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By Conor Twyford Alliance activists across the country are gearing up to contest New Zealand's first mixed member proportional (MMP) election, due to take place between July and November this year. MMP, brought in by referendum in November 1993, gives New Zealanders a party list vote as well as the constituency vote traditionally allowed under first-past-the-post. This provides for much fairer representation of smaller parties, since their voting averages across the nation are reflected by a similar proportion of seats in parliament. The Alliance, a broad coalition of NewLabour, Greens, Democrats, Maori (Mana Motuhake) and Liberals, stands to do particularly well under MMP. Formed in 1991 in reaction to successive attacks by conservative Labour and National governments on New Zealand's social and economic infrastructure, it elected two MPs in 1993. Polling a consistent 18-27% throughout 1995, the Alliance this year stands to gain between 20 and 30 seats, out of a total of 120. With the shift to MMP, the dominance of two-party politics in New Zealand is clearly about to end. Desperate to shore up its election prospects in any way it can, the current National government has attempted to bribe the population with across-the-board post-election tax cuts. Yet almost in the same breath, it continues to show unrivalled contempt for public opinion and minority groups by insulting Maori with its offer of a $1 billion "fiscal envelope" to settle all existing land claims, refusing to give asylum to East Timorese political activists and protesting in only the most wishy-washy fashion against the resumption of French nuclear testing in the Pacific. Meanwhile, the Labour Party, unable to articulate a clear set of political principles and objectives, has become increasingly separated from its traditional working-class base. Increasingly it has resorted to waging ideological attacks on the Alliance — which, ironically, serve only to highlight its own internal inconsistencies. New Zealanders, faced with a 178% rise in unemployment since 1984, deteriorating wages and working conditions, and ongoing cuts to social spending, remain sceptical of National and Labour. Politics in New Zealand has become increasingly characterised by flux, speculation and electoral manoeuvring, particularly on the right. Labour and National have both fractured and will continue to do so. In June 1995, seven MPs broke away from Labour and National to form United New Zealand, a right-of-centre party which lacks any clear philosophy and has yet to reach 1% in the polls. Coalition talks have since taken place between United NZ and extreme right-wing party ACT, until recently led by former Labour finance minister Roger Douglas, with little success. The market-oriented Progressive Greens, a supposed alternative for green voters who oppose the Alliance, has also been engaging in coalition talks with National. Despite speculation that the advent of MMP would lead to the break-up of the Alliance, with member parties striking out on their own, the Alliance has only become stronger. It has stuck firmly to its 12 non-negotiable policy principles, which include a progressive and more broadly based income tax, a publicly led investment program, a concerted effort to enhance the natural environment as part of a regional development and employment plan and a strong commitment to address the chronic economic and social deprivation of Maori. Over four years, the Alliance has developed a large network of experienced campaigners, a solid organisational base and a steady commitment to work together to overthrow the right. The largest challenge for the Alliance in 1996 will be to fend off the onslaught of vicious media attacks. Backed by big business, both Labour and National will predictably attempt to portray Alliance candidates as fringe radicals from the loony left. Yet, as Alliance national director Matt McCarten points out, "Campaign time is when the Alliance is at its best".