新西兰英语 774 A List MP resigns

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　　A list MP comes from a list of people chosen by the party. He was not elected. He was number 59 out of 59 National Party MPs in Parliament. National won 42 electoral seats in 2011 but 47% of all voters voted for National. The party therefore added 17 MPs from their list to give the party 47% of the MPs.

　　When Dr Lockwood Smith, left Parliament in January to become the New Zealand High Commissioner¹ in Britain, Aaron Gilmore took his place as a National Party Member of Parliament.

　　Ten days ago, Aaron Gilmour had dinner at a Hanmer Springs hotel when the waiter refused to sell him more wine. The waiter thought Mr Gilmore had drunk enough wine. It is illegal to sell alcohol to someone who is intoxicated². Aaron Gilmore was rude to the waiter and suggested that the waiter could lose his job.

　　The Prime Minister was not pleased with the behaviour of this MP. It was obvious that Mr Key wanted Mr Gilmore to resign but in the past when a party leader tells an MP to resign, sometimes that MP decides to stay in Parliament and become an independent MP. That would be a problem for National because there are 121 MPs and only 59 of them belong to the National Party. When there is a vote in Parliament, National needs support from some smaller parties. However, sometimes these other parties do not want to support National.

　　The next person on the National Party list is Claudette Hauiti. She said she is ready to become an MP.

　　Listen to November 27th 2011 to hear more about the 2011 election results. Note that the results changed a little after special votes were counted.

　　Vocabulary

　　?New Zealand High Commissioner – like an ambassador

　　?electoral seats – there are 63 electorates³ in NZ

　　?intoxicated – drunk

　　?obvious – easy to see

　　?independent MP – does not belong to a party

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