Socred on Maori voting

Press, 9 October 1980, Page 4

Socred on Maori voting

PA , Wellington Social Credit would retain the present Maori seats unti! the single transferable vote electoral system of proportional representation was introduced the leader of the party (Mr Beetham) has said. Mr Beetham said that under the S.T.V. system Maoris would be able to elect their own representatives without their necessarily being members of the Labour Party. Under S.T.V. each constituency would be able to return more than one member.

“For example, if the Auckland urban area was divided into three electorates returning seven members each, it is highly unlikely that each would return a member representing the Maori people. In a sevenmember electorate it would only take 12.5 per cent of first-preference votes cast for a Maori representative to see that person elected,” Mr Beetham said.

He said this form of representation would not require separate Maori rolls and the question of Maori representation would be removed from the political arena because Maoris would be able to elect their own representatives if enough wished.