The New Zealand political spectrum is relatively narrow compared to America, according to Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller.

Todd is set to talk about his recent travels to both the American Republican Party and Democratic Party conventions at an open meeting at the Papamoa Community Centre on Monday night.

Todd is inviting people to the meeting in Papamoa on Monday.

The hour long meeting starts at 7pm in the Totara Room at 15 Gravatt Road.

Todd and Botany MP Jamie Lee-Ross attended both the Republican and Democratic Party conventions as part of a New Zealand delegation of the International Democratic Union annual get together.

For Todd, the up close look at both sides of the American political process was an educational opportunity that has him seeing New Zealand politics in a new light.

He suspects that in America he would be either moderate democrat - or a very socially tolerant republican.

'I think in many ways the New Zealand political spectrum is relatively narrow compared to America. We largely coalesce around ideas that have underpinned the country for decades,” says Todd.

Social security, the unemployment benefit, the role of the state to create the conditions for people to be successful, to look after them through the education system, to look after them in the health sector, and then of course to look after them 65 and older as superannuitants is a basic social democratic philosophy that has underpinned the New Zealand political debate for the last 70-80 years, says Todd.

'And like I say has a general consensus around the value that that has in New Zealand society. That doesn't exist here.”