| Wednesday, June 27, 2012 5:59 AM

Even before MMP, minor parties played major roles in significant legislation.

One of the more controversial decisions by the Muldoon Government when he squeaked home at the 1981 election was to build a high dam at the picturesque Central Otago town of Clyde.

A scenic gorge was swamped along with orchards in part of the town and the vote to build the dam was carried by the good grace, many would say the disgrace, of the two Social Credit politicians Muldoon needed to govern.

In fairness to Social Credit if the 1981 election result was for an MMP Parliament they would have been the third biggest party by far, cornering 20 percent of the vote but just two seats.

Contrast that to the support the Key Government needed to pass the partial sale of state assets law. Last night it relied on a single vote, ACT's was a foregone conclusion, that of United Future's Peter Dunne who was conspicuous by his absence during the fierce and furious debate.

But the biggest contrast between Prissy Peter Dunne's party and Social Credit is their level of support, 20 percent compared to 0.6 percent of the vote at the last election, or just 1700 votes more than the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party. Imagine if the tables were reversed and the dope smokers got to make the asset sales decision, mused Labour.

To them the mixed ownership model law, as it's known, would probably have have been confused with who owns the dak crop.

At least Prissy Peter knew what he was voting for which is better than the great unwashed which State Homie John Key said had a very low level of understanding of it which, given the widespread opposition to it, is just as well for him.

So Mighty River Power will be the first to go under the auctioneer's hammer. With eight hydro electric dams on the mighty Waikato River, the company should be happy they're generating enough electricity at the moment, although it's currently building another geothermal one to keep pace.

The politically divisive Clyde High Dam is now owned by Contact Energy, but that's not for sale, it's already been sold, by the last National Government!