Te Pāti Māori has broken with tradition and decided against running MP constituent offices in their electorates, despite getting additional funding for the large electorates it won at the 2023 election.
New Zealand First, as well, has decided not to run any offices in the community – but it has no electorate MPs.
All electorate MPs in other parties have at least one office each, with 14 MPs having two offices, and four MPs having three offices. The Māori Party previously ran electorate offices from 2005 to 2017.
Electorate offices are typically open during the week, and staffed with people who can offer practical help to the community – on behalf of their MP – with issues as diverse as housing, immigration and concerns about crime.
This is interesting and new information. I have never before heard of an Electorate MP not having an electorate office. They receive taxpayer funding specifically to allow them to rent offices and have electorate staff in them.
I guess TPM have as much contempt for their constituents, as they do for Parliament.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for joining the discussion. Breaking Views welcomes respectful contributions that enrich the debate. Please ensure your comments are not defamatory, derogatory or disruptive. We appreciate your cooperation.