MMP opponents routed

Opponents of MMP have been routed and now it's here to stay, the Electoral Commission is getting ready to review it.

The Electoral Commission will have a close look at MMP's most controversial provision, which allows parties that win an electorate seat to bring in MPs in proportion to its share of the party vote, without having to pass the 5 per cent threshold.

That's brought about the sort of vote-rigging which happened in Epsom, where National wanted ACT to win so it could deliver MPs who would support it in parliament.

It didn't work because ACT's party vote was so low that only its Epsom candidate, John Banks, entered parliament.

Another unpopular part of MMP is that it allows MPs who lose their electorate seats to be rescued by having high places on party lists, and they get back into parliament.

The 5 per cent threshold is high by international standards and it's very difficult for a party outside parliament to get in.

New Zealand First managed it on November 26 by getting 6.6 per cent and eight MPs, but that was because of the unusually high profile of leader Winston Peters.

The referendum result showed 57.7 per cent of those who voted wanted to keep MMP, while 42.2 per cent back changing to another system.

The Electoral Commission will announce a timeframe for its review next week. It has to report its recommendations to Parliament by the end of next year.