Story: Parliament

Ethnic diversity of MPs

MMP has improved ethnic diversity in Parliament.  After the final first-past-the-post election in 1993, only eight MPs identified as Maori; in 2020 there were 25. Before MMP there had never been an Asian MP and only one from the Pacific. In 2020, people of Chinese, Cook Islands Māori, Eritrean, Indian, Iranian, Korean, Maldivian, Mexican, Samoan, Sri Lankan, and Tongan descent were elected.

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Sources: Statistics New Zealand and New Zealand Parliament

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How to cite this page:

John E. Martin, 'Parliament - Impact of MMP', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/graph/47382/ethnic-diversity-of-mps (accessed 3 October 2023)

Story by John E. Martin, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Feb 2015