Waka-jumping

The implementation of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system following a referendum in 1993 led to a series of defections and re-alignments as the former two-party system adjusted to the change. This led to the rise and fall of a number of political parties in New Zealand, including the creation of New Zealand First and ACT. The new political climate tended to favour the establishment of new political parties (whereas in former times dissidents had often simply become independent MPs). In the two previous parliaments before the Act was passed, 22 MPs defected.[2]

Due to the frequency of waka jumping, New Zealand enacted the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Act 2001, which had been introduced by Michael Cullen in 1999.[2] The Act expired at the 2005 election as the sunset clause came into effect. It required any MP who had entered Parliament via a party list to resign from Parliament if they left that party's parliamentary caucus.[3] However, parties were still able to find ways around this law. When the Alliance split in 2002 over how to respond to the invasion of Afghanistan, Jim Anderton nominally remained the leader of the Alliance within Parliament, while campaigning outside Parliament as the leader of the newly-founded Progressive Party.[4] The resulting uncertainty around the Alliance’s position contributed to then-Prime Minister Helen Clark’s decision to call an early general election in 2002.[5] While the law was in force, it was used once to expel a list MP from Parliament (an electorate MP who changed parties could still fight a by-election, as Tariana Turia did[6]). In December 2003, the ACT Party caucus voted to expel Donna Awatere Huata, an ACT list MP who became an independent after being charged with fraud.[7] The expulsion became the subject of litigation, and Awatere Huata was not expelled from Parliament until a Supreme Court decision handed down in November 2004.[8] A proposed Bill to replace the Act in 2005 failed.[9]

The new Electoral (Integrity) Act Amendment Bill 2018[10] is currently before the Select Committee.[11] The member in charge is Andrew Little. The Bill is sponsored by the Government as part of the coalition agreement between Labour and New Zealand First.[12] The Bill has generated significant media coverage.[13][14][15] It is substantively the same as the original 2001 Act (albeit without a sunset clause) and shares the same avowed purpose to "enhance public confidence in the integrity of the electoral system by upholding the proportionality of political party representation in Parliament as determined by electors".[16]

The Māori word waka applies often to a large Māori canoe (or any vehicle). The term waka-jumping is a variant on the phrase "jumping ship". Waka hurdling is a traditional sport of jumping Māori canoes over suspended logs.

• Aaya Ram Gaya Ram
• Crossing the floor
• Party switching

1.^ After becoming an Independent politician, Peters successfully contested a by-election in his Tauranga electorate.

2.^ After switching to the Maori Party, Turia had to contest a by-election, in line with the ban on waka-jumping then in force. She won the resulting contest in Te Tai Hauauru.

3.^ After crossing to the Mana Movement, Harawira successfully contested a by-election in his constituency of Te Tai Tokerau.