Posts by Graeme Edgeler
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This is a great find. And looking at the photo now ... well Grass just doesn't look like that in New Zealand.
Not with David Farrar waking each night from a tormented sleep to blog fresh insights on the horror that is the Electoral Finance Act.
I think today that this was me.
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Four hours is no time at all to permit a jury to deliberate on a complex case. Is that applicable to every case, Graeme?
Not really. In no case can a verdict with a sole dissenter be accepted before 4 hours, but whether one will be accepted is ultimately up to the judge. In a long or complex case, a judge wouldl refuse to accept a majority verdict that quickly, because a majority verdict may only be accepted, if:
(c) the foreperson of the jury has stated in open court—
(i) that there is no probability of the jury reaching a unanimous verdict; and
(ii) that the jury has reached a majority verdict; and
(d) the Court considers that the jury has had a period of time for deliberation that the Court thinks reasonable, having regard to the nature and complexity of the trial. -
Peter - wrong thread. I think you wanted to be first here.
:-)
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Milk's $2.90 for two litres where I buy it in Wellington. Why would anyone pay $4+?
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I thought about multiple copies of Doug Graham and cried.
Doug Graham isn't a member of the Order of New Zealand.
You were crying because he hasn't been so honoured? :-)
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But... does one Sir Ed hold the Order of Merit or do they all?
I'm pretty sure none of them did.
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I'd be fascinated to hear his examples of 'Key unplugged'
The anti-smacking bill would be up there, I'd suggest.
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__"Are you satisfied with MMP as a system or would you prefer a change?"__
That is self-evidently not a referendum question. It is a customer feedback survey. Graeme is right (in the first reply) to point to this. A referendum is worth discussing. National's proposal is not. It is a nonsense.
I think it's a reasonable question if it comes with a "If New Zealand were to adopt a new electoral system, which would your prefer?" as well. I don't have access to much of the Internet (today and tomorrow I'm on my parents dial-up) but if someone wants to search for the original 1992 question I wouldn't be surprised if it looked something like that (Tim?).
What do you mean by an 'open list' Graeme?
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If you want Grant Robertson to get in via your party vote, you need to vote for everyone above him on the list. He only gets in if they all make it. What if you think the chap above him on the list is a complete tosser?Open lists enable people to cast their party vote next to a particular list candidate to push them up that party's list. I believe Peter Dunne favours this (if we don't adopt his favoured STV), but not many other politicians. It could certainly diminish the list members have no mandate argument.
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The people of Florida and Michigan, having their votes only count for half, have now been reduced to less than when blacks were only considered to be 3/5 of a person.
Well, at least it shows an appreciation of history.
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Just seen your column for PA come up on my news reader, you many need to alter the headline...
I'm not sure I can (in system anyway), but it was deliberate. I don't think it's time for a change, but it is time for people who think there should be a change to push for it - this it's time for a time for a change. I am frequently too smart for my own good :-)
Fair enough, but whats to stop that under FPP - there will be no overhang but if one party was to hold all the Maori seats they`d have more power than they do now with an overhang.
That was exactly what I was suggesting the Māori Party might welcome. They could turn their 3-4% of the vote into a near permanent 10% of the seats.
And there will be fewer Maori in Parliament as well.
There is that corollary, however. There might be 12 or 13 seats, but there would likely be fewer Māori in Parliament overall under first past the post. That could well be a reason for the Māori Party to oppose FPP, even if it limits their voting strength.
Good reason to retain PR, whatever that form may take...
Not really. That someone who isn't me might benefit from first past the post isn't a terribly principled rationale for opposition. But perhaps a good reason to look at the Māori seats.