1080p:

KiwiNZ:

scuwp:

KiwiNZ:

1080p: "The rules would also require a list that had a mix of ethnicity, gender, geographical spread, sexual orientation and disability representation."

I guess they don't really want to win an election this time around either.

You have described the ideal representation mix for Parliament.  

Agree, but if that was their only qualification for the job then lord help us.

95% of the incumbents are not qualified now, so it may well be an improvement  

You have no idea what you're talking about if you seriously think this is the case. When was the last time you spoke with an MP?

sen8or: So long as Andrew Little NEVER becomes PM, the labour party can do what it likes.

KiwiNZ:
"The establishment of Maori electorates came about in 1867 during the term of the 4th Parliament with the Maori Representation Act, drafted by Napier MP Donald McLean.[2] Parliament passed the Act only after lengthy debate. Many conservative MPs, most of whom considered Maori "unfit" to participate in government, opposed Maori representation in Parliament, while some MPs from the other end of the spectrum (such as James FitzGerald, who had proposed allocating a third of Parliament to Maori) regarded the concessions given to Maori as insufficient. In the end the setting up of Maori electorates separate from existing electorates assuaged conservative opposition to the bill – conservatives had previously feared that Maori would gain the right to vote in general electorates, thereby forcing all MPs (rather than just four Maori MPs) to take notice of Maori opinion.
Before this law came into effect, no direct prohibition on Maori voting existed, but other indirect prohibitions made it extremely difficult for Maori to exercise their theoretical electoral rights. The most significant problem involved the property qualification – to vote, one needed to possess a certain value of land. Maori owned a great deal of land, but they held it in common, not under individual title, and under the law, only land held under individual title could count towards the property qualification. Donald McLean explicitly intended his bill as a temporary measure, giving specific representation to Maori until they adopted European customs of land ownership. However, the Maori electorates lasted far longer than the intended five years, and remain in place today, despite the property qualification for voting being removed in 1879." 

alasta:

sen8or: So long as Andrew Little NEVER becomes PM, the labour party can do what it likes.

Unfortunately it's looking like that could happen. They will need to roll David Shearer about a year before next year's election and they are lacking potential replacements. I personally think that Grant Robertson is unlikely because deputies of failed leaders don't tend to become leaders themselves and David Cunliffe is too tarnished by his previous failed coup, so that really just leaves David Parker and Andrew Little.

Bring on the endless waterfront strikes!

6FIEND:

KiwiNZ:
"The establishment of Maori electorates came about in 1867 during the term of the 4th Parliament with the Maori Representation Act, drafted by Napier MP Donald McLean.[2] Parliament passed the Act only after lengthy debate. Many conservative MPs, most of whom considered Maori "unfit" to participate in government, opposed Maori representation in Parliament, while some MPs from the other end of the spectrum (such as James FitzGerald, who had proposed allocating a third of Parliament to Maori) regarded the concessions given to Maori as insufficient. In the end the setting up of Maori electorates separate from existing electorates assuaged conservative opposition to the bill – conservatives had previously feared that Maori would gain the right to vote in general electorates, thereby forcing all MPs (rather than just four Maori MPs) to take notice of Maori opinion.
Before this law came into effect, no direct prohibition on Maori voting existed, but other indirect prohibitions made it extremely difficult for Maori to exercise their theoretical electoral rights. The most significant problem involved the property qualification – to vote, one needed to possess a certain value of land. Maori owned a great deal of land, but they held it in common, not under individual title, and under the law, only land held under individual title could count towards the property qualification. Donald McLean explicitly intended his bill as a temporary measure, giving specific representation to Maori until they adopted European customs of land ownership. However, the Maori electorates lasted far longer than the intended five years, and remain in place today, despite the property qualification for voting being removed in 1879." 

As such, all impediments (both direct & indirect, both real & perceived) to Maori exercising their electoral rights in general electorates were removed in 1879.

Accordingly, NZ is only 134yrs overdue to remove institutional racism from it's electoral law.

Yet somehow I'm certain that I will be labelled either 'racist' or failing that, 'ignorant' for pointing that out.

KiwiNZ:
As I said earlier when all the homework is done there will be a time when this can and should be done. A referendum after the next Election would be appropriate

6FIEND:

KiwiNZ:
As I said earlier when all the homework is done there will be a time when this can and should be done. A referendum after the next Election would be appropriate

Good call

...and for what it's worth, I believe that the referendum should be conducted by members of the Maori role, for members of the Maori role.  Whatever decision is reached, it should ideally be agreed to by the people effected, rather than the general population.

IMHO it would be a great step towards true independence & self determination.  (though I am aware there are others who believe that altogether different roads lead to those ideals)

6FIEND:

KiwiNZ:
"The establishment of Maori electorates came about in 1867 during the term of the 4th Parliament with the Maori Representation Act, drafted by Napier MP Donald McLean.[2] Parliament passed the Act only after lengthy debate. Many conservative MPs, most of whom considered Maori "unfit" to participate in government, opposed Maori representation in Parliament, while some MPs from the other end of the spectrum (such as James FitzGerald, who had proposed allocating a third of Parliament to Maori) regarded the concessions given to Maori as insufficient. In the end the setting up of Maori electorates separate from existing electorates assuaged conservative opposition to the bill – conservatives had previously feared that Maori would gain the right to vote in general electorates, thereby forcing all MPs (rather than just four Maori MPs) to take notice of Maori opinion.
Before this law came into effect, no direct prohibition on Maori voting existed, but other indirect prohibitions made it extremely difficult for Maori to exercise their theoretical electoral rights. The most significant problem involved the property qualification – to vote, one needed to possess a certain value of land. Maori owned a great deal of land, but they held it in common, not under individual title, and under the law, only land held under individual title could count towards the property qualification. Donald McLean explicitly intended his bill as a temporary measure, giving specific representation to Maori until they adopted European customs of land ownership. However, the Maori electorates lasted far longer than the intended five years, and remain in place today, despite the property qualification for voting being removed in 1879." 

As such, all impediments (both direct & indirect, both real & perceived) to Maori exercising their electoral rights in general electorates were removed in 1879.

Accordingly, NZ is only 134yrs overdue to remove institutional racism from it's electoral law.

Yet somehow I'm certain that I will be labelled either 'racist' or failing that, 'ignorant' for pointing that out.

6FIEND: 
As such, all impediments (both direct & indirect, both real & perceived) to Maori exercising their electoral rights in general electorates were removed in 1879.