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Story: Referendums

Peter Shirtcliffe handing out anti-MMP leaflets

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Peter Shirtcliffe handing out anti-MMP leaflets

Peter Shirtcliffe, leader of the lobby group Campaign for Better Government (CBG), hands out anti-MMP leaflets in Wellington in October 1993. The CBG was formed in 1993 to campaign in opposition to the MMP (mixed-member proportional) electoral system in the run-up to the constitutional referendum. Shirtcliffe was the chair of Telecom and the CBG was well-funded, reportedly spending $1.5 million. The CBG's campaign may have increased public support for the FPP (first-past-the-post) system, but it was unable to prevent MMP winning the referendum.

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Nigel Roberts, Referendums – Constitutional referendums, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/36961/peter-shirtcliffe-handing-out-anti-mmp-leaflets (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nigel Roberts, published 12 June 2012, updated 1 December 2020.