Chris Hipkins criticises campaign to create MMP overhang

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has criticised a campaign designed to create a parliamentary overhang for right-leaning parties. He described the initiative as an "absolute rort" by "entrenched interests".

Harry Mowbray, father of the billionaire siblings who own Zuro toy company, launched a website encouraging strategic voting. The site suggests voters give their party vote to ACT or NZ First while giving their candidate vote to National.

Mowbray argues this strategy could create an overhang, allowing the current coalition to maintain a majority without winning more votes than the Opposition. He stated, "In terms of rorting it - the rules are there. We are only just using the rules that are there".

Hipkins argued that voters should simply vote for the party they want to lead the government. Former Prime Minister John Key also criticised the strategy, calling it "the opposite of clever".

Where reports differ

• Mowbray claims he is not representing an entrenched interest because most of his family's wealth was not made in New Zealand.

Compiled from reports by The Post and Stuff.