Maori Party vs Labour

Newshub reports:

Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi is not surprised Labour wants to scrap the rule that brought in their second MP because it would “remove the only true and independent Māori voice from Parliament”.

The rule is known as ‘coat-tailing’. It allows political parties to bring in extra MPs without having to cross the 5 percent threshold if they win an electorate. The number of additional list MPs is based on the percentage of the party’s vote. 

The Māori Party was able to bring in an additional MP thanks to this rule. Waititi won the Waiariki electorate from Labour and he was able to bring in co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer based on the party winning 1.2 percent of the vote. 

Waititi is not surprised Labour wants to get rid of the coat-tail rule because it allowed the Māori Party more representation in Parliament, and Labour currently holds all but one of the seven Māori electorates.

“Of course Jacinda Ardern supports getting rid of the coat-tailing rule in Parliament because this arrangement would remove the only true and independent Māori voice from Parliament,” he told Newshub.

Yep Labour and the Greens want to make it harder for the Maori Party to gain List MPs.