The news that cabinet minister Chris Faafoi has decided to stand-down from his Mana seat come the election and go list only along with the decision of Anne Tolley to do the same, clearing the way for her to be appointed speaker should National/ACT win the election, has got me thinking …

The jobs of prime minister, leader of the opposition, cabinet minister and speaker are (or should be) onerous enough without the additional responsibility of an electorate to look after.   One wonders if a mechanism could be developed whereby an electorate MP once he/she achieves any of those positions could, if they so wished, be afforded List MP status with the Party appointing an existing list member as the caretaker MP through to the next general election.

Yep. acknowledge the old argument that, at electorate level, voters choose the person rather than the Party but the reality is, in this day and age, more wishful thinking than reality.   Bottom line, for me, is that the electorate will continue to be served by an MP from the Party they voted voted for.  

I have witnessed first hand the burn-out and the effect on relationships that has engulfed MPs in the executive from across the political spectrum.    Their focus should and must be on their primary job without having to worry about an electorate.

Too radical a thought?