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The Impact of Proportional Representation on Government Effectiveness: The New Zealand Experience

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 23:00 authored by Jonathan Boston, Stephen Church, Tim Bale
It is often claimed that proportional representation (PR) undermines government effectiveness, including decisional efficacy, fiscal prudence, electoral responsiveness and accountability. Drawing on New Zealand's experience since the introduction of a mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1996, this article examines the impact of the new voting system on government effectiveness. Although government durability has been substantially reduced and the policy-making process has become more complex, governments under MMP appear to be no less able to address major policy problems or respond to changing economic circumstances. Moreover, New Zealand has maintained continuous fiscal surpluses under MMP — a radical departure from the protracted, and often large, deficits that characterised the previous two decades under a majoritarian electoral system.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Australian Journal of Public Administration

ISSN

0313-6647

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Issue

4

Volume

62

Page range

7-22

Pages

16.0

Department affiliated with

  • Politics Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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