Shirtcliffe already spending up for MMP referendum II

The graph shows that approaching election time people start caring about their two votes - late '99 and mid '02 were elections. The interests that want to restrict that to just one vote never sleep. The Nats have promised a referendum - the wording and details of which are still to be established - on MMP at, or before the scheduled 2011 general election.

UMR Electoral system poll results tell us what most people will already know - that old people, mostly white people, yearn for the good old days of First-past-the-post voting. What I found interesting was people behind it, the wealthy elite and their business interests are similarly old fashioned. You would think they would be modernists - not so.

Since a smaller parliament with less representation of minorities is a central plank in these people's dream scenario of re-exerting corporate influence over our democracy their first hurdle is to repeal MMP. They are prepared to fork out as much money to do that as they were to defend FPP back in 1993, ie. shit loads.

I remember a guy from Act popped up a few years back fronting some sort of organisation trying to get a petition to get parliament to 99 MPs. The only reason he would spend time on that fruitless enterprise was if he was being paid - a lot. On that score:People remain unconvinced that 120 MPs (and it's 120 minimum, the current parliament, like the one previously is in overhang) is necessary. But that is a back door to making the chamber disproportionate - certainly the way they are thinking.

Now Graeme Hunt, a business journalist (and author too) is fronting this new show focused on MMP rather than 100 MPs. When money and power and status are at stake these guys are making calculated investments:

The poll was commissioned by Put MMP to the Vote, a campaign for an informed referendum on the electoral system led by Graeme Hunt and Peter Shirtcliffe.

I can't find any website for this organisation, cabal or whatever you want to call it. The trembling terror of poor governance (ie. that a Ruth Richardson type might have to compromise with a Winston Peters or a Pita Sharples type in order to rule the country) is answered in the survey: The negatives increasing five points over two years, but still eight points less than the people who think that MMP has been positive. They won't be too pleased with that in the boardroom, or lodge or whatever you want to call it.

64% would be comfortable seeing a referendum on MMP - but the wording was "to keep or change" the MMP system - the question of what the other options are to change it to is an unknown. I hope Shirtcliffe gets his arse kicked in round 2 even harder than round 1 in 1993, or round 0 in 1992 (the first time I voted... for MMP). The main problem for Shirtcliffe is that his daughter, who helped him immensely 16 years ago, will not be as hot looking now. Seriously. She was worth more than a couple of points to FPP because watching a very wealthy, old, ugly, white man lecturing us that his very wealthy, old, ugly, white mates will have less influence over politicians if minorities were allowed in and that everyone's votes shouldn't count and that just a few people in marginal, middle class and provincial electorates should decide the government is the natural order of things made the rest of us want to fucking puke. Coming from his daughter however made it palatable to many which was why they switched tactics and her fronting it towards the end.