View source for 99 MP Party

{{short description|New Zealand political party}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = 99 MP Party
| logo = Image:99 MP Party (logo).png
| logo_alt =99MP Party logo
| colorcode =
| leader =
| founded = 2005
| dissolved = 2006
| foundation =
| ideology =
| colors =
| country =
}}
The '''99 MP Party''' was a small [[New Zealand]] political party that contested the [[2005 New Zealand general election|2005 general election]]. It supported a reduction of the number of [[Member of Parliament|Members of Parliament]] from 120 to 99.
==History==
With the [[Electoral reform in New Zealand|introduction]] of [[Mixed Member Proportional]] in 1996, the number of MPs rose from 99 to 120. Margaret Robertson organised a referendum in 1999 calling for the number to be reduced back to 99.<ref name=nzherald>{{citation|title=New party seeks registration with commission|language=en|work=NZ Herald|date=2005-03-30|access-date=2024-02-03|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-party-seeks-registration-with-commission/UFVAN3IEPDJVHMMKFUQ4LVXK6A/}}</ref>
Local businessman [[Jack Yan]] proposed that Robertson's campaign be turned into a political party in 2001, a decision that she agreed to the following year after finding that most parties in [[Parliament of New Zealand|Parliament]] generally did not support a reduction.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} Robertson took initial steps toward achieving the membership number required. Yan initially served as president and designed the logo and marketing collateral, but lived in Europe in the northern summer of 2002, became less involved on his return, and was replaced.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}
The 2002 policies were centrist to conservative,{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} including the toughening of the [[Crimes Act 1961]] and reforming Parliament and the select committee structure. In addition to the reduction of MP numbers, the party also supports making referendums mandatory for all constitutional changes.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}
The Electoral Commission accepted the party's official registration on 14 April 2005. It put forward a party list of two people: Robertson and Ramasmy Ramanathan.<ref name=nzherald-list>{{citation|title=99 MP party list|language=en|work=NZ Herald|date=2005-08-24|access-date=2024-02-03|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/99nbspmp-party-list/4K7QDVQLNLL5EFXF3V3CR7R2P4/}}</ref>
==2005 General Election and subsequent deregistration==
In the [[New Zealand general election, 2005|2005 elections]], the 99 MP Party received 601 party votes, or 0.03%, and did not win any electorate seats, so did not enter parliament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Count Results -- Overall Status |url=https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2005/partystatus.html}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, Margaret Robertson announced plans to step down.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}
In February 2006, [[New Zealand First]] MP [[Barbara Stewart (politician)|Barbara Stewart]] introduced a [[private member's bill]] that would cut the number of MPs to 100.<ref name="NZ_Herald_10372923">{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10372923 |title=Bill to cut number of MPs passes hurdle |date=16 March 2006 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=15 September 2011}}</ref>  It passed its first reading, though the Maori Party indicated their support was so that the bill could go to [[select committee (parliamentary system)|select committee]], at which public submissions could be heard.<ref name="NZ_Herald_10372770">{{cite web |date=15 March 2006 |title=Parliament to consider cutting number of MPs |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/organisation/story.cfm?o_id=277&ObjectID=10372770 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929175216/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/organisation/story.cfm?o_id=277&ObjectID=10372770 |archive-date=29 September 2007 |access-date=15 September 2011 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]}}</ref> The select committee recommended against changing the number of MPs.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-03 |title=Committee decides against reducing number of MPs |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/committee-decides-against-reducing-number-of-mps/3M5LVXMJ46UXYJNHULXPG6WRCM/ |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref> The bill was defeated at its second reading on 8 November 2006.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}
In September 2006, the party was deregistered, having failed to provide evidence of the necessary 500 members.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} {{As of|2023}}, the size of parliament remains at least 120.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Historic New Zealand political parties}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:99 Mp Party}}
[[Category:Political parties established in 2005]]
[[Category:Defunct political parties in New Zealand]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in New Zealand]]
[[Category:2006 disestablishments in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Political parties disestablished in 2006]]
[[Category:Single-issue political parties in New Zealand]]