23 February 2006
Reduction In Number Of MPs Bill To Be Debated
New Zealand First MP Barbara Stewart is delighted that her Electoral (Reduction in Number of Members of Parliament)
Amendment Bill has been pulled from the Members Bill ballot and placed onto the Order Paper for debate.
The bill seeks to reduce the number of Members of Parliament from 120 to 100.
“This Bill will allow debate on an issue which has been voted on by the New Zealand people before,” said Mrs Stewart.
“In 1999 a referendum was held in conjunction with the General Election of that year asking whether the size of the
House of Representatives should be reduced from 120 Members to 99 Members. The result was an overwhelming 81.5%, or 1.7
million New Zealanders, voting in favour of a reduction.
“New Zealand First has long advocated greater use of referenda and this Bill represents a strong response to the result
of New Zealand’s last referendum,” concluded Mrs Stewart.
ENDS