Page 2265 - Week 08 - Friday, 21 June 1991
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Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has never been anything other than the leader of the Labor Party or the leader of the Liberal Party. The number of times that I was consulted on matters in this Assembly by the leader of either of those parties when they were in what is called Opposition could be counted on the left-hand side of the fingers of one hand.
Mr Connolly: You were elected on one issue - abolition.
MR STEVENSON: Not only abolition. I also mentioned that if that was not possible I would introduce the democratic principle of voters' veto. Indeed, I give notice now that at our next sitting I will table a Bill whereby the people of the ACT - be this a council, as the majority of people in this electorate want, or this self-government body, until it goes - will have an opportunity to veto the more obnoxious actions of members of this Assembly or of the council.
Mr Humphries: We will not support it.
MR STEVENSON: You will not support it?
Mr Humphries: No.
MR STEVENSON: Well, it is interesting that Mr Humphries states that he would not support a voters' veto Bill to give the people of this community a say. I must say that it does not surprise me. I tell people what I have written on my card about how they can introduce the voters' veto Bill in the ACT. What it says is: "Light a fire under your politicians' seat; watch them move when they feel the heat".
Mr Humphries: That will get you re-elected for sure.
MR STEVENSON: Indeed. When enough heat is introduced to the members opposite, make no mistake; they will approve the voters' veto. I agree with you that there would have to be a lot of heat, Gary; that is the one thing we agree on. The Liberal Party, if there is any representation from Gary Humphries at this time, have already stated that they do not care about the people having a valid say in this Assembly. I wonder what the people of Canberra think about that, particularly understanding that in 1987 the Federal Liberal Party agreed to introduce citizens initiated referenda, only one part of which was the voters' veto. I am going for the little bit. But the Federal Liberal Party agreed to introduce citizens initiated referenda in Australia.
As I have mentioned earlier, the Labor Party had, since its founding in the 1890s, a major objective of citizens referenda. It was not until 1963 that, at the instigation of Don Dunstan, it was removed, I believe along the lines of the idea that the people would not be able to understand
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