Page 405 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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MR JENSEN (8.34): That was short and sweet from Mr Stevenson. Mr Speaker, I think it is appropriate to put a couple of the comments and statements from those opposite to rest very quickly. Mr Kaine made some comments about the mandate question. I would like to add a little bit further to the mandate question. I have searched through this document here.
Mr Berry: I take a point of order. I think we are discussing a referendum, not a mandate.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you for that observation, Mr Berry. I think the die is cast.
MR JENSEN: Mr Speaker, the point that I was trying to make related to a mandate for the transfer of the electoral system to the ACT. There was some concern expressed by Mr Connolly that there is no mandate for this Assembly or this Government over here to have any role in the process of developing the electoral system. But I will come to that a little bit later on in my comments.
Mr Speaker, I searched through this document and nowhere did I find in the index a reference to the electoral system for the ACT. The only place that we can find any reference to that is in the submissions to the two select committees or standing committees which looked at this issue, just as, in the same way, the Residents Rally provided its submission to those committees. That submission, Mr Speaker, was approved by the members of the executive of the Residents Rally at the time. So let us not talk about mandates in relation to electoral systems, Mr Speaker, because the issue really was not whether there was to be an election. That was something that occurred. It was forced upon us by the Federal Parliament. The whole process of the election system was forced upon us by the Federal Parliament, once again without consultation with the people. Therefore it is a red herring, Mr Speaker, from the other side once again.
Let us look at another red herring. Once again we see selective quotes and comments from those opposite on matters that relate to the Residents Rally. Mr Connolly, unfortunately, should have read a little bit deeper into this particular document. He might have come up with a comment where Mr Lee asked me about our position in relation to the electoral system. I quote what I said at page 186:
Mr Lee, I think at this particular stage, as indicated in the paper, we are happy to give the d'Hondt system another try which is, quite frankly, designed for a parliament of our type and which provides for a fair representation of the people from the various groups. It also provides an opportunity for independent groups and independents to fully participate in the governing of their region. So from that point of view our
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