An unusual situation arose at the weekend when the New Zealand Electoral Commission published the official candidate and party lists for the coming general election this October 14th.
It is now established that a last minute submission by the newly registered NZ Loyal Party contained a clerical error that resulted in a party list of 3 names while there are separately 33 electorate candidates. Now a list of 2 as it is understood Engel has withdrawn from the list.
[NZ uses a Mixed Member Proportional system similar to the German MMP system]
Legal advice sought by party leader Liz Gunn outlined the consequences of the party reaching the 5% threshold (that allows the party to be represented in parliament) – two mps would enter parliament and any remaining seats allocated to the party according to the % of the vote the party won would remain vacant. At say 8.5% that would leave 9 list seats vacant.
Clarifying the party’s situation in a live broadcast on Monday afternoon Gunn suggested that the silver lining was the opportunity for wavering voters to protest the number of mps (currently 120) by voting NZ Loyal.
The anomaly here though is that the number of seats is not reduced but are empty chairs.
The Mt Albert seat is likewise currently vacant as former prime minister Jacinda Ardern resigned within 6 months of a general election. To have had a by-election 75% of parliament would have been required to vote not to leave the seat vacant.
In the unlikely event that NZ Loyal collected the minor party vote and crossed the 5% threshold that would stop the redistribution of voting percentages from those unelected parties to those elected – the usual outcome.
Of more concern though is the protest about the lost voices of list members who toe the party line as they are not accountable to any electorate.
The irony here is that Gunn’s proposed protest would not reduce the number of mps (it might save some expense) in parliament but leave NZ Loyal a list of silent mps whose only voices are via the two candidates remaining on the list.
In a poll that would have been conducted before the error occurred NZ Loyal and the umbrella party FreedomsNZ emerged as the minor party favorites – not surprising as the two main competitors for the minor vote, Democracy NZ and new conservatives (as they are now known) have also had their own election catastrophes.
Freedoms NZ has been quietly progressing. They have quite a sizeable list of candidates and the opportunity to go where other parties don’t bother – into the netherlands of New Zealand to find those people who normally don’t vote – the unwanted electorate and on not such a despicable way as the Labour Party courting gang members with money.
Election 2023 is becoming an interesting election in many ways as the fight for democracy continues.
While NZ Loyal received a take down notice from Dave Dobbyn for using, probably his best known song “Loyal” without permission, Freedoms NZ found the talents of NZ singer-songwriter Aly Cook with her new release “Freedom New Zealand (Details here) ” YouTube clip below.
Writer of Sorts 