‘The Government wants to screw the scrum’ – will it become easier for support parties to get into Parliament?

December 4, 2018

The Justice Minister wants to lower the threshold for a party getting into Parliament to four per cent.

A drop in the five per cent threshold to get into Parliament is on the cards, however the Government has been accused of pushing the move for its own advantage. 

The latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll showed the Green Party and NZ First in a dangerous position, with the Greens on five per cent support and NZ First on four per cent. 

A political party needs five per cent to earn a place in Parliament via the list only, however it could be made easier. 

Read more:  National surpasses Labour in latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll

Justice Minister Andrew Little said the Royal Commission recommended a drop to four per cent.

"Every subsequent review they have come back and said it should be four per cent, my view is it should be four per cent," he said. 

"This has been a recommendation going back to 1986, its been recommended several times since then... this is not new."

National Party leader Simon Bridges said with NZ First receiving just five per cent support, there was a "very clear reason for them to play with the electoral system".

"We shouldn't do that lightly, there should be a big debate on it."

ACT's David Seymour said the 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll showed "exactly why the government would like to screw the scrum for it's own advantage". 

However, NZ First leader Winston Peters was happy with the current threshold. 

"We've always believed in five per cent," he said. 

The Government would consider a referendum on the issue.

SHARE ME

More Stories