Three referendums possible: Little
WELLINGTON: Justice Minister Andrew Little has flagged that referendums on cannabis law reform, euthanasia and MMP reform could take place at the same time.
Speaking to TVNZ’s Q&A programme last night, Mr Little said a Cabinet paper on the cannabis referendum was with colleagues at the moment but the detail of the referendum’s form, whether it is binding or not, had yet to be decided.
The Government is planning a referendum on cannabis for personal use before or at the 2020 election as part of its confidence and supply agreement with the Green Party.
‘‘There’s a Cabinet paper that’s being reviewed by various Cabinet ministers at the moment and I would hope that we’ll make decisions before the end of the year,’’ Mr Little told TVNZ.
‘‘One of the issues is, is it binding, is it not binding? There’s still the question about the timing of it and various other questions as well. But it’s certainly my strong preference . . . that by the end of this year we’ll have those principal decisions determined so we all know.’’
Mr Little said a referendum on the question of euthanasia could be held at the same time, following discussions with Act leader David Seymour, who has been driving the issue, and a willingness by New Zealand First to support Mr Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill if it went to a referendum.
‘‘It is possible that there would be a referendum on euthanasia as well,’’ Mr Little said.
He also flagged a possible referendum on changes to the MMP system of representation.
‘‘It has been floating around that if we’re going to do a bunch of referenda, why wouldn’t we put this question about whether we want to make those final tweaks to MMP, reduce that 5% threshold to 4%, get rid of the oneseat coattailing provision.’’
But he said no decisions had been made on that yet.
In 2012 the Electoral Commission recommended reducing the party vote threshold for entry to Parliament from 5% of the vote to 4%, and also abolishing the coattailing provision which means parties who win an electorate seat can bring in other MPs, regardless of whether they meet the threshold. — NZME