Boundaries in N.Z. praised

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34045, 8 January 1976, Page 2

Boundaries in N.Z. praised

<N.Z. Press Assn—Copyright) SYDNEY, January 6. Australia’s most outspoken political scientist, Mr Malcolm Mackerras, has described New Zealand electoral boundaries as being fairer and more impartial than Australian boundaries.

Mr Mackerras was commenting in a “Sydney Morning Herald” article on the fact that the Australian Labour Party won 43 per cent of the main party votes at the recent House of Representatives election, but won only 28 per cent of the seats. The Liberal-National Country Coalition won 57 per cent [Of the main party vote, but [took 72 per cent of the seats. Mr Mackerras said that!

New Zealand had an absolutely fair and impartial system of drawing its electoral boundaries.

The system was accepted by Labour and National as being fair, and there were no cries of, “We wuz robbed” after the landslide defeat of Labour. National did not claim robbery in 1972. Mr Mackerras said that if the redistribution of Australian boundaries, which was proposed by the Whitlam Government but rejected by the Senate, had been used for the Australian General Election in December, Labour would have won 31 per cent of the seats and the Coalition 69 per cent. If this had occurred, there would have been no complaints tn Australia. There would still have been a landslide. but without the bitterness which occurred.