▁general ▁roll ▁if ▁the ▁card ▁was ▁not ▁handed ▁in . ▁ ▁When ▁a ▁Royal ▁Commission ▁proposed ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁the ▁M MP ▁elect oral ▁system ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁it ▁also ▁proposed ▁that ▁if ▁the ▁country ▁adopted ▁the ▁new ▁system , ▁it ▁should ▁abol ish ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates . ▁The ▁Commission ▁argued ▁that ▁under ▁M MP , ▁all ▁parties ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁pay ▁attention ▁to ▁M ā ori ▁vot ers , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁separate ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁marg inal ised ▁M ā ori ▁concerns . ▁Following ▁a ▁refer endum , ▁Parliament ▁draft ed ▁an ▁Elect oral ▁Reform ▁Bill , ▁incorpor ating ▁the ▁abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates . ▁Both ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁and ▁Geoff rey ▁Pal mer , ▁Labour ' s ▁leading ▁reform ist , ▁supported ▁abol ition ; ▁but ▁most ▁M ā ori ▁strongly ▁opposed ▁it . ▁Event ually , ▁the ▁provision ▁did ▁not ▁become ▁law . ▁The ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁came ▁closer ▁than ▁ever ▁to ▁abol ition , ▁but ▁surv ived . ▁ ▁The ▁A CT ▁Party ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁have ▁each ▁advoc ated ▁abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁separate ▁elect or ates . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁First ▁also ▁advoc ates ▁abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁separate ▁elect or ates ▁but ▁says ▁that ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁vot ers ▁should ▁make ▁the ▁decision . ▁National ▁announced ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁it ▁would ▁abol ish ▁the ▁elect or ates ▁when