NX-Files

In the UK - both Labour & the Conservative Party actually work together to prevent BNP (British National Party) candidates from becoming MPs. By being strategic about whether to stand a candidate they prevent a 'three horse race' & the BNP candidate slipping in the back door.

The same thing should've happened in New Zealand to prevent Hone Harawira from winning Te Tai Tokerau (TTT). After all both Phil Goff & John Key have declared they cannot work with him.

Actually Labour & National did kinda work together with John Key effectively endorsed Labour's Te TTT candidate.

So How did Hone win? A commenter on Kiwiblog summed it up quite nicely "A racist MP in a racist party wins one of the racist seats."

Like no one ever before in New Zealand's history, Hone has taken advantage of the electoral system for maximum gain.

There are literally five ways in which Hone has capitalised on the system.

1. He stood in a Maori seat rather than a general seat (he wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell in a general seat).
2. He forced a by-election right before a general election which historically have a low turn-out.
3. Money. Hone is returned to parliament as a party leader. He get's a salary increase & Mana get parliamentary funding for the general election.
4. MMP. If Hone holds his TTT Maori seat then Mana doesn't need to reach the 5% threshold in order to bring more people into parliament.
5. ... can't think of a five, but I'm sure there's at least one more.

This type of electoral manipulation must be stopped. I'm definitely voting against MMP come the election.