Page 380 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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Minister on a number of occasions over the last few months on this issue - the fact remains that it is the Commonwealth Government which should correct its patent error in this matter.
If the Commonwealth were to place the decision making responsibility on the Assembly - and I note that the Minister now indicates that they intend to do that - then this Alliance Government believes that the most democratic and fair way to address the question of the electoral system would be to put it to the people of the ACT by way of a referendum. We have stated that from the outset. We still believe that to be true.
Notwithstanding that, whether we run a referendum or whether the Commonwealth itself runs one, there is no doubt in my mind that the Commonwealth should fund it. The problem was created by the Commonwealth; it should be resolved by the Commonwealth. We should not now be asked to spend ACT taxpayers' money to resolve a problem which the Commonwealth itself passed to us.
I must say that I am a little puzzled at the Minister's statement this morning because he seemed to be saying that the Commonwealth was prepared to hand this matter over to us and yet he does not want to do it till next year. I do not understand the logic. If it ought properly be the responsibility of this Assembly to make this decision, then I do not see the merit in postponing it from today until some time next year. There seems to be no logic in that whatsoever.
I can only assume that there is some thought in the minds of the Government across the lake that perhaps there will be a better government next year than this one, or that there might be a different government and it would come up with a different conclusion from this one. I believe that that is merely a perpetuation of the paternalism which was demonstrated when they retained the power in the first place. I do not think it is for that Parliament to determine when it will hand over the responsibility. There is simply no justification for it. If that is their intention, then they should do it now.
That brings me to the broader question that, in my view, the time is now ripe for the Commonwealth to transfer to us responsibility for this matter, together with all the other State-type functions which they are currently withholding from us. The Prime Minister has indicated that he is prepared to let us make up our own minds about the number of Ministers we have in our Cabinet. That is right and proper. I believe that his decision is right. Mr Simmons has now indicated that he is going to transfer to us the responsibility for our own electoral system. They are only two of the outstanding matters. If those can be transferred, then all the other matters ought to be transferred as well.
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