Author(s): Jack Vowles

NZ Non Fiction

This is a book on the 1999 election in New Zealand and its aftermath. It is the fourth in the important series of election studies by these authors and is based on extensive surveys before and after the election and more recent research during 2001. In contrast to the first MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) election in this country, which was met with widespread dissatisfaction, the 1999 result largely delivered a government the public had voted for. However, though opposition to MMP has faded, there are still critics and a 2001 parliamentary committee has reviewed the electoral system. The book provides an independent analysis of the election and the consequences of the MMP system and will make a major contribution to an ongoing debate likely to increase in the months leading up to the 2002 election.