> MMP doesn't really guarantee a small party a seat though.  I guess
> if you can't get 1/120th of the vote, you might as well go home

Quite true. A few have not reached the 5% or got an electorate
member instead and lost their deposit

> 'NZ First' is exactly the same as Australia's 'One Nation' party

NZ First is one party seriously on the skids. The leader, Winston
"Dapper" Peters lost his electorate seat after many many years as
an MP and then, like a little litigious kid, sued the winner. And lost
again. Despite that, he is NZ's Foreign Minister because, holding
the balance of power at the last election, he did a deal with the
Labour Party. And yet he was effectively thrown out of office
by his electorate. But his party got over the 5%, he was top of
the list => he gets a seat in Parliament. So, try as you may, you
just can't rid of some buggers

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