a clear majority of members
in the House of Representatives. It also enjoys the confidence of a
majority of New Zealanders who voted in the general election. Its
formation marks an important moment in the evolution of the mixed
member proportional representation system – a system that was
designed to ensure that governments could only be formed with the
support of a majority of voters.
This new government was formed by negotiation – but it was a
negotiation that allowed each party to remain true to its values and
honour its core election commitments. This government will not be
a government of parties acting separately, it will act clearly as one
government in the best interests of all New Zealanders.
Continued on next page...

Zealand context
22
This will be a government of inclusion. All who live in this country are
entitled to respect and dignity; all are entitled to live meaningful lives;
all are entitled to care and compassion. Everyone should have a roof
over their head and be warm in winter. Everyone should have food and
a table to put it on.
This will be a government of transformation. It will lift up those who
have been forgotten or neglected, it will take action on child poverty
and homelessness, it will restore funding to education and the health
systems to allow access for all, it will protect the environment and take
action on climate change, and it will build a truly prosperous nation
and a fair society, together.
This will be a government of aspiration. It aspires to make this a nation
where all cultures and human rights are valued, where everyone can
have decent housing and meaningful work, where education is free and
good ideas flourish, where children live surrounded by creativity and
love, and are encouraged to reach their full potential, and where we
become world leaders on environmental issues and climate change.
This government aspires for this to be a country where all are accepted,
no matter who they are, where they come from, how they live or what
their religious beliefs are.
In your own words, write a summary of excerpts from

Try it for the speech written by the Governor-General. What are
Yourself some key points the Governor-General made about the
formation of the government?

Zealand context
23
LESSON 3:
The operation of
government under MMP
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn about the operation of government
under MMP. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain:
how government operates under MMP
the operation of government after the 2017 elections
the impact of MMP on democracy.
What do What does the word ‘government’ mean?

You Think?

Zealand context
24
LESSON 3: The operation of government under MMP
How the government operates

under MMP
Government
The term government can be confusing. In American English, the
term government means a group of people with the authority to
govern a country. It includes law makers as well as those who are
responsible for implementing the law. However, in British English,
the term government only means those who are responsible for
implementing the law. Often in New Zealand both of these meanings
are used interchangeably.
In this lesson the following terms will be used
a) The Legislature – law makers
b) The Executive Branch – those who are responsible for
implementing the law.
The Parliamentary system

New Zealand operates a Parliamentary system. There are two
elements to this system.
a) The Legislature - Parliament
b) The Executive Branch
Parliament is sovereign. This means that Parliament is supreme

over the Executive Branch and the Judiciary. Parliament (or the
Legislature) may create or repeal any laws that it wants provided
that it follows Parliamentary processes.
The Parliamentary system of New Zealand includes the Sovereign
and House of Representatives.
The Sovereign
The Sovereign is Queen Elizabeth 2 who lives
in England. She is represented by the Governor
General. The role of the Sovereign (and her
representative, the Governor General) is only a
formality. The Governor General does not have any
decision making power in Parliament. The Governor
General is, however, required to sign all bills into law. Without the
Governor General’s signature, the bill cannot become law. However,
it is extremely unlikely that the Governor General would ever refuse
to sign a bill into law.
He or she also is the chair of the Executive Council. The Executive

Council is made up of all Ministers of the Crown. The role is to
oversee the functions of cabinet.

Zealand context
25
Cabinet is the central decision-making

body of executive government. It provides
Cabinet a collective forum for Ministers to decide
significant government issues.
Source: http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/cabinet/cabinet
Members of the House of Representatives

The second element of the legislature are the Members of the House
of Representatives (also known as Members of Parliament). These
members have been voted into the House and are either part of the
Executive Branch of government or part of the opposition. Members
are required to debate laws and discuss the actions of the Executive
Branch.
It is important to note that New Zealand only has one House of
Representatives who form Parliament. In other countries, such
as Australia, there are two Houses (one called the House of
Representatives and the other called the Senate). This means that all
new laws in New Zealand are only debated in one house before they
become law.
The Executive Branch is responsible for the running of government-
controlled services. These services are arranged into different
categories. The Executive Branch is made up of the Sovereign and
the Ministers of the Crown.
Ministers of the Crown

Different Ministers (who are also members of the House of
Representatives) are responsible for the operation of different
areas of the Executive Branch. Ministers have to make sure that
their department is operating smoothly. They are required to make
and implement decisions on policies. If a law is being discussed in
the Legislature that is related to the department that the Minister
runs, the Minister may be responsible for answering questions in
Parliament about the law change and why it is necessary.
The Prime Minister is the head of all the Ministers. The role of the
Prime Minister is to provide leadership to the coalition-government.
The Prime Minister may be held accountable for the decisions of
the government and interviewed extensively by the media about
government policy and law.

Zealand context
26
Try it for
Yourself Write definitions for the following terms.
Term Definition
Parliament
Legislature
Executive
government
Governor
General
Sovereign
Member of
Parliament
Minister of
the Crown
Prime
Minister

Zealand context
27
Coalition partners must work together

Coalition partners must work with each other when creating new
legislation. When a new law is being made it will go through three
readings and votes so that it can be made into law. In order for
a Bill to be made into law it must be approved of by majority in
Parliament. Coalition governments under MMP rely upon each
coalition partner to collectively support the bill at each stage.
Confidence and supply agreements form the starting point for the
creation of new law under MMP. Each member of the coalition must
support the underlying policy behind the proposed law change.
Below is an scenario of a fictional coalition government highlighting
the type of discussions that coalition members may have regarding
a proposed law change. The example focuses on the following
themes:
• How members of each political party need to work with each
other
• The differences of opinion that can exist between coalition
parties
• The ways in which compromises can be discussed
• The reliance of the government on the support of each
coalition party member
• The fact that without support of coalition parties the
government may not be able to pass some law.
A meeting between coalition partners

K LEEDS
A BROWN Coalition partner from Whānau Party
Minister of Transport
Ruling party We are concerned that this
new project is being allocated
We want to pass a Bill that
funds at the expense of families
will allow important national
on a low income. We should
roading projects to be built
be allocating more services to
faster.
those who need it most.
We want to pass a Bill that I support this roading project.

will allow important national I think it will help improve the
roading projects to be built economy in the area.
faster.
However, the new road should
S SMITH
charge tolls. People should pay
Assistant Minister of Transport
Ruling party for the services that they use. It is
not fair for everyone to pay for it.
L SUN
Coalition partner from Liberty NZ

Zealand context
28
What might happen if the MPs in the situation above

Try it for cannot agree on whether they support the new law?
Do you think coalition governments under MMP require
Yourself more time to ensure there is always good support from
coalition partners?

Zealand context
29
Case Study: The operation of

As part of its election campaign, the Labour government introduced
a ‘100-day plan’ in which it would make a number of key changes
to government policy. Some of these changes include the following.
• Make the first year of tertiary education or training fees free
from January 1, 2018.
• Increase student allowances and living cost loans by $50 a
week from January 1, 2018.
• Ban overseas speculators from buying existing houses
• Issue an instruction to Housing New Zealand to stop the
state house sell-off
• Increase the minimum wage to $16.50 an hour, to take
effect from 1 April 2018, and introduce legislation to improve
fairness in the workplace.
Improving fairness in the workplace

One way that the Labour government has tried to improve fairness
in the workplace is by removing the 90-day trial for new workers
that was introduced by the National government. The Labour
government believes that this law is inherently unfair.
Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said,
‘Good employment law strikes a balance between
employers and workers. Under the previous
Government the balance tipped away from fair
working conditions for workers. We will restore that
balance.’
However, this approach has been criticised by
the National Party. Bill English stated that the
changes were a ‘union shopping list’ and that
the government had heavily favoured unions and
employees in the legislative changes, and not taken
the needs of employers into account.
Although the proposed employment law changes have been
criticised by the National Party, it is still highly likely that they will be
successfully made by the Labour government. This is because the
Labour government has the support of it’s partners New Zealand
First and the Greens.

Zealand context
30
Research another law change that the Labour

Try it for government has proposed. Has this change been
Yourself criticised by other political parties? Why? Was the
change made? How?

Zealand context
31
Do you think the operation of the MMP government has

Try it for been effective under the 2017 coalition government?
Yourself Why? Why not? Use the information on the previous
pages as examples.
The impact of MMP on government and democracy

With the MMP system, the majority party must negotiate policy In order to get Merit
decisions with minor parties that it has formed a coalition with. in the assessment,
One of the concerns about the process of government under you must be able to
MMP is whether a minority party may have too much influence. In explain the impact
some situations a minor party may have too much power to make that MMP has on
decisions or may be able to stop the government from taking action government and
by threatening to remove their support. democracy.
However, this can also be beneficial. Law that is created under the
MMP system has had a lot of input and discussion from different
coalition partners and other MPs. New Zealand has a one house,
or unicameral, system of government. This means that there is no
second chance to review the law that is being made. Without a
second house, the role of MPs and coalition partners in scrutinising
proposed law gains greater importance. In theory, the role of minor
parties helps give a voice to those voters who may be concerned
about particular aspects of policy. The wider range of views should
lead to better policy and to law that reflects the view of a larger
majority.

Zealand context
32
How a government is influenced by its formation

under MMP
The formation of the government under MMP influences how the
In order to get
government operates in relation to law making.
Excellence in the
A minor party in the coalition may withdraw their support for a bill assessment, you
raised by the major party if they do not agree with it. This means must be able to
that the bill cannot pass as law in Parliament. The ruling party explain how an
therefore needs to negotiate with the minor party so that the bill MMP government
can be made into law through the Parliamentary process. This is influenced by its
negotiation often results in significant changes to the content of formation and give
the law, or it may mean that the law cannot be passed at all. For an example of this.
example, the past National Government was looking at making
changes to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). They
wanted to make it easier for developers to process applications
through the RMA. On 11 September 2013, two of National’s coalition
parties (the Maori Party and United Future) said that they would not
support National with the RMA bill because the changes go against
their political values. This meant that National had to negotiate with
these parties and alter the bill in order to get their support. If they
could not get their support, then the bill will not have been able to
become law.
Note: In the final lesson you will look at the strengths and
weaknesses of MMP in more detail. You will also look at the
viewpoints that people have in relation to the functioning of MMP.

Zealand context
33
Try it for Answer the following questions.

Yourself
1. What is one of the concerns about MMP in relation to its impact on government
and democracy?
2. How could this concern also be seen as something positive?
3. What is one positive and one negative impact of MMP?

Zealand context
34
LESSON 4:
The FPP
Voting System
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn about the FPP voting system. By the
end of this lesson, you will be able to explain:
what the FPP system is
how FPP works
the 1993 elections in New Zealand.
Have you heard the phrase FPP before? What does it

What do stand for? Do you know what it means? Have a look on
You Think? the internet or other resource to find the meaning.

Zealand context
35
LESSON 4: The FPP Voting System
What is the FPP system?
The First Past the Post (FPP) system of voting is the previous
system of voting that was used in New Zealand. It was used in New
Zealand from 1914 until 1993. Many other countries around the
world use the FPP voting system, including:
United
States of Canada India France
America
After a Royal Commission investigating the effects of FPP on

representation in New Zealand, there was a referendum, to allow
people to decide which method of voting they preferred. In the 2011
general election another referendum asked people whether they
still preferred MMP as the method for voting MPs into Parliament.
Approximately 57% of people preferred to keep the MMP voting
system rather than return to the FPP system.

Zealand context
36
How the system works
The FPP system still has areas divided into electorates as MMP
does. However, each person only has one vote. This vote is for the
electorate where the voter lives. When a voter selects the candidate
that they most prefer, they are automatically voting for the party
associated with that candidate.
Under FPP the total number of votes across the country are not
counted. Instead, only the winning candidates from each electorate
are counted. This means that sometimes one party received
more total votes across the country as a whole, but they won
fewer electorate seats than the other party (and therefore lost the
elections).
Look at the following example:
Party Seats won (out of 99) Votes % (whose country)

Party A 45 55%
Party B 50 40%
Party C 4 5%
Winning Party is Party B with 50 MPs
Party B has won with a total of 40% of the votes

Party A has lost but has 55% of the votes
The example and numbers used in the table are fictional. However,
the effect of FPP voting was that the party that got into power was
not actually the party with the most votes.

Zealand context
37
Case Study: The 1993 elections in

New Zealand
In the 1993 General Election the National Party won 50 electorate
seats. This number was sufficient under the FPP system to have the
National Party in power alone.
1993 Election Results

Party Total votes Percentage Seats won
National Party 673,892 35.05 50

Labour Party 666,759 34.68 45
Alliance 350,064 18.21 2
New Zealand First 161,481 8.40 2
Christian Heritage 38,749 2.02 -
McGillicuddy Serious 11,706 0.61 -
Mana Māori, other parties 20,145 1.05 -
and Independents
Total 1,922,796 99
Try it for Make a graph that highlights the seats won in the 1993
Yourself Elections.

Zealand context
38
Under FPP, Parliament is mainly made up of the governing party and

the opposition party. In the 1993 Elections the governing party was
National and the opposition party was Labour. Two minor parties:
Alliance and New Zealand First, also had seats. These minor parties
could not have a significant say in the creation of law and policy
because they only had two seats each. It is only the party who won
the most seats that commands the most power.
Impact of the FPP voting system on democracy

In terms of the impact on democracy the model appears to fit
with the democratic principle that “the majority rules.” However, in In order to get merit
practice there were often situations where the party with the most in the assessment,
seats in the house did not actually have the highest number of votes you need to analyse
in total across New Zealand. This situation made the FPP voting the impact that FPP
system appear to be undemocratic. As you can see in the 1993 has on democracy.
Election results both Labour and National have about 35% of the
total votes across the country. However, because of the fact that
FPP allocates seats according to which MP wins an electorate there
is a 5 seat difference between Labour and National.
Answer the following questions:

Try it for
1. What is one of the concerns about FPP in relation to
Yourself its impact on government and democracy?
2. What impact does the FPP voting system have on democracy? Explain.

Zealand context
39
LESSON 5:
The formation of
government under FPP
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn about government formation under FPP.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain:
how the government is formed under FPP
the formation of government after the 1993 elections.
Do you think the formation of government under FPP

What do would be any different to MMP? Why? Why not? Write
You Think? some ideas down.

Zealand context
40
LESSON 5: The formation of government under FPP
How the government is formed

under FPP
Government formation under FPP is very different to government
formation under MMP. This lesson will explain the key differences
between the formation of government under MMP and FPP. The
key theme in this section is that coalitions do not usually need to be
formed for governments under FPP.
The formation of government under FPP can be divided into two
main steps.
1
The approval of a political party to become the ruling party
(i.e. to run the executive branch of government) needs to
be given from the Governor General. This process is much
simpler than for MMP. The party that has won the most
seats is the government.
The government is formally created. The formal creation
2
of the government is described under section 19 of the
Constitution Act 1986. This is the same as the creation
of government for MMP, however the Governor General
would not talk about any coalition agreements in the
speech that he or she made.
Impact on Democracy
Under MMP the Cabinet may include MPs from the other coalition
government parties. Under FPP coalitions were not needed so
the important role of government and formation of Cabinet was in
In order to get Merit
the hands of one governing party. There is little opportunity for the
in the assessment,
policy views of the minor parties to be heard. The other major party
you need to analyse
will form the opposition to the governing party. The opposition and
the impact that FPP
other minor parties will not have any of their MPs in the Cabinet.
has on democracy.
Unlike MMP, the FPP voting system gave the governing party
unrestrained power for their term. In many ways this was against the
concepts of a liberal democracy where it is important for the voices
of minority groups to be heard.
Case Study: The formation of

If you look at the table below showing the 1993 Election results it
is clear to see that the government is the National party because
it holds the most electoral seats. Under the FPP system the
percentage of party votes was irrelevant.

Zealand context
41
1993 Election Results

Party Total votes Percentage Seats won
National Party 673,892 35.05 50

Labour Party 666,759 34.68 45
Alliance 350,064 18.21 2
New Zealand First 161,481 8.40 2
Christian Heritage 38,749 2.02 -
McGillicuddy Serious 11,706 0.61 -
Mana Māori, other parties 20,145 1.05 -
and Independents
Total 1,922,796 99
The following map highlights the seats won by the National

government in the 1993 elections.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NewZealandElectorates1993-Labeled.png

Zealand context
42
In the 1993 Election the governing party, National, was able to select
its own Cabinet. The Cabinet is essentially the MPs who hold senior
positions, or are responsible for Ministerial Policy Portfolios. Much
of the new law that is created is generated through Cabinet.
The way that ministers were selected under FPP was different
depending on the specific policies of the party. For example, under
the National party the Prime Minister is able to choose who the
Cabinet Ministers will be. Under the Labour party there is a slightly
different system where the initial pool of potential cabinet Ministers
are selected by a secret ballot by the members of the Labour party,
(also called caucus). Then, MPs from this pool are appointed by the
Prime Minister to Cabinet positions.

Try it for
1. What are the two steps for government formation
Yourself under FPP?
2. What is Cabinet?
3. What impact does the formation of government under FPP have on democracy?
Explain.

Zealand context
43
LESSON 6:
The operation of the

government under FPP
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn about the operation of the government
under the FPP voting system. By the end of this lesson, you will be
able to explain:
how the government operates under the FPP system
how the government operated after the 1993 elections.
How do you think the operation of government

What do under the FPP system is different to the operation of
You Think? government under the MMP system?

Zealand context
44
LESSON 6: The operation of the government under FPP
How the government operates

under the FPP system
The operation of government under FPP was one that did not
include important checks and balances on the operation of power
that the governing party had. Usually the power of government is
divided into three branches.
There are three branches of government. These are the:
• Executive – this is the branch of government that administers
the law
• Legislature – this is the branch that is involved in contributing to
the formation of law
• Judiciary – this is the Judges in the Court system who interpret
the law
In theory, each branch of government should exercise their power
independently of each other. The independent exercise of power
means that all the power is not concentrated in one body. The
division of power prevents one branch of government going further
than the specific power that it is given. Under FPP the role of
the legislature and the executive are blurred. This is because the
government is easily able to make law and then implement the law.
Although there is debate in Parliament, there are no checks and
balances in the executive part of government as there are with MMP.
Unbridled Power
The actions of the governing party under FPP were seen as being
very powerful. The governing party could create or remove any
laws that its Cabinet decided. The power of the Cabinet under
FPP became very apparent during the 1980s when the Labour
government began the process of state asset sales. These sales and
the effect of Labour’s economic policies became unpopular. Voters
realised that there was little opportunity to oppose unpopular policy
once a government had been voted in. One high profile academic,
and later Prime Minister, Geoffrey Palmer, detailed the effects of
FPP in his well-known book called Unbridled Power. This book was
followed by the book Bridled Power with co-author Matthew Palmer
which followed the change to MMP.
Over the page is an excerpt from the book. If you want to read more
about the function of government under FPP, it is recommended that
you read through it.

Zealand context
45
“From the early 1980s, however, successive Labour and National

governments used the power of the Westminister system [under FPP]
to enact radical policies that were either contrary to their announced
intentions in their election manifestos or at least not mentioned in them…
Many saw the results of the FPP electoral system itself unfair. The
1986 Royal Commission on the Electoral System found that ‘since
1954 all governments elected with the support of fewer than half the
voters’. Even in the landslide election of 1990 the National Party failed
to secure over 50% of the valid votes cast. In 1978 and 1981 Labour
won more votes across New Zealand than National, but National’s
votes were better spread in marginal seats, so National had the
majority of seats and formed government.”
Reference: Palmer, G and Palmer M. (2004) Bridled Power, Oxford University Press p12-13.
Impact on Democracy
Once elected under FPP the government was effectively only
accountable to itself. It was able to start reforms and cost cutting in
areas that it had not indicated before being elected. FPP created an
environment where political parties could only be held accountable In order to get Merit
by the public once every 3 years. in the assessment,
Voters would not have expected different actions from their you need to analyse
representatives than those indicated prior to elections. When the the impact that FPP
policy direction changes, the lack of accurate information affects has on democracy.
voter’s perception of the reliability of the democratic system for
electing representatives. Information provided before elections
needs to be as clear and accurate as possible.
How a government is influenced by its formation

under FPP
The formation of the government under FPP influences how the
government operates in relation to law making. As the government
under FPP is not formed as a coalition, only one party is given all the
power to implement policies. This means that the laws made by the In order to get
party only focus on the political values of the party. Often significant Excellence in the
areas of public policy are not dealt with in a way that takes different assessment, you
perspectives into account. For example, under FPP, a governing must be able to
party that favours economic growth can implement policies that explain how an
promote this. They do not have to negotiate with coalition parties FPP government
(who may offer different perspectives.) is influenced by its
For example, the fourth National government that was formed after formation and give
the 1990 election was able to implement major changes to social an example of this.
welfare in New Zealand. Benefits and other welfare services were
substantially cut. If National were in a coalition with another party,
then the severity of this law reform may have been reduced.

Zealand context
46
Try it for Fill in the gaps with the correct words for each of the
Yourself following sentences.
1. Many people believed that the operation of FPP governments did not include
important checks .
2. Under an the separation of powers was strained.
3. Parliamentary debate, three-yearly elections and media criticism were the only
effective means of .
4. Many people believed that an operated more
smoothly than an because the government was more
easily able to implement its policies.
5. The views of minority groups were not often taken into account with
governments.
Case Study: The operation of the

government after the 1990 Elections
National come to power with a large majority of electoral seats
during the 1990 election. The government was led by Prime Minister
Jim Bolger. The National party implemented a policy of reducing
government debt by selling state owned assets and reducing
beneficiary payouts.
The government sold a number of state owned assets that it felt
would be better managed privately.
Once again because of FPP, voters could not do anything about the
sale of state assets once the government had committed to these
sales.
The Government Response after the 1990 Election

Soon after the election results it became apparent that the Bank

Zealand context
47
of New Zealand was in a insecure financial situation and the

government books were not able to be balanced. The Treasury
stated that expenses urgently needed to be cut in response to the
financial crisis facing the National government.
Minister of Finance, Ruth Richardson, announced a series of cuts to
social services. These cuts included the following changes.
• An 11% decrease to single parent sickness benefits
• Widows benefits cut by 17%
• Dole for under 25s cut by 25%
• Charges for doctors’ visits increased
• Education spending cut
‘Mr Speaker the government has

announcements in view of the disastrous state
of the New Zealand economy which we have
inherited...’
Prime Minister Jim Bolger
19th December 1990
Winston Peters stated that these

reforms was able to be done because
the government moved fast. In the
documentary Someone Else’s Country
Winston Peters explained that the reform
package was thought of prior to the
election. He states that the tactic behind
rapid political change was ‘Hijack, ambush,
speed. Before they got a chance to think,
move on to something else’.
Another change that was introduced was the rewriting of New
Zealand’s employment law. The new law removed national
bargaining structures with optional union memberships. It was
argued that this removed entitlements that workers expected in
terms of work conditions. The new law could allow employers more
flexibility with payments for overtime.
Tertiary education fees were also further increased and allowances
were cut as part of a system of ‘user pays’. People protested
against the move, as they had protested against the changes to
employment law.
Also, the health system was altered in order to create greater
business accountability. Patients started to be charged for basic
health services.

Zealand context
48

Try it for
1. What was the main goal of the fourth National
Yourself government?
2. Give an example of one specific action that the government took to reduce debt.
3. How did FPP allow the National government to make legal changes to reduce
government debt and spending?

Zealand context
49
LESSON 7:
Comparing MMP
and FPP
Learning Objectives
In this lesson you will compare the MMP and FPP voting systems.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to describe:
the differences between the MMP and FPP voting systems
the differences between the operation of MMP and FPP
governments
different viewpoints that people or organisations have in relation
to MMP and FPP.
What do Brainstorm some of the similarities and differences

You Think? between MMP and FPP in the table below.
How FPP is similar to MMP How FPP is different to MMP

Zealand context
50
LESSON 7: Comparing MMP and FPP
Comparing and analysing the

voting systems of MMP and FPP
Read the following descriptions of similarities and

Try it for differences between MMP and FPP in relation to voting.
Yourself Highlight the main points in the text and write notes
about these differences in the space below.
The similarities between MMP and FPP are that the allocation of seats in the House
of Parliament depend upon the votes that each party receives. A key difference under
MMP is that the number of seats in Parliament that a political party is entitled to will
depend on the percentage of party votes received by each party. Under MMP voters
can split their representative and party vote.
Under both MMP and FPP the election itself is administered under the Electoral
Commission. The Electoral Commission has a very important role to play in terms of
ensuring that the voting and counting of votes on election day runs smoothly. The
integrity of the voting system is guarded by the careful administration of the Electoral
Commission.
The role of the media under MMP and FPP is also similar. The coverage provided by
the media will address party policy and cover debates on key policy issues. On the
other hand the scope of the coverage will have changed under MMP. The scope of the
coverage now would not only include information on political issues but also potential
coalitions that might be formed.
Finally the number of MPs in Parliament increased under MMP from 99 to 120.
1. How is MMP similar to FPP in relation to voting?
2. How is MMP different to FPP in relation to voting?

Zealand context
51
It is important to think about the strengths and

Try it for
weaknesses of MMP and FPP in relation to the
Yourself formation and operation of government.
Use the information on the previous page and throughout the rest of the guide to
answer this question.
For each voting system, name one weakness and one strength in relation to its
formation and operation.
MMP - Weakness Explanation
MMP - Strength Explanation
FPP - Weakness Explanation
FPP - Strength Explanation

Zealand context
52
Different viewpoints about

MMP and FPP
Different viewpoints about MMP and FPP

The MMP system of voting was put under public scrutiny in 2011.
At the 2011 General Election a referendum was held to determine
whether the public still supported the MMP voting system. The
referendum asked two key questions.
• The first question focused on whether people still preferred
MMP as a voting system.
• The second question asked voters which system of voting
they would prefer if they had to make a change.
The results from the referendum are shown below. Around 56% of
voters preferred to keep MMP as a voting system. If New Zealand
was to change to another voting system FPP was the most popular.
Part A - Should New Zealand keep the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system?
Number of Votes Percentage of Valid Votes Percentage of Total Votes
KEEP 1,267,955 57.77% 56.17%

CHANGE 926,819 42.23% 41.06%
Total Valid Votes 2,194,774 100.00% 97.23%
Informal Votes* 62,469 2.77%
Total Votes 2,257,243 100.00%
Part B - If New Zealand were to change to another voting system, which voting system
would you choose?
Number of Votes Percentage of Valid Votes Percentage of Total Votes
First Past the 704,117 46.66% 31.19%

Post (FPP)
Preferential 188,164 12.47% 8.34%
Voting (PV)
Single Transferable 252,503 16.73% 11.19%
Vote (STV)
Supplementary 364,373 24.14% 16.14%
Member (SM)
Total Valid Votes 1,509,157 100.00% 66.86%
Informal Votes* 748,086 33.14%
Total Votes 2,257,243 100.00%
Source: http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2011/referendum.html

Zealand context
53
An opinion in favour of MMP

‘Apart from 2005, minor parties have generally flourished under
MMP because it is a far more proportional electoral system and
so the threshold for entry is far less onerous than under First-
Past-the-Post, but still high enough to prevent a proliferation of
micro-parties.’
Source: Jon Johansson: The big crunch - minor party struggles, New Zealand Herald
(2017) https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/96836513/jon-johansson-the-big-
crunch---minor-party-struggles
Try it for 1. What are some of the reasons that people give in
Yourself favour of keeping MMP as a system of voting?
2. Do you think MMP gives greater representation to voters? Explain.

Zealand context
54
An opinion in favour of FPP

Political commentator, Roger Partridge, states ‘under FPP, the
voters choose who represents them, not the party machines.
Voters usually know exactly which party to hold to account for
the government’s performance. Election night outcomes are
commonly clear-cut, allowing strong governments with solid
mandates.’
Source: What is MMP and why you should vote for it, New Zealand Herald (2011), https://
www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-new-zealand-herald/20111103/283003986588980
Try it for 1. What are some of the reasons that people give in
Yourself favour of keeping FPP as a system of voting?
2. How does FPP impact on democracy and voter representation? Explain.

Zealand context
55
Essay task: Which system of voting do you think is

Try it for best for New Zealand. Consider the electoral process,
Yourself the formation of government, and the operation of
government in your answer.

Zealand context
56
Glossary
accountable responsible to, have to explain ones actions to

amendments changes
campaign an organised activity to work towards a certain goal
coalition an alliance (or team) of political parties
compromise an agreement to a dispute with both sides making concessions
dissolve close down
Executive the branch of government that operates government agencies
extensively widely
implement put into place
initiative an idea or plan
interchangeable can be changed or swapped with each other
Legislature the branch of government that makes new law
maintain able to continue
mandate authority to do something
perception the way something is understood
preside be in a position of authority over a meeting or gathering
proportional corresponding in size or amount to something else
reform a change in law or policy
representation speaking or acting on behalf of a group of people
scrutinise examine or inspect closely
Sovereign the Queen
substantial of great importance
summon call
unbridled uncontrolled

Zealand context
57

Zealand context
58

Zealand context
59

Zealand context
21 Ruakura Rd, Hamilton East,
Hamilton 3216
Phone: 0800 864 863
E-mail: instant@atc.org.nz
www.instant.org.nz
© ATC New Zealand

Zealand context

27851v2a Learners Guide 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

27851v2a Learners Guide 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

US 27851 v2a

Unit Standard 27851

Explain systems for the

US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

• Elections in New Zealand - Wikipedia

• The road to MMP - New Zealand History online

• Bill of Rights Act 1990

US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

The MMP voting system 2

The formation of government under MMP 10

The operation of government under MMP 23

The FPP Voting System 34

The formation of government under FPP 39

The operation of the government under FPP 43

Comparing MMP and FPP 49

Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

the voting outcomes of the 2017 elections in New Zealand.

What do Have you heard of MMP before? What does it stand

US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

LESSON 1: The MMP voting system

What is the MMP system?

MMP is proportional. Proportion means ‘part’ or ‘share.’ Generally

Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

LESSON 1: The MMP voting system

How the system works

Under MMP, each enrolled voter gets two votes:

US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

LESSON 1: The MMP voting system

Putting the votes together

One important part of the MMP system is that in order to

Party Electorate won Party Votes (%)

Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

LESSON 1: The MMP voting system

These two seats are called ‘overhang’ seats. The percentage of

US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

LESSON 1: The MMP voting system

Case Study: the 2017 Elections

The general election of 2017 was held on 23 September 2017.

Electoral Act 1993

Political parties involved in the 2017 election

Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

LESSON 1: The MMP voting system

Polls and predictions

By the end of the campaign period, the possible winner of the

US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

LESSON 1: The MMP voting system

The table below shows the outcome of the 2017

Area Voters % of votes Seats

National 1,152,075 44.45 −2.59 41 15 56 −4

1. Which parties won seats in government?

2. Which parties did not win any seats in government?

3. Did any party receive enough votes to govern alone?

Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

What do What do you think it means to form a government?

US27851v2a Learner's Guide Licensed to Western Heights High School

LESSON 2: The formation of government under MMP

How the government is

Confidence and supply agreements

Licensed to Western Heights High School US27851v2a Learner's Guide

LESSON 2: The formation of government under MMP

‘B’ Party Policy ‘C’ Party Policy

‘A’ Party Policy