New Zealand Politics

New Zealand is described as the quintessential example of the Westminster model of the parliamentary system in Daniel Nielson’s article on economic reform.   Along with their unicameral legislature it can be expected that for parliament to pass new law it is much easier and more efficient than its distant cousin in the separation of powers system. Historically in New Zealand Parliament there are only two majority parties, the National and Labour.   Since there is no opposition or veto power to oppose the ruling party they can make new law as they please.   The downsides of this unchecked authority arise in the fact that it is also easy to replace or change legislation from the previous government (Moe and Caldwell, 177).   In the past from 1984 to 1993 the incoming New Zealand government was a working example of this type of political uncertainty that leads governments to change the policy of the previous government even if the new legislation they had passed is something they agreed with.   Similarly after the New Zealand Government changed their electoral system in 1993 political uncertainty still occurred between new governments taking seats in parliament but it was to a different pace and degree due to the nature of the Mixed Member Proportional system.
During the 1970’s and 1980’s in New Zealand there was several large changes occurring in the economic and political atmosphere.   New Zealand, who for a long time has been one of the most protectionist countries in the world, was suffering from an extreme budget deficit and a continual recession that saw there average annual growth rate in GDP per capita fall from 3 percent in 1970 to merely .2 percent in 1984 (Nielson, 4).   Leading up to the election in 1984 there was a growing disparity in the New Zealand public about the current leaders, from the National Party, in parliament and how they were leading the economy.   Campaigning as opposition to the National Party, the Labour Party had little to do to acquire the... [continues]

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