Andrew Dickens: Is MMP broken? Is there a way to fix it?

As we wait for bated breath for the results of special votes to finally determine the result of the election, I think there is a big question that is just sitting there waiting to be asked and waiting to be answered: what's wrong with MMP? And is there any way we can fix it? 

With all the noise about supposed electoral manipulation that Chris Hipkins is going on about, the focus has been around the changing of the rules around enrolment. But I would say the real unease in the country is just how big our parliament has become because of the concept of the overhang, and that's there because of the way MMP is structured. Parliamentary Services is currently planning on fitting all these extra people into the house. They have to shoehorn some desks into the debating chamber. They have to find more offices. They have to find more staff. The whole project is going to cost us, the taxpayer, millions, and it will not be completed until April. And none of that is anything that we want. 

Especially when you remember just how many calls we've had to talkback over the years calling for a smaller parliament which is more proportionate to the size of our country. And this is the thing, MMP is about providing a proportionate government, but has it succeeded this time? Will it succeed this time? I don't think it will. You can see the problems. How can we fix it?  

The two votes enabling vote splitting, is that a good idea? The threshold enabling cups of tea between parties, which again adds more MPs. Clearly, the fault lies with the system that is MMP and the way it's structured right now. A lot of talk has been going on about that vote splitting campaign funded by Nick Mowbray, fronted by Don Brash, but there's also Nick's dad, Harry. He's a businessman, and he says his controversial vote splitting campaign wasn't really about this election at all. In fact, he says, this is all in a Newsroom article by Jonathan Milne, he says the bigger goal for him is replacing New Zealand's MMP system. 

Alongside former National minister Maurice Williamson, also a man very good at crunching the numbers as we found out on Saturday night, the two are promoting a model called Positive MMP. They reckon there should only be 100 electorate MPs, 20 list seats, and just one single vote cast in the electorate. Does that appeal to you?  

In fact, here's the thing that Harry Mowbray says. Despite campaigning against tactical voting, Mowbray says he'd actually be happy to keep MMP, even though he says the system's flawed, because he believes it will continue to deliver right leaning governments. And that's obvious as well. Just look at the map. Look at all the blue. The blue is in the rural areas, and the red is in the urban areas. In fact, the blue is in the wealthier areas of urban places, the red is in the poor. Just look how many seats are there, and each one of those are winnable by the blue side, that gives them the overhang. It seems obvious to me. 

The question lies, is there any problem with MMP? And if there is, how would you fix it? I'm sure you've got ideas. If you don't, I will run you through options later in the hour, but as I say, the question remains, is MMP broken and if so, how would you fix it?