Page 430 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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or fair for Canberra. Although we have many differences of view around this chamber, we all agree that a non-preferential voting system is unfair; or at least I assume that we all agree on that.
This is a chance for the Australian Labor Party to put its money where its mouth is. In other contexts quite divorced from single member electorates, do they support it in every case or do they not? If they do, then when this amendment of Mr Berry's is defeated - and it will be defeated - they should support the remainder of the motion. If they do not, then clearly they are conspiring with the Federal Government to impose this system on the ACT. That can be the only conclusion you can reach.
Mr Berry said that we were trying to support the existing arrangement. To make it perfectly clear that we are not, I seek leave of the Assembly to amend my motion by deleting the last four words of that motion.
Mr Berry: What does it say there?
MR HUMPHRIES: There will then be no reference to existing legislation.
Mr Berry: I think you should move that by way of an amendment.
MR HUMPHRIES: I am just about to.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Humphries, you have gained leave, but you have not, in fact, moved the amendment.
MR HUMPHRIES: I move:
Paragraph (3), omit all words after "principle".
MR BERRY (9.54): This proves the point about what Mr Humphries was on about from the word go. He supports the existing modified d'Hondt system with the Hill amendment. That is what Mr Humphries supports. He supports the existing legislation and he supports this democratic principle in the existing legislation. As I said before, he has been found out and now the big cover-up is coming. What Mr Humphries is saying is that he opposes the Government's apparent intention to abolish preferential voting in the ACT and calls on the Government to preserve this democratic principle. Of course, the only abolition that could be conducted by the Federal Government is that which is in the existing legislation, and that is what Mr Humphries opposes. He opposes the withdrawal of the Hill amendment. He is in love with the d'Hondt system with all of those modifications which were so much discredited by the ACT community and the community at large throughout Australia.
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