Why the election throws MMP into question

Why the election throws MMP into question The 2026 general election will see New Zealand's parliament expand to its biggest size ever - 131 MPs. It's the result of an historic 'overhang' that the MMP system enables, whereby parties won more electorate seats than their party vote would otherwise allow. With special votes yet to be released, it's possible the overhang will decide who can form government. After thirty years with MMP, does the system need updating? Jack Tame is joined by panelists Nick Smith and Lara Greaves. Nick Smith is a former National MP, elected as a local MP during both FPP and MMP systems, and previously the Party's spokesperson for electoral law reform. Lara Greaves is associate professor of politics at Victoria University of Wellington and co-authored the 2023 Independent Electoral Review into MMP. How to be an MP While special votes are still weeks away, newly-elected MPs (and those on the cusp of being elected) have flown to Wellington for their first week on the job, meeting support staff, familiarising themselves with age-old parliamentary protocol, and, perhaps most crucially, figuring out where their desk is. Whena Owen reports. New Opportunity MP on He Puapua, conservation and Michael Laws Kayla Kingdon-Bebb is no stranger to parliament - but for the next three years, she'll be seeing it from a different angle than she's used to. A former ministerial adviser, she co-authored the controversial government report 'He Puapua', an exploration on how New Zealand could apply the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Options included a Māori upper house, and making the Waitangi Tribunal's recommendations binding. More recently, she served as chief executive of World Wildlife Fund New Zealand, and as a new Opportunity MP-elect, the party's position on bottom trawling is one she has fought for in the conservation space for years. She joins Jack Tame. The looming crisis in climate damage Westpac has signalled it will pull back from insuring properties in risk-prone areas - the first New Zealand bank to be so explicit about the looming crisis in uninsurable houses. Independent economist and managing director of Climate Sigma Belinda Storey joins Jack Tame. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

Westpac has signalled it will pull back from insuring properties in risk-prone areas - the first New Zealand bank to be so explicit about the looming crisis in uninsurable houses. Independent economist and managing director of Climate Sigma Belinda Storey joins Jack Tame. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

Kayla Kingdon-Bebb is no stranger to parliament - but for the next three years, she'll be seeing it from a different angle than she's used to. A former ministerial adviser, she co-authored the controversial government report 'He Puapua', an exploration on how New Zealand could apply the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Options included a Māori upper house, and making the Waitangi Tribunal's recommendations binding. More recently, she served as chief executive of World Wildlife Fund New Zealand, and as a new Opportunity MP-elect, the party's position on bottom trawling is one she has fought for in the conservation space for years. She joins Jack Tame. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

While special votes are still weeks away, newly-elected MPs (and those on the cusp of being elected) have flown to Wellington for their first week on the job, meeting support staff, familiarising themselves with age-old parliamentary protocol, and, perhaps most crucially, figuring out where their desk is. Whena Owen reports. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

The 2026 general election will see New Zealand's parliament expand to its biggest size ever - 131 MPs. It's the result of an historic 'overhang' that the MMP system enables, whereby parties won more electorate seats than their party vote would otherwise allow. With special votes yet to be released, it's possible the overhang will decide who can form government. After thirty years with MMP, does the system need updating? Jack Tame is joined by panelists Nick Smith and Lara Greaves. Nick Smith is a former National MP, elected as a local MP during both FPP and MMP systems, and previously the Party's spokesperson for electoral law reform. Lara Greaves is associate professor of politics at Victoria University of Wellington and co-authored the 2023 Independent Electoral Review into MMP. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

All the numbers: Reporters react to election night result After a dramatic election night, 1News senior political reporter Benedict Collins and 1News political reporter Sophie Trigger join Jack Tame. National Party wary of hung parliament leading to snap election National's campaign chair Simeon Brown joins Jack Tame for a Q+A special the morning after the election. Shane Jones on election result: "I'm an optimist" New Zealand First looks set to enjoy even more power at the negotiating table when it comes time for coalition talk. Chloe Swarbrick on Greens' best election result yet The Green Party look set to welcome a refreshed caucus of 16 MPs after polling at 13.3 percent on preliminary results - and that's before the special votes are counted, which historically give the left bloc an extra seat or two. Co-leader Chloe Swarbrick was also returned to her seat of Auckland Central, making it three consecutive elections in the heart of New Zealand's biggest city. Two electorate races - Wellington Bays and Te Tai Tokerau - have the Green candidate in a close second position with the potential to flip. Did vote-splitting campaign succeed? Don Brash reacts to election night result Former National Party leader Don Brash led the Split the Vote campaign, encouraging right-wing voters to candidate vote National and then party vote either ACT or NZ First to engineer an 'overhang' in parliament. On preliminary results, the National Party has won six more seats than it would be entitled to on party vote alone, and Parliament will be fitted out with an historic 131 seats. Overhang, low voter turnout mark Election 2026 in the history books University of Otago electoral law expert Andrew Geddis joins Jack Tame to talk through the unprecedented overhang created by National's strong electorate performances. Gone Green? The Māori seat strategy in Election 2026 Record high enrolment and dramatically different party vote results - Aukaha News reporter Roihana Nuri joins Jack Tame to digest the results in the seven Māori electorate seats. Post-election panel: Opportunity faces hard choice, major party leaders questioned After a close and dramatic election night, Jack Tame is joined by former National campaign strategist Tim Hurdle, and former Labour MP Sue Moroney, to chew over the most significant issues arising from the vote. Will either major party leader face questions over their future? Which way will Opportunity go? And will the provisional results match up with the final totals? Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

After a close and dramatic election night, Jack Tame is joined by former National campaign strategist Tim Hurdle, and former Labour MP Sue Moroney, to chew over the most significant issues arising from the vote. Will either major party leader face questions over their future? Which way will Opportunity go? And will the provisional results match up with the final totals? Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

After a dramatic election night, 1News senior political reporter Benedict Collins and 1News political reporter Sophie Trigger join Jack Tame. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

Record high enrolment and dramatically different party vote results - Aukaha News reporter Roihana Nuri joins Jack Tame to digest the results in the seven Māori electorate seats. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

University of Otago electoral law expert Andrew Geddis joins Jack Tame to talk through the unprecedented overhang created by National's strong electorate performances. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.