The Labour/NZ First/Greens coalition does not represent a government elected by the voters. There was no mandate for a Labour-led coalition as claimed by Jacinda Ardern as National secured more votes than Labour/Greens combined.

Winston Peters claimed that National with 44.4 per cent of the vote had no moral authority to form a government. Yet NZ First with 7.2 per cent of the vote has been given full authority to determine who forms the next government. At that point the decision of who will form the next government has been taken out of the voters' hands.

NZ First voters were split as to whether they supported a NZ First coalition with National or Labour. As NZ First refused to state before the election which party they would support, NZ First voters effectively handed Peters a blank cheque and their preference taken out of their hands.

Formal rule changes to MMP need to be introduced to make the choices for voters clearer and give them back the power to elect the government. Parties should have to advise voters of their coalition preferences before the election so voters may weigh up all options and after the election the largest party, or coalition bloc, has the first option to carry out further negotiations to form a government.

The scenes following this election were both farcical and done without any reference to wishes of the voters.

J Rudd, Oropi.